{"id":3724,"date":"2026-07-14T03:13:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T03:13:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/blog\/?p=3724"},"modified":"2026-07-14T03:13:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T03:13:31","slug":"community-sustainability-and-responsible-hospitality-in-action-at-heritance-kandalama","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/blog\/community-sustainability-and-responsible-hospitality-in-action-at-heritance-kandalama\/","title":{"rendered":"Community, Sustainability and Responsible Hospitality in Action at Heritance Kandalama"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3724\" class=\"elementor elementor-3724\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7153527 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7153527\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5030b8e\" data-id=\"5030b8e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a4aaf17 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a4aaf17\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.3 - 28-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">At <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/kandalama\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Heritance Kandalama<\/a>, sustainability is not a separate promise. It is part of how the hotel was built, how it operates, and how it continues to engage with the people and environment around it.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9cf11db elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9cf11db\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-07fb79b\" data-id=\"07fb79b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-98fd00d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"98fd00d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.3 - 28-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"525\" src=\"https:\/\/heritancehotels.eme-devops.com\/2026\/07\/HK-7.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-3719\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heritancehotels.eme-devops.com\/2026\/07\/HK-7.jpg 700w, https:\/\/heritancehotels.eme-devops.com\/2026\/07\/HK-7-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2ed88d6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2ed88d6\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d05277c\" data-id=\"d05277c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e109b8f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e109b8f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Set in the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/kandalama\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Heritance Kandalama<\/a> has stood for more than 3 decades as a proof point for responsible hospitality within the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aitkenspencehotels.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Aitken Spence Hotels<\/a> portfolio. Designed by Deshamanya Geoffrey Bawa and built to blend into its natural setting, the hotel occupies only 8 acres of a land area of over 250 acres, leaving more than 240 acres preserved for natural flora and fauna. This surrounding landscape supports rich biodiversity, including 173 bird species, 82 species of butterflies, 43 species of mammals, 21 species of dragonflies, and 8 varieties of frogs and amphibians.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The property\u2019s sustainability story is strengthened by recognised standards and long-term discipline. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/kandalama\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Heritance Kandalama<\/a> is ISO 14001:2015 certified and holds the Travelife Gold certification, reflecting its commitment to environmental management, social responsibility, and continual improvement. Its sustainability report also records measurable progress in operations, including reduced electricity consumption per room night, lower diesel consumption, reduced greenhouse gas emissions from boiler diesel usage, decreased water consumption, and a reduction in single-use plastic usage.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5eb354e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5eb354e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-40f1bc5\" data-id=\"40f1bc5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-373047a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"373047a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"525\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/heritancehotels.eme-devops.com\/2026\/07\/Post-4-Aug.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-3722\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heritancehotels.eme-devops.com\/2026\/07\/Post-4-Aug.jpg 525w, https:\/\/heritancehotels.eme-devops.com\/2026\/07\/Post-4-Aug-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7dd04ff elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7dd04ff\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4148467\" data-id=\"4148467\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c162a63 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c162a63\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yet the hotel\u2019s impact reaches beyond conservation. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/kandalama\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Heritance Kandalama<\/a> has built a strong relationship with its surrounding communities through employment, training, local sourcing, and infrastructure development. The hotel recruits 55% of its workforce from within a 20-kilometre radius, creating direct employment opportunities for nearby villages. Several members of the management team began their careers as trainees when the hotel opened in 1994, showing how hospitality can create long-term career paths rooted in the region.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Community empowerment is also reflected in the Heritance Kandalama School of Hotel Management, which provides practical training in food and beverage service and kitchen operations. The school trains more than 60 school leavers annually, and over 160 local youth have completed the programme, with many moving into employment at Heritance Kandalama or within the wider <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aitkenspencehotels.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Aitken Spence Hotels<\/a> group.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0f6af5e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0f6af5e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3382632\" data-id=\"3382632\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b543d4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6b543d4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"525\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/heritancehotels.eme-devops.com\/2026\/07\/Sustainability-7.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-3723\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heritancehotels.eme-devops.com\/2026\/07\/Sustainability-7.jpg 525w, https:\/\/heritancehotels.eme-devops.com\/2026\/07\/Sustainability-7-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-293bfb0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"293bfb0\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-906e334\" data-id=\"906e334\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-62e1574 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"62e1574\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The hotel also contributes to the local economy through sustainable sourcing. Its purchase of Gliricidia wood from nearby villages for use in its gasifier project contributes over LKR 2 million annually to the village economy, supporting local livelihoods while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Over the years, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/kandalama\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Heritance Kandalama<\/a> has also supported community infrastructure, including roads, electricity networks, water supply systems, schools, libraries, and sanitation facilities.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Together, these initiatives show how responsible hospitality can connect environmental stewardship with human progress. At Heritance Kandalama, sustainability is not only seen in the forest, the lake, or the architecture. It is seen in the opportunities created, the communities supported, and the systems built to ensure that travel leaves a positive and lasting impact.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For more information visit: <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/kandalama\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">www.heritancehotels.com\/kandalama<\/span><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At Heritance Kandalama, sustainability is not a separate promise. It is part of how the hotel was built, how it operates, and how it continues to engage with the people [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,13,14,1,18],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3724"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3724"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3724\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3737,"href":"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3724\/revisions\/3737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3724"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3724"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heritancehotels.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3724"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}