One of Vietnam’s greenest resorts, Laguna Lang Co, is urging sustainability projects around the nation to take advantage of a new eco grant scheme it has helped to develop. This Vietnamese resort is showing the way for other companies to go green.

With initiatives including a moratorium on single-use plastics and its “edible golf course” planted with rice fields and tended by water buffalos, Laguna Lang Co is regarded as a standard-bearer for sustainable tourism in Vietnam.

Now, the expansive integrated resort in Central Vietnam, which encompasses award-winning hotels Banyan Tree Lang Co and Angsana Lang Co as well as acclaimed golf course Laguna Golf Lang Co, is maintaining its eco-minded ethos by encouraging deserving projects around the country to apply new sustainability grants backed by its parent company, the Banyan Tree Group.

As such, the new “Greater Good Grants”, launched by the Banyan Tree Global Foundation, the CSR arm of the global hospitality group, at the end of October, will provide vital financial backing of up to US$10,000 across six areas that align to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for projects around Vietnam to obtain funding that they both require — and deserve,” says Adam Calver, Director of Golf and Destination Marketing at Laguna Lang Co. “In this time where hope and optimism are needed more than ever, we hope to catalyse positive ripple effects and extend our support to more partners seeking to create positive, sustainable change”.

The six areas covered by the grant are as follows –

• Biodiversity & Conservation: improve understanding, conservation and management of species and habitats.
• Resource Use & Waste Management: innovative projects that tackle cradle to grave life cycle of resources that benefit community, business and the environment.
• Climate Change & Resilience: elucidate global change and develop resilience in natural and human systems.
• Education & Empowerment: development of education infrastructure, capacity and delivery to students of any age, with particular focus on disadvantaged members of society.
• Health & Protection: focus on health and wellbeing in local communities.
• Culture & Livelihood: development, protection, restoration and stewardship of culture and livelihoods.

The Greater Good Grants for Year 2021 officially opens for submission on 28 October until 31 December 2020 SGT, and will invite projects across six areas as specified. Project grants are up to US$10,000, open to all individuals over the age of 18, who have an organisational affiliation. Submissions will be reviewed by the Board of Directors of Banyan Tree Global Foundation and an internal panel of stakeholders. Successful project grantees will be notified by Q1 2021.

“Our usual approach has been to award project grants mainly through our operating properties and support the environment and community stakeholders in that specific vicinity,” explains Dr Steve Newman, Assistant Vice President, Group Sustainability Director and Coordinating Director of Banyan Tree Global Foundation.

“While projects should be in the same countries as where we operate, our new approach is to invite NGOs and academics to apply so we can support more impactful projects benefitting people and the planet.”

For more information and to apply, log on to the Greater Good Grants.