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The Asia Pacific Spa and Wellness Coalition (APSWC), the umbrella organisation for spa associations and businesses across Asia, is creating a sustainability program in response to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDGs are included in the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, agreed by 193 states, which provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.

Following the announcement of the SDG’s, the APSWC partnered with the Agricultural and Food Marketing Association for Asia and the Pacific in 2019, in order to develop and implement a sustainable endorsement programme which is relevant to the spa and wellness industry.

Announcing the program, APSWC Chair, Andrew Jacka stated “we want to present a practical tool to the industry, so we need your input on ‘how you can contribute to adherence to the SDGs’.”

The organisation has created a feedback form including the SDG sub-goals it feels are the most relevant to the industry. It is encouraging industry members to list all possible solutions they’re already using, or could use, to achieve these aims.

One example, SDG #6 - Clean Water and Sanitation - has been designated as a relevant goal to the industry and one of its subgoals is to improve water quality. Industry members are then being asked how they can reduce water pollution, halve the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increase recycling and safe reuse.

All feedback received by the APSWC by 30th December 2019 will be consolidated, with the view of being released as industry guidance by January 2020.

For more information go to www.apswc.org/

Images: Outdoor bathing at the Sanctuary at the Deep Blue Hot Springs in Warrnambool, Victoria.

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