Company Announcements

Report sets out the Group's next chapter, with its first double materiality assessment, three new Impact Pathways, and a commitment to scaling sustainability with the same discipline as the business itself

SINGAPORE , April 22, 2026 /CNW/ -- Banyan Group ("Banyan Tree Holdings Limited" or the "Group", SGX: B58), an independent global hospitality company, has released its 2025 Sustainability Report, From One Vision to 100 Possibilities. The report marks the Group's 20th year of sustainability reporting and a milestone year in which it reached its 100th property, with a symbolic homecoming to Singapore.

For over three decades, the Group's founding ethos of Embracing the Environment, Empowering People has been integral to how Banyan Group operates and creates value. From the restoration of an abandoned tin mine in Phuket more than three decades ago, the Group has grown into a global portfolio of 13 brands, 100 hotels and resorts, over 140 spas and galleries, and 29 branded residences across 24 countries, welcoming 4.7 million guests from 212 countries in 2025 alone.

"The significance of reaching 100 properties lies not in the number itself but in what it represents, how a founding vision has taken shape across diverse destinations and the ecosystems and communities that sustain them. Long-term business success is inseparable from the wellbeing of the destinations in which we operate, and as Banyan Group expands, sustainability must scale with the same discipline and accountability as the business itself," said Ho Kwon Ping, Founder and Executive Chairman, Banyan Group. "Sustainability is not peripheral to business performance. It is part of how long-term value is protected and created."

Collective Impact

In 2025, the Group completed its first double materiality assessment, sharpening how sustainability is defined and managed across the business. The exercise examined both the impact of operations on the environment and society, and the financial risks and opportunities these issues carry. Accordingly, the 2025 Sustainability Report is structured around clearly defined material topics, marking a shift from programme-led initiatives to an enterprise-wide approach embedded in core strategy and decision-making.

The Group's approach to sustainable development is rooted in care, dignity and lasting partnerships with the communities in which it operates. Its proprietary Brand for Good framework unites the Group's brands under a shared commitment to protect the planet and uplift people, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This commitment is carried further through the Banyan Global Foundation, the Group's philanthropic and impact arm, which designs, funds and governs social and environmental programmes that extend beyond core hotel operations. Through the Green Imperative Fund and Greater Good Grants, the Foundation translates Group-level commitments into grassroots action delivered in partnership with communities, social enterprises and local organisations.

"Every property exists within a living social and ecological system shaped by its landscape, culture and people. Our role extends beyond responsible operations to ensuring that tourism contributes meaningfully to community wellbeing, cultural heritage and the long-term resilience of the places we share," said Claire Chiang, Co-Founder, Banyan Group and Chairperson, Banyan Global Foundation. "Many collaborations have stood the test of time, reflecting our belief that trust, continuity and shared value are essential to sustaining both cultural heritage and community wellbeing. In doing so, we hope to continue turning one founding vision into many more meaningful possibilities for generations to come."

In 2025, 32 associate-led Greater Good Grants projects were activated across the Group, contributing to a cumulative 2,000 direct beneficiaries supported over the past two years. These included students and teachers, women and farmers, low-income families, young people with special needs, and inmates undergoing rehabilitative skills training. Each project was chosen for its community impact, strategic alignment and proximity, and delivered within 50 km of its host property to sustain local engagement.

Embracing the Environment

A regenerative mindset and ecologically sensitive design have shaped the Group's portfolio since its founding, and continued to guide resource efficiency and environmental progress as the business grew. In 2025, Group-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity (Scope 1 & 2) fell by 1.4% and waste generation decreased by 13% despite significant business growth, while the waste diversion rate rose to 41%, up from 28% in 2024.

