Our Impact
Príncipe’s nature and communities make it different, and we have a differentiated commitment to preserving and celebrating them.
Unlike in many places, where nature is stripped away due to development, the very existence of HBD helps to protect swathes of carbon-sequestering, biodiverse rainforest. We know that what makes the island special—from clean air and clear skies to the high number of endemic species—is what sustains our business, too.
The nature of gradual, sustainable development means that what we do doesn’t necessarily translate into snappy statistics. While some of our initiatives are very visible during a visit to our lodges, others, often just as important, hum along in the background. You can learn about some of them below.
Whether you choose to engage directly with our projects, or simply enjoy some of the sustainable experiences on offer, you too are directly contributing to the island’s sustainable development journey.
Resource use research
We are evaluating vehicle use, and investigating how using solar power could help reduce HBD’s diesel consumption.
Locally-grown products
Dining in our restaurants offers a taste of sustainability, with fruit, vegetables and herbs grown on HBD’s organic farms part of your plate.
Eco-friendly Construction
Sundy Praia’s construction incorporated reversible construction principles, such as with specialised footing that uses a ‘screw in’ mechanism instead of concrete for the tented villas.
Recycling
We have a dedicated waste management & recycling team and lead regular community clean-ups to raise awareness about the impact of litter.
Employment
As Príncipe’s largest employer, we create career opportunities and provide ongoing training for HBD team members.
Local roots
93% of the HBD team are from the islands, and we aim for locally-rooted leaders to carry our vision forward.
Sustainable experiences
As of 2021, we don’t offer catch-and-release, deep sea, or sport fishing, in line with our conservation goals.
Paciência Organic
Our Paciência Organic chocolate is made using cacao grown in our birdsong-filled agroforestry plantation.
Artisans' work
Our properties showcase local artisans’ work, featuring the likes of hand-woven pendant lampshades and upcycled glass decorations made by a women’s cooperative in Príncipe.
Connections to culture
Connect with the local culture at HBD’s properties through traditional food and performances from talented local musicians.
Our Sustainability & ESG Strategy
Achieving our vision counts on our commitment to sustainable business, sustainable operations and sustaining the Biosphere Reserve.
Explore this interactive visualisation—by clicking on each element and reading the explanatory text box below—to learn more about our sustainability & ESG (environmental, social and governance) strategy.
Conservation
HBD Príncipe creates economic opportunities that are inextricably linked to the protection of the marine and terrestrial ecosystems thereby contributing to conservation. We support and closely collaborate with our expert partner, Fundação Príncipe, to advance conservation.
Climate
HBD Príncipe contributes solutions to the climate crisis and also faces risks from its effects that we need to evaluate. We will seek to assess and address the positive (e.g., ecosystem services) and negative (e.g., GHGs) contributions to gauge our net impact on the climate and manage accordingly. We plan to share relevant information and tips with guests, too.
Communities
Our company creates economic opportunities through a range of good jobs and careers. HBD Príncipe engages with our local communities strategically to create focused, deep impact. We will develop objective, strategic criteria for community support so that the impact we have is more meaningful across defined focus areas.
Culture
We understand, respect, support and learn from the local communities, the custodians of the culture. We integrate local culture into our business operations (e.g., menus, hotel events and activities) that lead to mutually enriching experiences.
Resource use & supply chain
We will understand, measure and manage our sourcing and consumption of resources, and champion eco-conscious, innovative solutions (e.g., rainwater catchment, compost). An increase in local sourcing will create authentic experiences for our guests, as well as lessen our supply chain challenges. Aligned with our commitment to protect nature, we seek to be powered by nature with a focus on transitioning our energy supply to renewables.
Ecological impact
The ecosystem is at the heart of how HBD Príncipe designs, constructs and operates. We will formalise our practices into policies and advocate for their adoption by other groups on the island. We must understand how every decision affects the environment and ensure that we, at a minimum, do no harm.
Safety
Everything that we do is based on the safety of each team member, our guests and the people in the communities. By having no accidents as our target, we ensure that that where we work and operate is safe. We develop and follow protocol so that we can avoid problems; we also train and can respond calmly and appropriately if there is a crisis.
Team
Knowledge transfer, training and development will be at the core of our efforts to create the conditions for locally rooted leaders to carry our vision and mission into the future. Additionally, we are developing a foundation of leading labor practices. We are recentering our team around trust and building a just culture. We support the health and happiness of our team and aim and underline the purpose of what we can achieve together.
Profitability
Long-term positive impact depends on a strong, viable business. Profitability and sustainability coexist to achieve our vision.
Transparency
Trust is built on radical transparency. We will endeavor to communicate about what, how and why we do business—including our successes and challenges—with each other and our external stakeholders.
Data security
Ensuring the protection of HBD Príncipe’s and customers’ information is vital to a thriving business.
Ethics & integrity
HBD Príncipe must conduct our business in an ethical manner and all employees must act with integrity. Corruption and bribery are not tolerated. These principles apply to external (e.g., government, customers, communities, suppliers, partners) and internal interactions. We comply with applicable laws and regulations.
We’re a proud Fellow Member of
The Long Run and support the 4Cs
The Long Run—a membership organisation of nature-based tourism businesses committed to driving sustainability—champions Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce (4Cs), which are part of our sustainability & ESG strategy, too.
Visit the Long Run
Fundação Príncipe is an independent, local non-profit, which began as HBD’s environmental and social arm. While it has been an entirely separate entity since 2016, our non-profit partner shares our vision and values, and we work in close collaboration to support their important conservation and community engagement projects with various in-kind services alongside our Conservation & Communities Contribution.
Visit Fundação Príncipe
Supporting the island
In alignment with HBD’s vision, guest rates for HBD hotels in Príncipe include a Conservation & Communities Contribution of €25 per person per night (13+ years), 100% of which funds local initiatives. Guests can proudly share that, in fact, they are directly supporting Príncipe by staying with us. There are three components to its distribution:
Component 1: Fundação Príncipe (50%) The Fundação Príncipe, our local conservation NGO partner, is implementing terrestrial and marine conservation projects across the island, in partnership with regional authorities and local communities.
Component 2: Educational Support (25%) Individuals, organizations and schools in Príncipe receive support for a wide range of educational activities.
Component 3: Environmental and Social Support (25%) Individuals, organizations and communities in Príncipe receive support for environmental and social initiatives and events.
We are committed to transparency. Requests for educational, environmental and social support are evaluated against objective criteria. HBD may also develop and fund such initiatives based on the same criteria. HBD publishes (no later than 31 March each year) an annual report detailing the amount of Conservation & Communities Contribution received from guests and how it was utilised. We recognize our guests’ tangible, positive impact. Príncipe appreciates you.
CCC Public Impact Report (2023)
CCC Public Impact Report (2022)
Fundação Príncipe is an independent, local non-profit, which began as HBD’s environmental and social arm. While it has been an entirely separate entity since 2016, our non-profit partner shares our vision and values, and we work in close collaboration to support their important conservation and community engagement projects with various in-kind services alongside our Conservation & Communities Contribution.
Visit Fundação Príncipe
More to do…
While we are proud of our achievements so far, and our vision remains unwavering, we know that there is always more that we can do. Be it monitoring water usage at our hotels or investigating renewable energy sources, we will never stop trying to do better when it comes to sustainability.
Want to learn more about our ethos and vision? Have some sustainability suggestions for us? We’re all ears. Don’t hesitate to contact our Príncipe-based Sustainability Department.