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Tropicalia

Tropicalia

Tropicalia is a tourism real estate development, created by Cisneros Real Estate, which offers a sophisticated architectural style in a setting of unparalleled natural beauty in the municipality of Miches, in the northeast of the Dominican Republic. Comprised of residential and resort developments, it integrates smart design with the natural landscape, creating a sense of balance between time and space. The Project embodies the philanthropic and cultural values of the Cisneros Family and is uniquely positioned to be a model for sustainable luxury tourism in the Caribbean and the world.

TROPICALIA: FIRST PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT

Tropicalia is currently in the first phase of development of its sustainable luxury resort, which is located on the Playa Esmeralda beachfront. The resort will have 95 hotel keys and 25 branded single-family residences, all designed by Brazilian architect Isay Weinfeld. Amenities feature specialty restaurants, a world-class spa, meeting and event spaces, a kids and teen club, and a fitness center.   The next phases of development include a golf course designed by Tom Doak, among other aspects of this real estate tourism destination.

Management and Governance Mechanisms

ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Tropicalia’s Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) consists of plans, policies and procedures that set key performance indicators and guide the project's environmental and social performance. The ESMS prompts us to analyze issues in key topic areas such as stakeholder engagement; the environment; health and safety of workers; contractor management; supply chain management; and grievance mechanisms, among other issue areas.

The general scope of the ESMS encompasses the resort, the Tropicalia master-planned development and Fundación Tropicalia when appropriate, which also coincides with the reporting boundaries of this sustainability report.

The ESMS and supporting documents are reviewed periodically and support Tropicalia’s ongoing materiality assessment.

Environmental & Social Management System

Tropicalia relies on its Environmental and Social Management System to monitor and assess issues in sustainable destination and stakeholder management, community development, biodiversity and other key topic areas.

LABOR AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Our commitment to the protection of human and labor rights prevails as a fundamental element for creating a healthy workplace. Our policies mitigate the risk of engaging in child labor and allow us to advocate for gender equality and equal opportunity employment, as well as individual freedom of association.

32% of our current workforce are women; all employees are remunerated based on experience and position. We also hire and train local residents, of which 61% come from rural regions. All Miches-based operations deploy local community engagement and development programs with the support of Fundación Tropicalia.

In 2022, the Code of Conduct and Internal Labor Regulations of the project which complies with labor and occupational health and safety laws in the Dominican Republic, and the conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO); it also contains the rules and conditions related to the selection and hiring of personnel under the principles of: gender equality and non-discrimination, equal opportunity and fair treatment, freedom of association, prohibition of employing minors and harassment at work, provision of decent work, respect for human rights at work, and availability of grievance mechanisms (internal and external).

Labor and Human Rights

In 2010, we committed to the United Nations Global Compact`s Universal Principles on human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption.

SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE

Tropicalia’s Executive Committee is the maximum governing body that oversees design, development, construction and financing decisions for the Project. In addition, Tropicalia has a Sustainability Committee, the highest governing body that oversees environmental and social issues, which informs the Executive Committee in high level strategy.

The day-to-day environmental, social and occupational health and safety issues are coordinated through Tropicalia’s Sustainability department, which in turn delegates implementation of the Project's Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) to construction, design and operations teams.

Tropicalia’s Sustainability Committee is a cross-functional team that meets annually to discuss strategy, report progress, and define goals for the upcoming year. Our committee is the highest governing body for reviewing environmental and social issues impacting our business and sector. 

The diversity of our Committee members brings strength to this corporate governance body. Members include senior-level Cisneros executives, and we convene external advisors depending on the particular topic and area of expertise needed.

Sustainability Committee

Tropicalia`s Sustainability Committee is a cross-functional team that meets annually to discuss strategy, report progress and define goals for the upcoming year. Our committee is the highest governing body for reviewing environmental and social issues for Tropicalia. The diversity of our Committee members brings strength to this corporate governance body.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN

In line with the project’s Stakeholder Engagement strategies, we carry out a continuous mapping of those people and/or institutions that are involved or will be impacted by the Project, and we approach them in accordance with stakeholder engagement strategies.

