Corporate Social Responsibility
Apr
Mad Monkey Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report | Jan – March 2023
Welcome to Mad Monkey’s Corporate Social Responsibility report, where we keep you up-to-date on all the amazing ways our hostel is making a difference in the world. As travellers ourselves, we understand the importance of travelling with purpose and giving back to the communities we visit. That’s why we’re proud to share our impact stories from the first quarter of 2023 with you. From fundraising events to clean water initiatives, Mad Monkey is on a mission to be the leading socially responsible travel hostel by number of beds, worldwide.. So grab a cup of coffee and let’s dive into our latest adventures! Fundraising Efforts for International Women’s Day 2023 Community Fundraiser in Hoi An International Women’s Day was celebrated worldwide, but our team in Hoi An, Vietnam went above and beyond to mark the occasion. On March 8th, we organized a fundraiser to support local single mothers and their disadvantaged children. We wanted to make sure everyone in the community was involved, so we invited local suppliers to donate products to be used as prizes in a charity raffle. The response was overwhelming, and we are delighted to announce that we raised a total of $264 USD, equivalent to 6’260’000 VND. Spreading Food and Love in Panglao In Panglao, Philippines, our team was determined to spread happiness on International Women’s Day by providing a much-needed meal to the residents of Bohol Crisis Intervention Center (BCIC). The center serves as a refuge for women and children who have been subjected to various forms of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. We offered a “Merienda” spread, which is a popular afternoon meal in some parts of Europe, especially Spain and Portugal. At Mad Monkey, we hold BCIC close to our hearts. The center provides support services to young women who have survived abuse, offering them protection and safety. Its programs and services include residential care, education and training programs, therapy and counseling, and livelihood programs. The institution’s ultimate goal is to provide care and empower women of all ages to take charge of their lives. We are particularly inspired by BCIC’s commitment to not only care for and protect Boholanas who have experienced abuse but also to offer hope to all women, regardless of their circumstances. Canopy Bar Opening Party – Fun Times and Fundraising! If you know any of us at Mad Monkey, then you’ll know we love any excuse to have a drink and when we get to combine that with fundraising, you bet we’re not holding back! On March 11th, we had the opportunity to open Canopy Bar in Siem Reap. On opening night we hosted a huge party – we sure know how to throw one of those – with a live DJ, and drag performances! We donated 100% of the charity raffle proceeds, beer sales, which were kindly sponsored by Hanuman beer, and our cocktail sales, which was also kindly sponsored by Seekers Spirits. Our goal was to raise as much money as possible to support the beautiful souls at Super Monkey Kids School, which is located in Kouk Kreul village just outside of Siem Reap. Currently, the school provides English language lessons for 24 children. We are thrilled to announce that we raised $565.35 USD which will be used to purchase the following for the school: Our team will be heading back to the school once the materials are ready in order to help set up the tables, and spend some quality time with the students. World Water Day 23rd March 2023 – Fundraising For Clean Drinking Water As we prepared to say goodbye to Q1,…
Mar
Mad Monkey Secures US$4.6M Investment from EXS to Accelerate their Expansion Across Southeast Asia
Mad Monkey, a leading Southeast Asia-based hostel operator and provider of high-octane, sustainable, travel experiences, has closed its first major round of fundraising from the EXS Property Innovation Concepts VCC (“EPIC”), a Singapore-domiciled fund platform sponsored and managed by EXS, a specialist private equity firm focused on real estate business & platforms across Asia. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate its ambitious expansion across Asia, substantially growing its portfolio across the region in the next 3 years, building on the great success of the past decade. Singapore, March 22, 2022 – The sun is slowly setting over the Cambodian capital. So much has changed in the uber-fast developing city in the past 10 years since the Mad Monkey team opened the first hostel in the heart of Phnom Penh. High-rises mount over pagodas, SUVs are passing slower tuk-tuks, mobile phones have become the primary payment method. But some things remain the same — the charm and soul of the entire region, inviting young adventurers back to explore its colorful streets, dreamy beaches, and magical sites, now that the pandemic-stricken world has started