Atlantis Dubai (Atlantis, The Palm and Atlantis The Royal) has an immense scale, meaning the two resorts are able to have a sizeable impact when it comes to ESG initiatives. As its Atlas Project turns two, Atlantis shares some recent wins.

Over the past 12 months, the implementation of green investments totalling US$500,000 has resulted in a significant change to help reduce waste and emissions and facilitate a more responsible operation.

Atlantis Atlas Project currently focuses on four key groups of wildlife; sharks, rays, dolphins, and corals, and two key threats to the ocean; unsustainable seafood and plastic pollution.

The project has entirely transformed operations at one of Dubai’s largest hotels. The initiative promised a long-term sustainability drive on a resort-wide level. This includes everything from charity donations to working with charities, to selling more than 5,000 sustainably-sourced F&B dishes, to the creation and opening of an on-site bottling plant.

Operations
Minimising waste and conserving energy remain a pivotal focus of the Atlantis Atlas Project. The incorporation of Winnow AI technology to combat food waste within our buffet operations has yielded a 40 percent reduction in food waste sent to landfills over the past 12 months.

Since the establishment of its on-site water filtration and bottling facility – catering to all rooms and restaurant outlets by delivering filtered drinking water in reusable glassware – 2,020,908 plastic water bottles have been replaced from July 2022 to the present date. Atlantis is steadfastly progressing towards eradicating all single-use plastic water bottles by the conclusion of 2023, aligning with the pledge in February 2022 to support Dubai Can.

Furthermore, the installation of 2,178 solar panels across Atlantis, The Palm has generated 720,445kWh of renewable electricity within a span of five months, leading to CO2 reduction levels of 310 tonnes.

Education and animal welfare
Dolphin Bay within Atlantis Aquaventure, has expanded its offerings by introducing three new no-contact programs: dolphin kayak, dolphin paddle, and dolphin sunrise. These experiences allow guests to participate in and observe the daily training sessions of the dolphins.

For every marine animal experience participated in by a guest, Atlantis Dubai contributes US$1 into an investment fund to support UAE-based conservation and sustainability projects that help protect the ocean and our environment.

For 2022-23, Atlantis contributed $120,000 of funding to support nine projects, including New York University Abu Dhabi’s coral research, United Arab Emirates University’s endangered species research, Goumbook’s “Save the Butts, Waste to Value” campaign, IUCN Shark Specialist Group research, Freestyle Divers reef rehabilitation project, AZA SAFE Sharks and Rays efforts, SFS Trace technology, Global Diving Research SL’s dolphin research, and the Zayed University and UAE Dolphin Project initiative to learn more about local dolphin and cetacean populations.

For 2023-24 Atlantis Dubai’s fund has increased by 17.5 percent to $140,000; since launching in 2021 the contribution programme has raised over a quarter of a million dollars to date.

CSR
Atlantis Atlas Project’s CSR programme has continued to grow over the last 12 months, with initiatives including the donation of 4,102kg of food and 21,941kg of linen/towels to the Stray Dogs Centre Umm Al Quwain, as well as 8,450 meals to the region’s humanitarian aid organisation Tarahum Charity Foundation. Atlantis Aquaventure also became the first waterpark in the Middle East to earn the IBCCES Certified Autism Center designation.

Atlantis Dubai taking sustainability seriously
Kelly Timmins, director of marine animal operations and sustainability, Atlantis Dubai, commented: “Two years on from the launch of the Atlantis Atlas Project, we have successfully woven sustainability into the fabric of Atlantis Dubai. We are building on this day by day, year by year, to continue scaling up our efforts and working toward bigger goals. We recognise there is still a way to go to become the Middle East’s champion for responsible and sustainable tourism, but we are adamant about the journey to get us there.”

Tim Kelly, executive VP and MD, Atlantis Dubai added: “We are proud to share the outcome of the second year of the Atlantis Atlas Project, our ongoing commitment to sustainable development. Through the efforts of our dedicated Atlantis colleagues, we have achieved some incredible results and are creating a legacy of environmental stewardship as we aim to do business in ways that are good for both people and the planet.”

Source: Hotelier Middle East