Atmosphere Core announces its sustainability initiatives across the four pillars of Community, Operations, Resources and Environment. Their projects include renewable energy infrastructure and water-saving technology across their wide portfolio of resorts. Along with company-wide projects, individual resorts are also looking at innovative pilot projects such as the vertical hydroponic garden at Ozen Life Maadhoo or the in-house biogas setup at Oblu Select Sangeli.
“Sustainability isn’t an option; it’s our ethos. We look at reusing, reducing, and recycling. All our resorts use a paperless app-based booking and check-in system. At our spas, we serve handmade candied orange peels, and all our resort teams maintain kitchen gardens with a constant effort to improve every year,” commented Shrikant Dash, the Deputy Managing Director for Corporate at Atmosphere Core.
“The cumulative impact of these eco-friendly choices can have a lasting positive change. From conscious development to conserving resources and curating culturally connected experiences for our guests, every decision we make is rooted in preserving the natural beauty that surrounds us in the enchanting islands of Maldives.”
Community Impact
Atmosphere Core has been supporting charities and driving impact through Atmosphere Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organization. In the span of two years, the foundation has built a high-quality training kitchen for special needs students, run reading programs for 7,196 youngsters and supported health screening programs for 590 senior citizens at local islands.
With the introduction of bamboo plantation and cultivation to communities through the Bamboo for Climate Change Mitigation project, Atmosphere Foundation has donated over 4,000 germinated seedlings and introduced saplings to 27 islands, collaborating with local councils on 9 initiatives. This project has covered all but five atolls in Maldives. Over 1,000 seedlings have also been planted in resorts operated by Atmosphere Core.
Utilizing Solar Power
In 2019, Atmosphere setup a marine and rooftop solar system at Ozen Life Maadhoo. Since then, the solar setup has expanded across resorts, leading to a year-over-year increase in solar energy production, with a 40% increase in 2022 followed by a 14% rise in 2023.
As of May 2024, there are 8,890 solar panels installed across seven resorts which have produced a cumulative of 16,500 MWh of clean energy from 85 roof installations and 12 floating platforms. Atmosphere Core has saved 4,459,459 liters of diesel by using solar energy, resulting in a cumulative reduction of 11,951 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Coral Conservation
Within the portfolio of Atmosphere Core’s nine resorts, seven have an actively managed coral conservation program and four have a dedicated marine biologist. In 2023, a total of 279 coral frames were installed in Atmosphere Core waters with roughly 13,436 coral fragments. This year, 21 new frames have been installed across the resorts so far.
Through continuous monitoring and maintenance, the coral fragments have encrusted onto the frames and started to grow new branches. Over the years, through coral propagation, these conservation gardens have flourished with live corals attracting marine life including Parrot Fish, Snappers, Eagle Rays, Sharks, and other invertebrates.
Green Globe Certification
All of Atmosphere Core’s resorts have received Green Globe Certification for environmental sustainability, with Ozen Reserve Bolifushi and Oblu Nature Helengeli by Sentido receiving gold certifications.
With a 10% global market share, Green Globe is one of the most preferred sustainability certifications for resorts and involves successfully being audited on 44 key environmental criteria and up to 380 compliance indicators depending on the destination.