showing signs of recovery. Early evenings are a time when the music starts getting louder by the pool in Mad Monkey’s hostels and the party is slowly starting. But right now, there is a different buzz; the Mad Monkey team is hard at work preparing rapid re-openings of its existing locations, inviting domestic and international travelers back to its world. In the past decade, Mad Monkey has earned an iconic status in Southeast Asia and has opened hostels in 6 countries, delivering unforgettable, sustainable, and culturally immersive travel experiences to an ever-growing segment of young digital nomads & other experience-driven travelers who are hungry to travel, build friendships and experience new cultures. But reopening seems like a small task amidst a much bigger ambition now turned into an accelerated action plan. The Mad Monkey team is poised to open up to 50 hostels in the next 3 years in Asia and Australia, cementing their status as the region’s biggest player in experience-driven hospitality. To help achieve this goal, Mad Monkey has now partnered with EXS, a Singapore-based private equity firm focused on real estate businesses & platforms, through EPIC, which is focused on “New Economy Real Estate” across Asia including co-working, co-living, student housing, new hospitality, and modern fitness models. EPIC has successfully completed a US$4.6M investment into Mad Monkey to drive the company’s near-term growth and reinforce its position as Southeast Asia’s leading hostel operator. “Mad Monkey is a leading player in Southeast Asia and a great example of real estate’s continued shift towards ‘new economy’ business models that combine real estate, hospitality and technology to deliver unique experiences. The Mad Monkey team has organically built a business anchored on strong values, with social and environmental responsibility at its core, while staying aggressive with expansion plans, maintaining profitability, and developing a stable team over the past decade. We are proud and excited to enter the next phase of driving Mad Monkey’s growth across the region,” stated Eric Solberg, Chairman & CEO of EXS. EXS plans to contribute its expertise in building leading Asian real estate platforms to Mad Monkey. As a specialized private equity firm with a track record of investing successfully across Southeast Asia, EXS is a strong believer in the growing trends driving new business models across real estate. Through EPIC, EXS plans to play a major role in helping the Mad Monkey team to accelerate growth and take advantage of the rapid return in tourism across the region, creating value for…
Feb
Mad Monkey & TruTravels Raise Nearly $9000 USD for Typhoon Odette Disaster Relief
Right before Christmas, Super Typhoon Rai, known locally as Typhoon Odette, made landfall in the Philippines and left widespread destruction across the archipelago. Typhoon Odette generated wind speeds exceeding 240kph, flooding, landslides, and caused mass blackouts throughout the country. Even with preemptive evacuations and storm preparations, Typhoon Odette left over 400 dead, hundreds missing, and even more injured. Entire communities were completely cut off and were uncontactable, due to power lines being destroyed and roads being unnavigable because of landslides and fallen trees and power lines. This crisis literally hit home for us so Mad Monkey partnered with TruTravels to raise funds to go directly to the locals affected, in the quickest and most efficient way possible. We just want to thank everybody again for donating to our Typhoon Odette fundraiser. Thanks to all of YOU, we raised nearly $9000 USD that went directly to those most affected by the typhoon. In Siargao, which was hit the hardest, ₱80,000 was sent to TruTravels partners, plus ₱160,000 that was sent to Mad Monkey team members. Individuals received ₱5,000 each to help purchase building materials to rebuild their homes as well as food, drinking water, medicine, and baby supplies. Additionally, the Mad Monkey Siargao generator is still being used to power the Sayak Margar Living Water Station. This water filtration system is the biggest on the island and has been able to provide 96,000 liters of free drinking water every day, even to those in remote villages who have suffered the most from Typhoon Odette. In Cebu City, ₱30,000 was spent on relief goods for our local Barangay, which was mostly used for bottled water due to their limited access to drinking water. An additional ₱150,000 was sent to team members who received ₱5,000 cash relief. Because banks, ATMs, electricity and internet services were down, we decided that the biggest impact we could have was to give individuals cash so they were able to immediately buy the supplies and goods that they needed most. All of this was a direct result of the donations our Mad Monkey and TruTravels family around the world generously contributed. Thank you again for your support!
