<p>“The GER stamp of approval means that these two amazing places tick all the right boxes in the areas of Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce,” explains Jochen Zeitz, Founder of the Zeitz Foundation, Chairman and CEO of PUMA, and Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) of PPR. “This endorsement is unique in that it prizes the resorts’ efforts across the board, thereby establishing them as leaders in the field of sustainable tourism” he added.<br /><br />The Zeitz Foundation’s GER Certification is setting a new standard in sustainability and is a driving force in promoting and developing sustainable thinking around the globe. It ensures that best practices in sustainability are adhered to and innovative approaches experimented with and researched to develop sustainable solutions.<br /><br />“During the certification process, the assessors met with various members of the community to evaluate our relationship with them,” notes Carlos Rojas Jara, Co-Founder of Monte Azul. “This was unexpected and highlights the commitment to quality, integrity and the thoroughness of the Zeitz Foundation’s certification programme, of which we are honoured to<br />be the first to receive the GER certificate.”<br /><br />Monte Azul is a Center for Contemporary Art and Conservation & Hotel Project located in the rainforest-covered mountains of southern Costa Rica. It is the product of the founders’ passion for art and design, and their commitment to social and environmental awareness.<br /><br />Chumbe Island Coral Park is an idyllic tropical island paradise situated eight miles southwest of Zanzibar town. It is the first privately-managed marine protected area in the world, recognized globally for its excellence. “In working towards this certification, we have shared and discussed achievements and lessons learned in the long Chumbe history, and our efforts to promote marine conservation in Tanzania, and to set an example for genuine eco-tourism and environmental education, all this in a challenging environment,” says Sibylle Riedmiller, Founder of Chumbe.<br /><br />The GER certification system assesses performance and processes across the areas of Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce and is applied to the Zeitz Foundation’s Long Run Destinations, locations around the world that work on sustainable, mostly tourismdriven enterprises, whilst fostering community development and cultural stewardship. The Zeitz Foundation relies on a rigorous process involving a team of internationallyZeitz acknowledged experts to undertake audits and review recommendations prior to awarding certification.<br /><br />The Long Run, an approach to life geared at acting today for a better tomorrow, is both the Zeitz Foundation’s philosophy and its flagship initiative built around the Long Run Destinations, but reaching out, into every aspect of day-to-day life.<br /><br /><strong>Contacts:</strong><br /><br />Olivia Pasini<br />Zeitz Foundation<br />Phone +39 3333102034<br /><a href="mailto:Olivia@zeitzfoundation.org" target="_blank">Olivia@zeitzfoundation.org</a><br /><br />Carlos Rojas Jara<br />Monte Azul Co-Founder<br />Phone +506 2742 5222<br /><a href="mailto:carlos@monteazulcr.com" target="_blank">carlos@monteazulcr.com</a><br /><br />Sibylle Riedmiller<br />Project Director, Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd.<br />Phone +255 (0)27 2643557 / Cell +255 235 507821<br /><a href="mailto:sibylle@chumbeisland.com" target="_blank">sibylle@chumbeisland.com</a><br /><br /><strong>Zeitz Foundation</strong><br />The Zeitz Foundation promotes an innovative approach to sustainable ecosystem management which aims to achieve sustainability through a balance of conservation, community, culture and commerce (the 4Cs). Our aim is to encourage action today for a better tomorrow. Our vision is of an ecosphere – our planet and all of its life-sustaining regions – maintained in the healthiest possible state, with the major contribution to that health coming from people making sustainable choices. <br /><br />Founded in 2008 by business entrepreneur Jochen Zeitz, Chairman and CEO of PUMA AG and Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) of PPR, the Zeitz Foundation is a non-profit organization headquartered in Kenya and with representation in the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom.<br /><br />Find out more: <a href="http://www.zeitzfoundation.org" target="_blank">www.zeitzfoundation.org</a> and <a href="http://www.thelongrun.com" target="_blank">www.thelongrun.com</a><br /><br /><strong>Monte Azul</strong><br />Monte Azul is an owner-operated boutique hotel designed for travellers, artists and art lovers with an appreciation for quality. Our on-sight Artist in Residency program offers artists and guests the opportunity for social and intellectual exchange. The works produced at Monte Azul are available for sale as an alternative to the traditional gallery experience. As a fine hotel our goal is to make guests feel as much at home as we do and to offer the chance to experience a Costa Rica most visitors miss.<br /><br />In practicing sustainability at every possible opportunity, we believe we are ensuring our own success while contributing the success of our community. As our community thrives, so does our business. By maintaining a mindset that places a bigger value over longevity rather than short-term gains, we believe a business will naturally become sustainable.<br /><br />Find out more: <a href="http://www.monteazulcr.com" target="_blank">www.monteazulcr.com</a> and <a href="mailto:info@monteazulcr.com" target="_blank">info@monteazulcr.com</a> or telephone +506 2742<br />5222<br /><br /><strong>Chumbe Island Coral Park</strong><br />Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd. (CHICOP) is a private nature reserve that was developed from 1991 for the conservation and sustainable management of uninhabited Chumbe Island off Zanzibar, one of the last relatively pristine coral islands in the region. The park includes a fully protected coral reef sanctuary and forest reserve that harbour extremely rare and endangered animals, a Visitor centre, a small eco-lodge, nature trails and historical ruins. All buildings and operations are based on state-of-the-art eco-technology aiming at zero impact on the environment (rainwater catchment, photovoltaic energy and solar water heating, composting toilets, vegetative greywater filtration etc.).<br /><br />The company objectives are non-commercial, while operations follow commercial principles. The overall aim of CHICOP is to create a model of financially and ecologically sustainable Park management, where ecotourism supports conservation, research and environmental education programs for local schools and other benefits for local people.<br /><br />Find out more: <a href="http://www.chumbeisland.com" target="_blank">www.chumbeisland.com</a></p>The Zeitz Foundation announced today that resorts Monte Azul in Costa Rica and Chumbe Island Coral Park in Tanzania have made it through a rigorous process and become the first two locations in the world to receive the Global Ecosphere Retreats (GER) certification, a Zeitz Foundation award for the highest level of sustainability.
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