As part of its ongoing mission to preserve the natural beauty that surrounds it, Hacienda Pinilla recognizes the importance of receiving national and international recognition for its environmental conservation policies.

International Recognition

With environmental sustainability as the fundamental pillar for its corporate policies, in 2001 Hacienda Pinilla received its first international acknowledgment: the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP), an environmental certification whose primary goal is to support developments committed to the protection of natural habitats in and around their golf courses.

The certification that Pinilla earned incorporates five categories: water quality management; wildlife and habitat management; chemical use, reduction, and safety; water conservation; and community outreach and education. _is achievement is a product of group collaboration from different individuals within the civil society, as well as local elementary and high schools, both private and public, and Pinilla’s commitment to the environment.

White and Blue Flags

Hacienda Pinilla received the honor of White Flag for its Seal of Sanitary Quality program, which was propelled by the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA). The award is bestowed on organizations that provide potable water in a sustainable way and in harmony with nature. The goal of the award organization is to establish an incentive for aqueduct operators to supply the highest water quality possible to their populations.

For Hacienda Pinilla, this accolade is of vital importance, as it assures property owners, visitors and collaborators that their tranquility, health and comfort are in good hands. The Hacienda’s constant actions have allowed it to achieve its goal of maintaining high water quality. However, without a doubt, one of Hacienda Pinilla’s greatest accomplishments is its initiative to clean and take care of six kilometers (3.75 miles) of coastline. Thanks to its clean-up campaigns, the beaches were cleared 14 times throughout the year. Currently, Hacienda Pinilla’s beaches, including Avellanas, Langosta, Mansita, and Bonita, boast an Ecological Blue Flag from AyA, thanks to joint efforts and the help of workers that keep them clean and free of contamination. Langosta Beach received the distinction of Ecological Blue Flag for the sixth year, while Avellanas, Mansita, and Bonita Beaches earned the Blue Flag for the fifth consecutive year.

Certification in Sustainable Tourism

The Certification in Sustainable Tourism consists of an award for effort and corporate responsibility and is bestowed by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT). The distinction certifies that companies have taken steps to achieve the five leaves that symbolize each stage they have achieved and will achieve. In this case, Hacienda Pinilla’s La Posada Hotel and Restaurant have earned three leaves.

Hacienda Pinilla achieved this goal thanks to the creation of its recycling program, which has placed a recycling bin in every room and displays signs requesting guests to place their waste in recycling bags made from resin; the bags disintegrate three months after being buried. Each recycling bag is identified by different colors depending on the material they contain: conventional glass, organic matter, or plastic. Additionally, Pinilla also posted signs to encourage guests to turn o_ the lights and air conditioning when not in use, reuse their towels, to use water consumption in the sink and shower rationally, and not to smoke in the buildings.

Organic waste from the restaurant and manure from the horses is combined to create compost, which is used in the gardens as a natural fertilizer. In addition, the restaurant has planted several natural ingredients most often used in their recipes, among them lettuce, pumpkins, squash, and carrots; the garden is cultivated using hydroponics. Likewise, Pinilla began the “Limpiemos Nuestra Posada” (Let’s Clean Our Property) Program, and many people joined. Every three months, the program’s participants clean six hectares (15 acres) of hotel property, picking up any trash in the area.

On a community level, Pinilla works with the Santa Cruz School District, giving speeches on the importance of protecting the environment. Pinilla also partnered with the children to plant 30,000 trees this year. They also planted native trees to expand the buffer zone and protect the stream; 53 tree species were identified, and each was mounted with a sign to identify its common and scientific name. In addition, Pinilla recently built a 600-meter (0.4-mile) trail along which every celebrity to visit the Hacienda will plant a tree.

Hacienda Pinilla’s commitment to local communities also helped inspire a program that supports artists. For example, paintings by the young artist José Monge decorate the rooms in the rental units; each work of art is available for purchase. Additionally, during the high season, artisans from nearby Guaitil display their goods in art expositions at the Hacienda.

Currently, Hacienda Pinilla is working to raise awareness among its residents and guests regarding the importance of caring for the environment. The goal is to achieve a five-leaves rating from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute. _e Hacienda is exchanging hotel light bulbs for low-consumption bulbs and is promoting this initiative so that residents will do the same in their homes. The Hacienda’s ultimate goal is to reduce its electricity consumption and at the same time, through other initiatives, to reduce its water consumption, as well. Currently, Hacienda Pinilla is awaiting a meeting to achieve a four-flags rating, but it has not lost sight of its ultimate goal: the _fifth leaf. Once the Hacienda achieves this designation, it will begin to implement new strategies to keep current its Certification in Sustainable Tourism.

Without a doubt, for Hacienda Pinilla, environmental balance is one of the greatest and most important pillars of its corporate philosophy. The Hacienda’s clients are searching for a community known for modernity and convenience at their fingertips, all framed within a natural setting.