Jul
Plastic-Free July: How to be a Responsible Traveler
According to EPC, global warming is already having a detrimental effect on our planet. For example, “the polar ice sheets are melting, sea levels continue to rise, and there are increasing temperatures all across the globe.” It’s time that we all take responsibility for our planet and do our bit to reduce carbon emissions and help the environment. While some greenhouse emissions are unavoidable when traveling, there are a number of things you can do to reduce environmental harm. Here are some tips on how you can become a more energy efficient traveler! Get Your Home Holiday-Ready Remember that green travel starts before you leave the house. With the excitement of your trip, don’t forget to prepare your home for the holiday before you leave. Make sure that you turn all the lights off, unplug all appliances from the wall, and lower the temperature on your thermostat. If you have an automatic sprinkler system, turn it off! Build some bonds you’re your neighbors and ask them if they can water your plants. This will ensure that your home is as energy efficient as possible while you’re away. Think About Your Mode of Transport Unfortunately, the journey itself is one of the most polluting parts of traveling. TIES states that air traffic accounts for 10 percent of greenhouse gases worldwide. Traveling by boat or train is far more environmentally-friendly than flying, so try to opt for these modes of transport whenever possible. You should also think about how you’re going to get around once you reach your destination. Walking is not always an option so try to travel by bicycle or public transport. It’s a lot better for the environment than traveling by car – and it’s much cheaper! If you Fly, Fly Non-Stop It’s totally understandable that you want to see some exotic countries on the other side world – this means that flying may be necessary from time to time. Fortunately, there are still ways to reduce your impact when flying. For instance, opting to take a direct flight is a far more environmentally way to travel, as the takeoffs and landings create most of an airplane’s carbon emissions. You should also try and fly on airplanes that are more energy efficient. It’s now possible to calculate the carbon footprint of your flight using apps such as MyClimate, which also offer advice on how to travel greener. Do not Buy Plastic Water Bottles When you’re visiting hot countries, it’s important to stay hydrated by drinking enough water every day. In foreign countries, it is often not safe to drink the tap water, so many people buy bottles of water from the supermarket. It’s recommended to drink several liters of water a day – this would mean you would buy over 20 bottles of water every week! A simple, cheap and effective way to be a green traveler is to bring your own refillable drinking bottle. Many airports now offer free drinking water – this saves you money and helps the environment! Mad Monkey Hostels also have refill stations for travelers to take advantage of during their travels. Eat in Local Places Eat locally sourced food and avoid anything that has been imported. This is a great way to support the region’s local farmers, get a more authentic taste of the cuisine, and reduce the carbon footprint of food transportation. Lonely Planet advises that you should look for restaurants advertising local produce, or eat local dishes at food markets or roadside stalls. Make sure that you never eat endangered species, like…
Apr
17 Facts About Plastic Pollution | Earth Day at Mad Monkey
youtubeembedcode.com/de/ spelutanspelpaus.se 17 Things You Need to Know About Plastic Pollution 1. Only about 9% of plastic ever made has actually been recycled. 91% of plastic has been incinerated or gone into landfills or into our natural environment. -National Geographic 2. More than 9 million tons of plastic waste end up in the ocean each year. -National Geographic 3. The equivalent of a truckload of plastic enters the ocean every single minute. -Greenpeace 4. 40% of plastic produced is single-use packaging. -National Geographic 5. Almost 50% of all plastic ever created was made after the year 2000. -National Geographic 6. Plastic recycling rates are highest in Europe at 30%, China recycles 25%, and the United States recycles only 9% of its plastic trash. -National Geographic 7. Every minute, nearly a million plastic beverage bottles are sold around the world. -National Geographic 8. 500 million plastic straws are used DAILY in the United States — enough for straws to circle the world two times. -Greenpeace 9. Almost 2 million single-use plastic bags are used around the globe every minute. -Greenpeace 10. About 8% of the world’s oil production is used to create plastic. At the rate we’re going, it’s projected that this will rise to 20% by 2050. -National Geographic 11. Around 9 out of 10 seabirds, 1 out of 3 sea turtles, and more than half of whale and dolphin species have consumed plastic. -Greenpeace 12. High-income countries in Europe and North America have only 16% of the world’s population but produce a third of the world’s waste. -Greenpeace 13. Over 90% of worldwide waste is exported to lower-income countries that often lack sufficient waste management systems and facilities. -Greenpeace 14. The areas most impacted by plastic pollution are the coastlines and rivers in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and China. -Greenpeace 15. At the rate we’re producing plastic and other waste, global waste will grow 70% by 2050. -Greenpeace 16. Not only does plastic waste contaminate the earth and ocean, but it clogs drains which results in floods, it causes respiratory issues when burned, and shortens animal lifespans when consumed. -The World Bank 17. The plastic we use degrades into “microplastics”, which are tiny particles that are nearly impossible to recover. These microplastics end up being ingested by animals, which people in turn consume. -The World Bank Earth Day 2019 at Mad Monkey Hostels For Earth Day 2019, Mad Monkey pledged to pick up 1409.5 pounds, thanks to our followers on Instagram! We posted a photo saying we would pick up one pound for every 5 Likes and 2 friends tagged, and you all sure delivered! We organized cleanups in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia with our staff, guests, and others in the local community. While we know that cleanups aren’t the solution to plastic pollution, we’d like to think that every bit of rubbish cleaned up results in fewer sea turtles, birds and other animals ingesting plastic bags, straws and other trash. What we’ve seen from our regular cleanups across Southeast Asia and Australia is that the biggest impact we make is awareness. When people see others cleaning up the beaches and cities they’re living or traveling in, it makes them think twice about littering. Some might decide to join in on the cleanup, and others might reconsider that plastic straw or plastic bag later on. We’re past the point of just recycling; humans right now must think of the bigger picture. Policy change and and an improvement of waste management systems and facilities…