About the Client
Tanoa Hotel Group is a respected hospitality leader across the Pacific, with properties in Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and New Zealand. As a regional operator in climate-vulnerable and infrastructure-limited locations, Tanoa plays a vital role in shaping sustainable tourism across the Pacific.
The Challenge
With rising global expectations around sustainability and responsible tourism, Tanoa needed to move quickly developing a strategy that addressed climate risk, plastic waste, and governance while also embedding sustainability into the brand and guest experience. Operating in remote island environments, the Group also faced a unique operational challenge: no formal recycling infrastructure in several locations, and growing visitor concern about environmental impact.
Our Approach
As Fractional Chief Sustainability Officer, ESG Strategy worked closely with Tanoa's executive team and board to develop a group-wide Sustainability Strategy aligned to local challenges and global standards; support board and executive engagement including ESG briefings and a skills uplift program; recruit, hire, and mentor Tanoa's first regional Sustainability Manager; embed sustainability into staff training, guest engagement, and brand messaging to ensure authenticity and alignment; work directly with local waste authorities to create practical circular economy solutions; and facilitate a corporate partnership with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners to enable the removal and recycling of plastic waste from island sites, an unprecedented achievement in the region.
Results
- Group-wide Sustainability Strategy embedded across 8 properties in 4 Pacific nations within 6 months
- ESG governance and leadership embedded at board and executive level
- Internal sustainability capability built, including first Sustainability Manager hire
- Guest experience enhanced through sustainability narratives, improving brand differentiation
- Plastic waste removal partnership established, first in Pacific hospitality sector
- Tanoa recognised as a regional sustainability leader, supporting premium market positioning
"ESG Strategy's pragmatic and deeply engaged approach gave us invaluable insights and helped us take positive strides toward sustainable solutions."