Six Senses launches new CSR initiatives to keep beaches clean & educate local children

The resort has implemented a beach cleaning programme and English language lessons for local children which are to be held on a weekly basis.

During the beach cleaning sessions, Six Senses staff and residents of the local area gather to clean the coastline, picking up litter not only in the immediate vicinity but also further afield, setting an example to the wider community on the importance of the environment. In the case of the English lessons, these have been introduced by the team at Zighy Bay in a desire to contribute to the overall wellbeing of the local children whilst preserving their traditional way of life. They provide the children with an invaluable lesson and an afternoon of fun, in the hope that the lessons will also help contribute to their personal development and future careers.

The Six Senses resort is one which aims to create a feeling for guests of being at one with nature through their enjoyment of the beautiful surroundings at Zighy Bay. For those guests wishing for a cultural injection into their break, visits to local villages for a taste of traditional Omani village life are on offer.

Enriched through its environment and neighbouring communities, the resort is aware that its operations will cause an impact ecologically, as of the dangers of negatively imposing on neighbours and thus understands the importance of giving back. The two initiatives help to achieve this aim through providing a wonderful opportunity for the resort's hosts to interact with local families; helping to establish strong and positive relations between them as well as keeping the local environment clean.

Tara Hammond, Environment and Social Responsibility Officer commented "At Six Senses we are aware of the environmental and social impact that our resort has. Being highly environmentally focused one of the ways we show our appreciation for the local surroundings is our weekly beach cleaning session. This not only helps to preserve our environment, but sets an example for others to follow as the aim of this exercise is not only to keep the beach clean for our guests and others, but to raise awareness of the importance of our habitat."

Hammond added:

"The physical environment however is not our only concern. We consider the local community as part of that environment also and therefore we like to give something back. Weekly English lessons have been chosen as one of our initiatives to help maintain good relations with our neighbours and we feel this will be an invaluable tool to them in their lives."