Highlights from hotels opened in 2025 include:

• Banyan Tree Zhuhai Phoenix Bay, China draws on Lingnan water town traditions, weaving flowing water channels, courtyard architecture and intangible cultural heritage such as Sanzao bamboo weaving into contemporary interiors that echo local fishing communities.
• Garrya Mù Cang Chải, Vietnam follows the natural contours of terraced rice fields and bamboo forests. It uses locally sourced bamboo as its primary structural material to create the world's largest bamboo-structured resort, minimising land disturbance and embodied carbon.
• Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, Singapore the Group's 100th property, has been recognised for its exemplary design in energy efficiency. It is the first hotel in Singapore to receive the BCA Green Mark Super Low Energy (Platinum) Award, setting a new benchmark for sustainable hospitality in the market.

Empowering People

Banyan Group continued to invest in people, skills and community partnerships to create shared value. It runs programmes that improve lives through education, engagement and employment, supporting the communities that host its properties.

With close to 15,000 associates representing 95 nationalities, the Group delivered over 1.5 million training hours in 2025, including 771 on-site and online sessions and workshops through Banyan Academy. It also organised 1,318 associate wellbeing activities, which recorded 49,481 attendances and contributed to an Associate Wellbeing Index of 76.1%, up from 74% in 2024.

In 2025, Banyan Gallery commissioned over 177,000 products, supporting over 20 traditional craft communities spanning textiles, basketry, ceramics, metalwork and paper craft including Yanlipao weaving, Mooser basketry and Bencharong ceramics in Thailand, Hmong and Lao indigenous textiles, handmade paper from an 800-year-old Japanese village, and heritage indigo traditions in China.

Founded at Banyan Tree Phuket in 1996 and now present at more than 70 of the Group's destinations and online, the Gallery has grown over nearly three decades into a social enterprise platform built on partnerships with 339 artisan groups and 240 social enterprises. Together, these partnerships have produced over 1.5 million items to date, generating stable income for artisans and preserving cultural heritage.

Shaping a Shared Future

Looking ahead, Banyan Group will continue to deepen how sustainability sits within core business decision-making, focusing on efficiency, resilience and long-term value.

Findings from the 2025 double materiality assessment shaped the Group's inaugural Sustainability Impact Lab, which brought leaders across the organisation together to turn insights into priorities for 2026. Over 40 action areas were defined across three Impact Pathways:

• Ecosystem Stewardship, to design, operate and source in ways that protect nature and manage resources responsibly.
• Community Resilience, to strengthen the wellbeing, cultural vibrancy and long-term resilience of host communities.
• Inclusive Prosperity, to create opportunities, through associates, guest experiences and governance foundations that build trust and resilience.

"Our inaugural Impact Lab marked a pivotal shift in how we translate ambition into execution," said Dr Mark Watson, SAVP and Group Director, Sustainability and Impact, Banyan Group. "More importantly, it demonstrated that when sustainability is embedded as a business driver rather than a standalone initiative, it accelerates innovation, strengthens operational resilience and delivers measurable value for our properties, communities and guests. The Lab has set a strong direction for deeper integration of impact into our strategy, execution and delivery and reinforces our commitment to grow with purpose through focusing on what matters most."

Near-term priorities include distilling environmental standards into a unified Group management system, embedding sustainability more deeply in the supply chain, and accelerating training and development that benefits both associates and communities. Progress against these pathways will be reported in the next Sustainability Report.

To learn more about the Group's approach, actions and journey on material sustainability impacts, visit Our Mission. To read the full report, visit: 2025 Sustainability Report

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ABOUT BANYAN GROUP

Banyan Group ("Banyan Tree Holdings Limited" or the "Group" - SGX: B58) is an independent, global hospitality company with purpose. The Group prides itself on its pioneering spirit, design-led experiences and commitment to responsible stewardship. Its extensive portfolio spans 100 hotels and resorts, over 140 spas and galleries, and 20 plus branded residences in over 20 countries. Comprising 13 global brands, including the flagship brand Banyan Tree, each distinct yet united under the experiential membership programme withBanyan. The founding ethos of "Embracing the Environment, Empowering People" is embodied through the Banyan Global Foundation and Banyan Academy. Banyan Group is committed to remaining the leading advocate of sustainable travel, with a focus on regenerative tourism and innovative programmes that elevate the guest experience.

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SOURCE Banyan Group