OUR SUSTAINABILITY VISION
A new, Cretan longevity for people, their culture and their natural environment.
WE ARE CONSCIOUS
We know how to make good things last, and this knowledge is now becoming vital.
We integrate responsibility into everyday practice. We sustain the environment, we honour tradition, we support local economies. We are socially conscious thinkers and doers and we are proud.
OUR SUSTAINABILITY APPROACH
At Phāea Resorts we are committed in crafting sustainable yet luxurious guest experiences, that respect the community and environment we operate into, and give prominence to a truer, more timeless Greece that is worth to be celebrated. As luxury hotel operators, we are conscious in delivering uncompromising service while focusing on minimizing our environmental and social impact. With people at the very core of our operation, enhancing wellbeing and personal development for all is vitally important to us.
We incorporate water-saving devices and procedures, improving the efficiency of landscape watering and controlling water leakage to minimize overall water consumption.
We are committed to implement innovative and cost saving methods to reduce our energy use, eliminate gas emissions, conserve resources, and improve the environment.
RESPONSIBLE WASTE MANAGEMENT
We have integrated an extensive recycling program resulting in a significant reduction of the volume of waste ending up in landfills.
TOWARDS A PLASTIC-LESS OPERATION
Our commitment to work towards a plastic-less operation, introduces a plastic reduction roadmap for eliminating unnecessary consumption (also in alignment with the respective EU directive, adopted in 2019) starting with the identification of the single-use plastic items currently in use by the hotels’ departments. In the context of a world trying to shift off of fossil fuels as an energy source, our goal is also to reducing the use of plastics generated by fossil fuel and adopt new alternatives in our day-to-day operation that eliminate harmful impact to ecosystems, climate-crisis and people’s health.
FOOD COMPOSTING
We compost the trimmings from trees & grass and organic waste from our restaurants at a facility operating within our premise.
ORGANIC WASTES MANAGEMENT
We implement a series of actions towards reducing our organic wastes & have participated in Food for Feed pilot project, converting our food residues into animal feed, supplied to local farms.
SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT WITH CERTIFIED, ORGANIC EDIBLE PLANTS
A pioneering 3-year program of an ongoing sustainable landscape management, commencing in 2021, has been designed to improve soil health, clean the air and increase energy efficiency in landscape.
CERTIFIED ORGANIC HOTEL FARMING
We operate our own open-air organic vegetable gardens, covering an area of 1500m². We cultivate different varieties of certified fruit trees, lawns, vegetables and aromatic herbs that are endemic to the island with a production process that is certified organic.
THE PHĀEA PLAN BEE
Our resorts are working towards implementing a series of actions that will enable the bee pollination; with year-round blooming plants, diverse agriculture and Crete’s warm climate, bees can forage and colonies grow all year.
PURCHASING SUSTAINABLE CRITERIA
Committed to using locally sourced products and we strive to contribute to the development of new, sustainable local businesses that can be included in our supply chain.
F&B SUPPLIES
We have implemented a number of criteria for our food and beverage purchases; buying local, seasonal ingredients, from certified organic producers, limit purchases of fish species at risk etc.
ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION THROUGH RESPONSIBLE PROCUREMENT
We aim to minimize the intake of natural resources, as well as the use of toxic materials, and manage according to the best available environmental option the waste and pollutants generated from our operation.
The quality of our sustainable operation is directly linked with worldwide recognition by international institutions and awards, that highlight our quality in service: Travelife, Blue Flag, The Green Key etc.
The Phāea Farmers Program is designed to support resort staff who also farm their land. Through collaborations with agronomists, the farmers are trained in sustainable & organic farming methods and sustainable land use. The program is creating more value and quality production and the resort can source the highest quality local produce for use in the kitchens.
This year, our guests will have the opportunity to also taste our very own Phāea Olive-Oil, sourced to our kitchens and restaurants. It is a Superior category Olive Oil obtained directly from olives & solely by mechanical means, that has been produced according to self-assessed sustainable farming practices within the concept of EU Farm to Fork strategy.
BRING LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE TOGETHER
Our resorts employ locals wherever possible adding another layer of authentic Cretan hospitality. Our staff embody our traditional island values through their sincerely warm-hearted approach to friends old and new. Our actions include: HR days, Induction program, Chief Culture Office, Team Building Events, CSR activities, The Phāea Farmers, The Sustainability Committee, The Phāea Volunteers
DEVELOPMENT & APPRECIATION
Our development programming includes our online training portal, The Phāea Academy, HR workshops, Associate Excellence Appreciation and more.
ENGAGEMENT & SATISFACTION
Our people are the foundation for our success. We pride ourselves on creating a respectful, professional and inclusive workplace for everyone. Our activities include: Staff meetings, ESS-Employee Engagement Survey, Benefits, BOH Communication, Newsletters, Culture Day (visit a museum etc.)
