Social Responsibility

Putting something back

Development - good or bad affects us all wherever we live. Sri Lanka is no exception and, as a developing country recovering from conflict, it is reaching out for investment to create jobs and uplift its citizens. Buckingham Place does and will continue to support various community based projects while aiming to address wider concerns of environmental protection.
Since 2003 there have been numerous undertakings, primarily in the fields of health and education.

For example:

Partnership with:Lumbini Pre-School

(Netolpitiya Village)

Facing closure in 2003 after losing NGO funding, this once run-down pre-school, now catering for around 30 kids has been kept going by us. Contributions towards staff salaries, furniture, musical instruments, learning materials, uniforms, classroom maintenance, utility connections and payment has been rewarded by the school becoming popular once more and its intake doubling! The eventual aim is to lift this school still further by replacing dilapidated buildings and voluntary participation by guests who would like to join in.

BTRTDH Trust:

2 year+ US$1.2m, post-Tsunami project to equip and refurbish the local hospital at Tangalle. The upgrading of this hospital not only improved access to healthcare for thousands but now contributes to the local economy too. In many ways the hospital has been a victim of its own success and almost bursts at the seams with patients! 5 years on it's in need of ever more assistance. Please see www.tangallehospital.org .

Our support for all causes whether a new fence for the local Temple, materials for the village school, sponsorship of medical assistance; aims to avoid dependency and create sustainability

Closer to home - all members of our team benefit from wide ranging and continuous personal development plus the opportunity created by permanent and safe employment.

The Future

Policies and practices will evolve to minimize the environmental and social impact of the hotel. A key objective is that we and our guests contribute a net benefit to Rekawa.
Obvious' built-ins' such as solar energy for hot water, storage of ground water for planting, deep-well water (otherwise lost) for the swimming pool - are ongoing.

A carbon emissions audit will take place shortly after the hotel becomes fully operational with a zero emissions goal within a further 5 years.

Guests will be encouraged to repatriate personal items used in the hotel (shampoo bottles etc.) which cannot be efficiently recycled or bio-degrade.

An incinerator meeting EU emissions criteria will be installed during construction (Phase 2), although anything that can be recycled will be.

A long term and on-going tree planting initiative which invites guest participation is to be initiated upon the opening of the hotel (Phase 1).