ESG Agenda – Finca El Tambor S.A.

NATURE RESERVE • ECO-LODGING • REGENERATIVE LIVING • CIRCULAR ECONOMY

1. Vision & Purpose

Finca El Tambor S.A. is a private nature reserve and regenerative living project located in the El Hato hills above Antigua Guatemala. Our purpose is to protect ecosystems, uplift the local community, and demonstrate circular, regenerative hospitality and agrotourism.

We commit to:

Environmental stewardship
Biodiversity restoration
Community empowerment
Circular economy and zero-waste systems
Women’s economic upliftment
Ethical water use and sustainability
Responsible local supply chains
Regenerative land management
Ethical, responsible tourism
Full ESG integration across the organisation

2. ESG Pillars & Strategic Goals

A. Environmental Stewardship

1. Biodiversity Protection

Creation and preservation of wildlife corridors.
Native species planting and expansion of pollinator gardens.
Annual biodiversity monitoring.
Low-impact lighting to protect nocturnal species and habitat rhythms.

2. Reforestation Program: “1 Activity = 1 Plant”

For every guest activity, we plant or donate one plant (tree, shrub or pollinator species). This includes:

Guest-nights
Restaurant meals
Tours and experiences
Wellness services
Shuttle transfers
Shop purchases

Reforestation zones:

On-site reserve – native species, agroforestry species, pollinator plants
El Hato community – school greening, shade trees, household gardens
Partner nature reserves in Guatemala – targeted reforestation support

3. Water Sustainability

The reserve is supplied 100% by its own deep well.
Zero extraction from the community water network.
No pools or jacuzzis that rely on scarce municipal water.
Use of natural dipping pools only.
Staff benefit from guaranteed water supply during frequent municipal outages.

This ensures that no guest experience ever competes with the community’s right to water.

4. Waste Circularity & Compliance With Guatemalan Law

We fully comply with—and exceed—Guatemalan recycling regulations.

Waste separation: organic, recyclable, non-recyclable.
100% of organic waste composted onsite.
No burning of waste.
Prioritised reuse of glass jars, packaging, and materials.
Weekly internal waste audits.
Continuous improvement toward zero-landfill operations.

5. Ethical Firewood Sourcing

100% of firewood is sourced internally from fallen wood or required land-management trimming.
No healthy trees are ever cut.
Full internal traceability.
No participation in unregulated or exploitative firewood markets.

6. Sustainable Built Environment

Zero land clearing for construction.
All structures built on stilts or hanging foundations, protecting soil, roots, and wildlife.
Minimal use of concrete (only one internal path, built to stabilise a former landslide).
Construction materials predominantly reused, recycled, or repurposed.
Extremely small development footprint—the majority of the reserve remains wild.
Internal paths constructed from natural, exposed riverbed stone, avoiding mining impact.

B. Social Impact & Community Empowerment

1. Women-First Employment & Development

We prioritise hiring women from El Hato who face limited employment opportunities. Hiring is based on values—not formal education:

Honesty
Willingness to learn
Reliability
Kindness
Alignment with sustainability values

We invest in training, long-term stability, and leadership pathways.

2. Community Daycare Project

We are developing a daycare service to enable women to work and build economic independence, supporting:

Income stability
Women’s agency
Early childhood development
Long-term community wellbeing

3. School for Nature, Sustainability & Circularity

A free program for children and young adults in El Hato covering:

Biodiversity and ecology
Conservation practices
Eco-tourism skills
Sustainability and climate awareness
Circular economy principles
Community leadership

4. Local Food Supply Chain: Micro-Producer Development

We grow as much as possible onsite. For items we cannot produce, we partner with local families—especially women—supporting them to become micro-suppliers.

Examples include:

Free-range ethical eggs
Herbs and vegetables
Small-scale regenerative agriculture products

This model creates local income, low-carbon food systems and fully traceable supply chains.

5. Universal Sustainability & Circularity Training

All employees receive training in:

Sustainability fundamentals
Circular economy principles
Recycling and waste management
Water conservation
Regenerative land practices
Biodiversity and pollinator protection

This builds knowledge, pride, and environmental leadership.

6. Creativity, Innovation & Employee Agency

Creativity is a core business value.

Employees—regardless of background or literacy—are encouraged to propose ideas, lead improvements, and innovate in their role. This builds confidence, leadership, personal agency, self-worth and deep engagement.

We invest in people so that they can invest in themselves.

7. Free Workshop & Knowledge-Sharing Spaces

We offer free spaces for ESG-aligned organisations to host workshops, environmental education, sustainability talks, skill-sharing sessions and circular economy training. This supports regional collaboration and accelerates sustainability adoption.

C. Governance & Ethical Leadership

1. ESG-Aligned Supply Chain

We work only with partners who:

Treat employees fairly
Demonstrate sustainability commitment
Avoid greenwashing
Respect local culture and community

Those failing these criteria are excluded.

2. Ethical Guest Recommendations

We recommend only businesses that operate responsibly, treat employees ethically, avoid exploitative practices and demonstrate environmental respect.

We do not recommend any business linked to labour violations, unethical conduct, environmental destruction or greenwashing.

3. Transparency & Accountability

Annual ESG report
Quarterly internal ESG audits
Clear, trackable KPIs across all pillars

4. Ethical Conduct & Values-Driven Decisions

Our governance is built on:

Honesty
Transparency
Fairness
Responsibility
Respect for community and culture

5. Risk Management

Annual climate risk assessments
Insurance and resilience reviews
Ongoing water and energy independence planning

3. ESG Roadmap (2025–2030)

Short Term (0–12 months)

Launch sustainability school pilot.
Implement universal sustainability training for all staff.
Expand plant nursery and donation programs.
Strengthen the micro-producer network.
Publish the ESG agenda publicly.

Medium Term (1–3 years)

Achieve 70% solar energy.
Launch an operational daycare for the community.
Train 100+ youth through the sustainability school.
Expand the women-led supply chain.
Install a greywater irrigation system.

Long Term (3–7 years)

Reach net-zero operations.
Achieve 100% solar energy.
Complete regenerative forest restoration.
Be recognised as a national sustainability model.
Operate a fully circular supply chain.

4. ESG KPIs

Environmental KPIs

% of water from private well (target 100%).
Number of plants planted or donated.
% of native species in planting programs.
Waste diversion rate from landfill.
Compost volume generated.
Firewood traceability metrics.

Social KPIs

Number of women employed.
Number of micro-producers supported.
Number of daycare beneficiaries.
Number of youth trained in sustainability and eco-tourism.
% of staff completing sustainability and circularity training.

Governance KPIs

Supplier ESG compliance rate.
Adherence to ethical recommendation standards.
Transparency and disclosure metrics.
Annual ESG audits completed.

5. Free Workshops & Knowledge Sharing

Finca El Tambor provides free spaces for ESG-aligned organisations to host educational activities related to:

Sustainability
Circular economy
Biodiversity and conservation
Environmental leadership
Community empowerment
Supporting organisations in these fields

This strengthens community learning, supports local organisations, and accelerates the adoption of regenerative practices in the region.