16 Feb 2023
Sustainable Spa Association rebrands and announces partnership with sustainability benchmarking platform FuturePlus
BY Megan Whitby
Industry organisation the Sustainable Spa Association has undergone a rebrand and now goes by the name Sustainable Wellness.
The non-profit membership-based trade body was formed in 2020 to offer independent guidance, benchmarking services and ongoing support to spa operators to help them improve their sustainability credentials.
After two years of auditing and accrediting spas globally, the team noticed a growing demand for sustainability measurement, guidance and development throughout the supply chain and other industries besides just spa and wellness.
Sustainable Wellness co-founder Lucy Brialey explained: “To meet this demand and bring a unified perspective into the process, we’ve made some important decisions to expand upon the services we deliver in a way that creates one language of sustainability across the whole spectrum of hospitality, spa, wellness and the supply chain.”
Benchmarking sustainability progress
Sustainable Wellness also recently inked a deal to partner with The Sustainability Group and its sustainability measurement platform called FuturePlus.
FuturePlus was created by two senior executives from the commercial sustainability and not-for-profit sectors, Mike Penrose and Alex Smith. The sustainability tool not only measures a business’ baseline sustainability score but also allows it to set its own sustainability ambition score to work towards.
The ambition score is calculated after FuturePlus measures and tracks what a business would like to achieve, in a timeline that can be set and tracked for that business.
This allows the team at FuturePlus to create a bespoke roadmap and guidance on how to achieve the unique sustainability ambitions of any business. Its team of consultants are then on hand to help businesses through the process to drive sustainable development forward regardless of where they started on the sustainability scale.
Spa-specific sustainability guidance
Sustainable Wellness has created an accreditation pathway that is specific to the spa department.
This provides guidance on the day-to-day decision-making processes that are important in achieving sustainability from the ground up. It can be undertaken independently by the spa department or in tandem with FuturePlus to support a hotel or leisure establishment in reaching top-level sustainability KPIs.
Brialey adds: “We’re bringing a compatible and joined-up approach to sustainability that can be communicated from the spa and wellness department to c-suite hospitality and to the supply chain with a methodology and scoring system that is understood and recognised by all”.
Who’s on board?
FuturePlus has already attracted spa suppliers including Lemi, Wildsmith Skin, OTO CBD, Corc Yoga, Fashionizer Spa, Lisa Franklin London, Six Skincare, Spalicious, AMRA skincare and Oxwash.
The following hospitality brands are also on board: Hoarcross Hall, Eden Hall, Heckfield Place, Champneys, Sash Spa Bahrain, Spring London, six properties across Lore Group plus more in the pipeline to be announced in 2023. Soho House and Nobu Hotels have also previously worked with FuturePlus.
Additionally, over 50 spas have embarked on their sustainability accreditation with 11 successfully graded bronze, silver or gold standards including Whatley Manor, Eden Hall and Hoarcross Hall in the UK, Irene Forte Spa at the Vedura Resort Sicily, the Ele | na group of spas in the Maldives and more.
The two organisations are also currently jointly consulting on new developments around the world.
In Q2 of 2023, Sustainable Wellness will be introducing a new set of sustainability accreditations and diplomas for salon and clinic, fitness and wellness and F&B departments to expand their reach in departmental education.
The Sustainable Wellness social network
Sustainable Wellness has launched a new social members-only network platform to encourage open communication and encourage its community to share knowledge, achievements, new innovations and best practice.
The network connects operators and suppliers and gives full access to accreditation, education, campaigns, partners and resources.
“Our members are an engaged audience of spa, wellness and hospitality professionals, looking for the highest standards of sustainability solutions,” said Brialey.
"We attract a diverse membership of students, wellness team members, hoteliers, sustainability professionals, suppliers and consultants who all benefit from a range of resources, education and connectivity.”
Access allows members to:
• Create a personal profile.
• Chat with other members.
• Discovery Sustainable Wellness brand partners and spas.
• Attend live events.
• Upload multi-media content.
• Share sustainability successes.
• Access spa salon and clinic, accreditation and education.
• Join FuturePlus.
• Follow sustainability topics of interest.
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