DEVELOPING SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES USING SYSTEMS MAPPING TECHNIQUE

To develop their final recommendations, students undertook a rigorous consultation and analysis process grounded in systems thinking. They began by conducting interviews and informal discussions with a range of internal and external stakeholders to better understand operational realities, stakeholder needs, and the underlying dynamics shaping sustainability at Mana Earthly Paradise.

Drawing on these insights, the teams created detailed systems maps that visualised key components and interconnections across the resort’s operations and its wider community ecosystem. By mapping causal relationships and identifying feedback loops, they were able to analyse which patterns reinforced or hindered the resort’s sustainability goals. Their decision-making process was iterative and reflective, integrating stakeholder inputs with theoretical frameworks to ensure that their proposed strategies were both contextually relevant and systemically robust.

Students soon realised that enhancing sustainability in an organisation already deeply committed to sustainable practices posed a distinctive challenge. It demanded innovative yet practical solutions that avoided unintended trade-offs elsewhere in the system. Through this process, they discovered that sustainability extended far beyond environmental practices—it encompassed community empowerment, gender inclusion, cultural preservation, and economic resilience.

This deeper understanding encouraged them to think beyond conventional recommendations and recognise the value of small, incremental actions that could be realistically implemented and scaled over time. Such actions, they learned, often proved more effective in steering systems gradually toward greater sustainability than large, abrupt interventions.

The experience also strengthened their ability to analyse complex problems holistically, synthesise diverse perspectives, and communicate their ideas persuasively to different stakeholders with clarity and confidence.

========================

The students worked in teams to develop a diverse range of innovative recommendations that demonstrated both creativity and systems thinking in advancing Mana Earthly Paradise’s sustainability goals.

One group reimagined guest engagement through a cause-driven loyalty programme where customers earned points for sustainable actions or purchases and donated these points to environmental or social causes—creating a new kind of value exchange rooted in giving rather than personal reward. Another team focused on integrating nature-based solutions to enhance guest wellbeing and environmental harmony, proposing ideas such as passive lighting using reflective pebbles, bamboo flood walls and biopores for flood management, and the use of ducks for natural pest control—all blending seamlessly with the resort’s ecological and cultural setting.

A third group explored how sustainability practices could be made more visible and engaging for guests. Their ideas included branded waste collection points, a vertical farm, and tie-dyed keepsakes made from food scraps—simple yet impactful interventions that combined education with participation, subtly influencing guest behaviour while strengthening the resort’s sustainability narrative. The final team developed a regenerative “farm-to-table-to-farm” concept that enhanced organic waste management through the use of Black Soldier Fly larvae, effectively closing waste loops while creating opportunities for guest learning and immersive storytelling.

Together, these projects highlighted students’ ability to think holistically and translate complex systems analysis into practical, actionable strategies. Their ideas ranged from small, implementable changes to transformative concepts capable of reshaping both guest perceptions and resort operations. Collectively, the outcomes reflected a deep appreciation that sustainability extends beyond environmental care—it is about community empowerment, cultural authenticity, and regenerative practices that enrich both people and place.