Business View Caribbean | March 2019

44 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN MARCH 2019 we try to work with locals as much as possible. Michael Greaves Associates is a local, family- owned shipping and brokerage firm that has been a great asset to Fairmont Royal Pavilion.” In April 2018, Barbados is going ‘plastic free’. The island will no longer import, or allow, any form of trade in single-use, petroleum-based plastic cups, straws, cutlery, including plastic knives, forks and spoons, stirrers, plates, egg trays, both plastic and Styrofoam, and Styrofoam containers used for food in the culinary retail industry. According to Martinez, the Fairmont Royal Pavilion is not only embracing that initiative but environmental sustainability is a major focus of its parent company. In that regard, AccorHotels has created a Planet 21 program that demonstrates the Group’s ambitious goals for 2020, based around four strategic priorities: work with its employees, involve its customers, innovate with its partners, and work with local communities. Two key issues to tackle will be food and buildings. Martinez notes, “Our company works with Planet 21 under the Accor program, trying to save the planet. At our location here in Barbados, we maintain a large area of vegetation because it’s a big part of what we want to do. And we are always looking to save water and electricity and food waste. Under the Planet 21 program we have to follow and add activities every year.” For the future, growth is definitely uppermost on the beautiful blue horizon for Fairmont Royal Pavilion. Martinez reports, “We’re looking to grow the North American market, and the Incentive market for large consortiums, as well as