Athens, Greece (17 October 2024)

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Empiria Group is thrilled to announce the release of its first Impact Report, marking an exciting opportunity to harness, trace, and share the company’s continuous focus on sustainability. The report serves a dual purpose: it showcases the solid foundations and efforts made so far, while also reaffirming the company’s commitment to ongoing learning and systemic improvements in social, cultural, and environmental stewardship. Looking ahead, Empiria Group plans to regularly review its processes and publish an impact report annually to track progress and drive sustainable innovation.

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Empiria Group’s dedication to sustainability extends across numerous areas, all contributing to its vision of creating lasting positive impact — from adopting more conscious design practices across its properties to enhancing employee wellbeing and actively engaging with local communities, aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and is structured across the following strategic pillars:      

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Social Impact

Empiria Group is dedicated to improving employee wellbeing and professional growth, addressing the unique challenges of attracting and retaining skilled hospitality staff, particularly in seasonal markets. To create a supportive and engaging workplace, the company has implemented several key initiatives that enhance workplace culture, nurture a sense of community for teams, and ensure an environment where everyone feels involved, valued and seen. As a result, an anonymous employee survey conducted in 2023 showed that:

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• 48% of the company’s seasonal employees expressed their intention to return for the following year, showcasing the effectiveness of its efforts to build a positive work environment.
• 63% of employees described Empiria Group as “a caring and people-oriented employer.”

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These initiatives underline Empiria Group’s belief that its people are at the heart of its success and its commitment to fostering an inclusive and growth-oriented workplace.

 
Environmental Impact

Empiria Group has taken bold steps toward reducing single-use plastics and conserving water as part of its Water Evolution Program. In 2023, the company partnered with Nordaq, a Swedish firm specializing in advanced water filtration systems. This collaboration resulted in the installation of cutting-edge filtration technology across all Empiria properties, which eliminates the need for single-use plastic water bottles by filtering, bottling, and capping water onsite.

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• This initiative led to a 29.52% reduction in plastic bottle usage in 2023, with a goal of achieving a 70% reduction by 2024.
• By 2026, the company aims to completely eliminate plastic water bottles from its properties, reinforcing its commitment to a cleaner and more sustainable environment for guests and communities alike.

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Cultural Impact

Empiria Group’s dedication to preserving the cultural and natural heritage of the Cycladic islands is exemplified by its strategic long-term collaboration with the Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF). Through this partnership, the company has supported numerous educational and conservation initiatives designed to promote sustainability and protect the unique ecosystem of the Cyclades.

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• Over the past three years, the group has collaborated with CPF on a series of educational projects in Paros and Santorini, and an annual impact event for the Cycladic community. These also included several tools to encourage guests to donate to or participate in conservation efforts during their stay.
• In 2022, Empiria hosted the CPF Islanders’ Forum in Parilio, Paros, bringing together 50 participants from 17 island communities to discuss environmental concerns, share ideas, and foster collaborations for sustainable development.
• The company strongly believes in the potential of younger generations to lead environmental protection efforts, and from 2021 to 2023 supported CPF’s 'Me & My Plastic' project, educating children about plastic use and its environmental impact through an engaging educational book. The project also helped local schools integrate EU waste management policies into their curricula.
• Additionally, Empiria co-organized and funded the ‘Greening the Schools of Paros’ project with CPF, aimed at educating primary school students about biodiversity through hands-on gardening projects. This initiative highlights rare and endemic plant species and fosters a deeper understanding of the island’s natural environment.

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The group plans to develop its impact framework further in the coming years, and gradually establish it not only as an annual reporting standard, but as the central driving force behind future collaborations, investments and growth. The aim is to continue carefully monitoring and contributing to the wellbeing of teams and communities, while implementing more specific metrics and targets for sustainable impact, with enhancing cultural stewardship efforts in the Cycladic region being a priority for 2024.

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The full report with further projects overview and respective metrics can be found here.
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About Empiria Group

Leading privately-owned hospitality group, Empiria Group was created in 1989 by Antonis Eliopoulos, and joined by his wife Kalia Konstantinidou. Empiria Group successfully manages three awarded five-star hotels and several luxurious villas in Santorini, two five-star hotels and a villa complex in Paros, as well as a boutique hotel in Peloponnese. Each property, with distinct character and personality, offers elevated experiences, whilst being underpinned by four key fundamental values of finding joy, always elevating, exuding passion and being a leader in the field. These values direct Empiria Group's soul and ensure that it delivers on its purpose of creating space for joy for the global sophisticated traveller. With a strong sense of location in the most exclusive destinations, Empiria Group draws inspiration from the surrounding abundant Greek nature, exemplifying heritage and provenance. By emphasising sublime regional architecture, holistic wellbeing, and meaningful experiences that reflect the local culture, Empiria Group immerses guests in the carefree state of mind that defines the authentic Cycladic island life.
 
For more information, please visit https://empiriagroup.gr/.

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For further information, please contact:
Melissa Zormpa


Director of Marketing & Communications


Email: melissa.zormpa@empiriagroup.gr



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EMPIRIA GROUP
22 Laodikis str, Glyfada 16674, Greece