Caring for our fellow islanders, staff and friends, takes a surprising number of forms and we actively encourage everyone to show their solidarity.
DONATIONS
Our social impact programming includes in-kind donations of hardware or food and monetary donations that support many local, native and international social care causes – including local hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and many more.
For Phāea, charity really does begin at home. As part of our in-kind donations, we support our 2 local hospitals and nursing homes, Make a Wish Greece, and Diversey (Linens for Life program) to name a few. Our food and monetary donations include the SOS children’s villages, charity organizations, and local animal welfare organizations.
VOLUNTEERING
We activate our Phāea Volunteers program through our incredible team members, who bring our corporate responsibility efforts to life every day. Some do this at a very personal level, for example, donating bone marrow. Others lend their efforts to help out with farming and environmental projects, such as planting trees and growing potatoes, where the produce is donated to families in need. We, also host environmental awareness events at our resort, for local elementary schools. Our activities include cleaning of coastal and underwater areas of the Greek shores (A.C. Laskaridis Foundation – Typhoon Project ) and afforestation of local mountainous areas in collaboration with Agios Nikolaos Municipality and Local Forestry.
We strive to acquire new knowledge and create innovation in our products and everyday practices. We’re proud to have been one of the first companies selected to participate in the pioneering – TUI CARE Foundation’s program “Crete – First steps towards a ‘sustainable food destination” in 2017-2019. In 2020, Phāea Resorts were proudly awarded a TUI Global Hotel Award, in the TUI Care Foundation category, for their unfaltering dedication to delivering unique, exceptional, and sustainable holiday experiences for our customers.
We support various local animal welfare organizations, such as ARCHELON (Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece) which advocates for the rehabilitation of sick and injured turtles.
THE CRETAN DIET
From traditional recipes to the region’s bounty of produce, every element of Crete’s culinary identity is interwoven into the food and beverage offerings.
MENUS INSPIRED BY OLD CRETAN RECIPES
The emphasis is on showcasing fresh local produce – sourced from local or native small-scale farms- and designing vegan and vegetarian dishes inspired by the Minoan cuisine, that allow the ingredients to co-exist, like the island itself – in harmonious balance.
ORGANIC KITCHEN GARDENS
The resort’s on-site vegetable and herb garden, where produce destined for any one of the hotel’s food outlets is cultivated. Tended to by an in-house team, the gardens’ harvest seasonal crops; vegetables, and fruits.
EPICUREAN EXPERIENCES
The resorts’ focus on sustainable local gastronomy is anchored in a passion and devotion to the island’s Cretan heritage and natural bounty, using the finest locally sourced ingredients even from the resort’s own organic garden. All menus have been curated by celebrated Greek Chefs, while epicurean concepts that reveal Cretan ritual cuisine honed from time-honored traditions.
CELEBRATING GREECE
We are committed to developing concepts that redefine the essence of Greek hospitality, giving prominence to a truer, more timeless Greece; we offer a medley of experiences aboard our Greek traditional fishing boat & open-air movie nights at our Therino cinema.
SLOW-PACED LIVING
Fully supporting our resort’s dedication to relaxation and recreation is a series of spaces devoted to wellness; Retreats of fitness activities, calisthenics workouts, yoga, meditation & Pilates sessions.
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
We encourage guests in recycling activities, various clean-up projects, tree planting, & garden tours.
CRETAN WEDDING & RITUALS
Our guests can preserve their wedding day by planting an olive tree in the resort’s beautiful gardens.
PROMOTING LOCAL EVENTS
We support new, local initiatives such as our World Tourism Day celebration, the Cretan Street Food festival, the cliff diving competition, the Agios-on-SUP international competition, and the Spinalonga concert series.
INVOLVING TEENS & KIDS
We create opportunities for younger guests to get involved, with an array of land and marine experiences hosted by the hotel and specially tailored to children: Kids’ Clubs eco-awareness activities, clean-up activities, mini organic gardening.
LOCAL CUSTOMS
Our island brims with quaint and quirky stories and customs, and we are enthusiastic about sustaining this fascinating heritage. Vibrant examples include grape stomping in August & Raki Distillation in October, fire-jumping, and fortune-telling at Klidonas in June, the May Day rituals.
SPINALONGA REENACTMENT
A historical reenactment performed by the team of archaeologists and culture experts through our exclusive partnership.
CULTURAL EXCURSIONS
Our Concierge teams are the destination authorities of Crete, crafting tailor-made itineraries that unlock the secret treasures of Crete.
Our design and architecture are a product of careful study of the island’s history, nature, and resources. The resorts incorporate local craftsmanship, celebration of architectural heritage, and commission new Greek and Cretan artists and designers blended with current trends and forward-looking design.