Sustainability – A heartfelt journey for people and the environment

At MORE Family Collection, sustainability is close to our hearts. Over the past two years, we formalised our journey to tread more lightly. A significant way to shift the needle on this is to move swiftly towards clean renewable energy sources, helping mitigate the impact of climate change.

In early 2022 we completed our first solar installation at Marataba and our people at Lion Sands Game Reserve were also all smiles when their solar panels arrived in October. A total of 649 panels will supply power to River Lodge in the Sabi Sand, Narina Lodge and Tinga Lodge in Kruger National Park, as well as to our staff village.

Nine pillars to guide us

In 2020, our sustainability journey was enhanced through implementing tracking and quarterly reporting with a two-fold focus on the environment and community with nine key pillars. We track energy and carbon footprint, water, waste, food, materials, and certain conservation indicators. We consider local community projects in partnership with More Community Foundation, and prioritise our people and culture.

Across all our properties, we track our sustainability indicators. We have introduced a benchmark comparison of data derived from 70 different African properties, against which to measure our own efforts. This guides us to improve our practices and set achievable tasks that uphold industry standards.

Whether it’s the reduction of single-use plastic, timer switches for geysers, use of grey water, recycling, or sustainably harvested food from our own gardens or nearby community projects, we are constantly looking for ways to improve. We even harvest our own honey, with active hives dedicated to protecting the dwindling bee population. Recent studies by the University of Pretoria found that 70% of South Africa’s migratory bee population has been lost.

As part of our sustainability focus, we appointed an on-site sustainability champion at each property. These committed individuals continually ensure we remain aware, actively seeking out ways we could be doing better, and are responsible for the data compilation which we do under the guidance of sustainability consultant, Dr Andrea Ferry

“Sustainability takes consistent effort, and I am truly proud of our team for their ongoing commitment to these initiatives,” says CEO, Robert More. “Through the collective effort of many, we will make a difference. We are merely the visitors to these wild spaces and our core philosophy is to ensure we remain respectful and mindful of resident communities, animals, and the environment. Our guests subscribe to our ethos – giving back to conservation and communities also matters to them. It is a road we walk together. I believe good people do good things and you will feel the difference at our properties. The journey is heartfelt and bridging the gap between our people and the environment to benefit all, is critical.”

Caring for communities

Our community and conservation projects are primarily managed under the More Community Foundation, a non-profit arm through which we deliver our corporate, social and environmental responsibilities beyond the borders of our properties. It’s a privilege for us to be involved in education and skills development, and to witness individual growth and the shift in mindset.

Our work is also making a real difference in the communities that live alongside our wildlife areas. Access to borehole water in some places, projects like the Huntington Digital Learning Campus in partnership with Good Work Foundation, education and infrastructure efforts at Masuwe Primary School in Zimbabwe, and the upliftment of the Injongo crèche in Cape Town, among others, are improving lives daily.

Our MORE Field Guides are the new generation of nature ambassadors. With extensive knowledge of the environment and a passion for guiding, they are dedicated to teaching people about our extraordinary natural heritage and inspiring them to do their part to protect it. We have always sponsored students from nearby communities, and we are delighted that we are able to extend this opportunity to 42 students in 2023. We recently set up the MORE Field Guide College Kruger Campus, in partnership with Timbavati Foundation, where students have the opportunity to do the FGASA-certified 12-month Career Course through the More Community Foundation bursaries programme. This is funded by the Tshikululu Trust and made possible by Anglo American Platinum – a development that is very exciting for our team. Partnerships are critical to achieving our goals and building resilience in challenging times.

Join the journey

Guests often ask us how they can be involved. By booking with us, you are already supporting our work, and we are deeply grateful. We encourage you to follow sustainable practices to help us conserve precious resources. Join excursions like our black rhino experience in Victoria Falls Private Game Reserve to help us protect this Intensive Protection Zone.

We welcome help with tasks that address local community needs through our Get Your Hands Dirty programme, which includes education, infrastructure, health, and environment. These extraordinary social experiences bring you into the heart of Southern Africa and make for a more meaningful journey.

You can even Pack for a Purpose bringing a donation of much-needed supplies to help boost our community school projects, or donate further towards a project close to your heart.

We are inspired by the words of Howard Zinn: “We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world”.

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