Based on the identification of our social actors and key external stakeholders associated with our activities, we developed a Stakeholder Engagement Plan, which describes our commitment to participation, consultation and collaboration with individuals, groups, communities and institutions involved in the Project.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

We nurture and foster trusting relationships with our stakeholders, thanks to their active participation in the communication and dialogue spaces that allow us to give and receive critical information in a fluid and constant manner, as well as the wide dissemination of the Project's impact and the transparent and timely communication we have maintained throughout the years.

Download our Management and Governance Mechanisms

KEY COMMITMENTS TO SUSTAINABILITY

SOUND BUSINESS

In 2022, Tropicalia yet again presented a business model that exceeded the environmental, social and economic mandates required by the largest development bank in Latin America, IDB Invest of the Inter-American Development Bank.  Upon completing a robust due diligence process that included an in-depth financial and permit review (environmental, construction and building permits), IDB Invest approved a loan of up to US$146.4 million to finance the construction and operations of the first phase of development.

When comparing the results of the due diligence process between 2017 and 2022, Tropicalia reduced by more than 80% the actions required to meet IDB Invest’s environmental and social performance standards thanks to the management systems developed in that time span.

IDB Invest approved a loan of up to US$146.4 million to finance the construction and operations of the first phase of development.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

The design of the resort prioritizes the concept of family life, work and leisure in the same environment, and contemplates: multigenerational use of spaces for extended periods of time for both resort guests and residential owners; increased demand for reliable connectivity and the ability to work remotely; and strategic use of outdoor space, as well as guaranteed access to essential services and medical care.

Tropicalia’s design and construction process is aligned with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for new buildings, ensuring resource efficiencies during operations. LEED guidelines set the baseline for Tropicalia’s thoughtful architecture. A tropical modernist design with subtle influences of colonial architecture from Santo Domingo, seamlessly integrates indoor and outdoor living while incorporating natural elements like wood, stone, and verdure. 

In 2022, the design team focused on refining details with the operator, reaffirming changes and redesigns, and evaluating new common area concepts. As a result, the Project footprint in the development and construction areas was reduced by 25% and 35%, respectively, generating further reductions in energy and water demand.

Tropicalia’s design and brand partners worked together to consolidate redesign efforts while prioritizing sustainability.

ENVIRONMENTAL BALANCE

In 2022:

  • We continued supporting PROMICHES, providing financial and human resources to strengthen its leadership with the purpose of driving sustainable destination management through collective action. 
  • In partnership with PROMICHES and representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, we monitored Leatherback nest located on the Playa Esmeralda coastline.
  • Monitored sargassum arrivals on our coastline to acquire baseline data and determine management solutions. 
  • Submitted Tropicalia´s 18th and 19th Environmental Compliance Reports (ICA and FST´s 5th and 6th ICAs to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

Tropicalia protects and conserves the natural environment and relies on its biodiversity and environmental management plans, as well as its participation in PROMICHES to pursue sustainable site development and destination management.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

In 2022:

  • Soy niña, soy importante (SNSI) turns 10 years old.
  • Fundación Tropicalia continues supporting the coordination of the Presidential Project for Educational Excellence (PEE) in Miches, a public effort to evaluate student learning outcomes from the two years of distance learning held during the pandemic.
  • Fundación Tropicalia led collections of clothing, food and personal hygiene supplies in Punta Cana, Bávaro and Santo Domingo. It also established a School Fund to support the recovery of the schools most affected by the storm.
  • Tropicalia, through PROMICHES, supports the analysis and research project on the coastal dynamics of Playa Esmeralda, carried out by the IDB and the Ministry of Tourism.

Tropicalia's commitment to community development is channeled both through its participation in PROMICHES, supporting public-private initiatives to establish the necessary infrastructure for the responsible development of the destination, and through the work of Fundación Tropicalia, which centers its programs on supporting education, the environment, productivity and the sociocultural advocacy of Miches.

Download our Key Commitments to Sustainability

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