The Sani/Ikos Group is on a path to eliminate single-use plastics across its resorts in Greece and Spain, completing a 15-year transition process that has redefined their operations, from services and hospitality experience to supply chain and resource management. This transition involved not just replacing specific products, but a comprehensive redesign of daily operations across all resort functions, aiming to reduce environmental footprint and integrate circular practices.
On World Plastic-Free Day, the Sani/Ikos Group announced that single-use plastics have now been removed from all guest touchpoints across its resorts, as part of a broader sustainability strategy implemented over the past 15 years. The transition wasn’t limited to replacing specific products, but included a comprehensive redesign of operations, services, and processes across the entire hospitality operation, aiming to reduce environmental footprint and strengthen circular economy practices.
Eliminating single-use plastics represents the first of three core environmental goals of the Sani/Ikos Group. In the same framework, the Group continues with steady steps toward achieving zero waste to landfill, strengthening the implementation of circular practices across all operations and supply chain, as well as toward achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030 from hotel operations.
“According to the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, 80% of tourism activity takes place in coastal areas, making it highly likely that tourism-related plastics end up in seas and aquatic ecosystems. Meanwhile, 8 million tons of plastic enter the oceans annually. Plastic pollution isn’t an abstract environmental issue; it directly threatens destinations, biodiversity, and the communities that support hospitality,” noted Eleni Andreadi, ESG Executive Director of the Sani/Ikos Group, on World Plastic-Free Day. “In our Group, moving away from single-use plastics was a particularly complex process, as it required coordinating thousands of employees across 13 resorts throughout the Mediterranean. It wasn’t a change that could be made fragmentally or individually, but required collective commitment, consistency, and daily implementation at all operational levels. What started 15 years ago as an environmental initiative has now been organically integrated into the hospitality experience and the way our teams work.”
Over 2 million fewer plastic bottles
The first changes became visible in restaurants and bars, where plastic straws, cutlery, and individual packaging were completely eliminated. Plastic water bottles were replaced with glass ones, as well as reusable systems and refill stations throughout all resort areas, preventing the use of more than 2 million bottles annually. In rooms, plastic bags gave way to reusable and biodegradable solutions, room cards are now wooden, while all personal care products operate with refillable systems. The same approach has extended to spa areas, kids clubs, and kitchens, where plastic packaging and single-use products are being eliminated through supplier partnerships.
These changes are no longer treated as “alternatives” as they have been fully integrated into guests’ daily experience, forming a luxury hospitality standard where comfort and quality coexist with responsibility and environmental respect.
Goal of zero waste and zero emissions
Simultaneously, the Group’s resorts have developed an integrated circular management system with more than 24 recycling streams with source separation, composting of organic waste or converting it to biogas, using artificial intelligence technologies to reduce food waste, and water reuse for irrigation through advanced treatment facilities.
The Sani/Ikos Group, a member of the UN Global Compact and the UN Tourism Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, continues its journey toward ambitious environmental goals, promoting a hospitality model where sustainability isn’t a separate initiative, but is integrated into hotel operations and guest experience.
About Sani/Ikos Group
The Sani/Ikos Group is an innovative, dynamically growing hotel group with luxury properties in unique Mediterranean coastal destinations. Through its commercial brands Sani Resort and Ikos Resorts, it develops and operates today over 3,870 rooms and suites in 13 owned hotel complexes in Greece and Spain, which are among the world’s top luxury resorts. The Group has secured three new investment projects for further expansion of the Ikos brand in Greece (Halkidiki), Spain (Marbella), and Portugal (Algarve), which will operate by 2029. Simultaneously, it continues developing Sani Resort and Ikos Resorts in Greece and Spain. A pioneer in sustainable tourism, the Sani/Ikos Group has developed an ambitious strategic sustainability plan (ESG), while being a member of the United Nations Global Compact for businesses.
More information: https://www.saniikos.com/
