PRESS RELEASE

International Plastic Free Day

From commitment to action: All Sani/Ikos Resorts in Greece and Spain on track to eliminate single-use plastics

25 May 2026 - All Sani and Ikos Resorts in Greece and Spain are on track to fully eliminate single-use plastics, marking the completion of a 15-year transformation that has reshaped how the resorts operate, from guest services and hospitality experience to supply chains and resource management. This transition has gone beyond the replacement of specific products, reflecting a comprehensive redesign of day-to-day operations across all resort functions, with the aim of reducing environmental impact and embedding circular practices throughout the business.

Today, single-use plastics have been removed from all front-of-house operations, with reusable and biodegradable solutions fully integrated into the Sani and Ikos hospitality experience. In back-of-house operations, their use has been reduced to the absolute minimum, limited strictly to food safety requirements or to cases where supplier packaging cannot be avoided.

The elimination of single-use plastics marks the first of the Group’s three core environmental targets. In parallel, Sani/Ikos Group continues to progress steadily towards zero waste to landfill, enhancing circular practices across all operations and its supply chain, as well as towards achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

“According to the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, 80% of tourism activity takes place in coastal areas, making it more likely that tourism-related plastics will enter seas and marine ecosystems. At the same time, 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the oceans every year. Plastic pollution is not an abstract environmental issue; it is a threat to destinations, biodiversity, and the communities that sustain hospitality”, said Eleni Andreadis, ESG Executive Director of Sani/Ikos Group, on the International Plastic Free Day. “For our Group, removing single-use plastics has been a highly complex process that required coordination across thousands of employees in 13 resorts across the Mediterranean. This was not a change that could be delivered in isolation or in fragments, without alignment; it required shared commitment, consistency, and daily execution at every level. What begun 15 years ago as an environmental initiative has now become fully embedded in the guest experience and in the way our teams work”.

The first changes were introduced in restaurants and bars, where plastic straws, cutlery and individual packaging were fully phased out. Plastic water bottles were replaced with glass bottles, reusable systems and refill stations across all resort areas, preventing the use of more than 2 million bottles annually. In guest rooms, plastic bags were replaced with reusable and biodegradable alternatives, key cards are now made of wood, and personal care amenities operate through refillable systems. This approach has also been extended to spas, kids’ clubs and kitchens, where single-use packaging and products continue to be phased out in close collaboration with suppliers.

These changes are no longer treated as “alternatives”, but as the standard. They are fully integrated into the guest experience, shaping a model of luxury hospitality where comfort and quality coexist with responsibility and respect for the environment.

Sani/Ikos Group has also developed a holistic circular management system, including more than 24 recycling streams with sorting at source, organic waste composting or conversion into biogas, the use of AI to reduce food waste, and water reuse for irrigation through advanced treatment systems.

Sani/Ikos Group, a member of the UN Global Compact and the UN Tourism Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, continues its journey towards its environmental targets, promoting a hospitality model where sustainability is not a standalone initiative, but an integral part of hotel operations and the guest experience.

About Sani/Ikos Group

The Sani/Ikos Group is an innovative and fast-growing group of luxury resorts in prime beachfront locations in the Mediterranean. Under the Sani Resort and Ikos Resorts brands, the Group develops, owns and operates more than 3,870 rooms spread across 13 unique resorts in Greece and Spain, all ranked amongst the best luxury resorts in the world. The Group has secured three additional projects for further expansion of the Ikos brand in Greece (Halkidiki), Spain (Marbella) and Portugal (Algarve), planned to launch until 2029. The Group remains committed to continue developing the Sani Resort and Ikos Resorts brands in Greece and abroad. A leader in sustainable hospitality, SIG has an ambitious ESG strategy and agenda and is a member of the United Nations Global Compact. For more information, please visit https://www.saniikos.com/