'Seeds of Change' Programme Supports Sustainable Tourism Innovation
The Apurva Kempinski Bali has launched an incubation programme called ‘Seeds of Change’ to support students and early-stage startups in developing innovations in sustainable tourism and the green economy, as part of their ‘Path to Sustainable Growth 2026’ campaign.
General Manager of The Apurva Kempinski Bali, Vincent Guironnet, explained during an online press conference on Tuesday that the programme is a further step by the company to drive concrete sustainability actions through cross-sector collaboration and youth empowerment.
‘When we do something right, people will follow. It is not about being a leader, but about how to bring more parties together to collaborate and create a greater impact,’ said Guironnet.
Public Relations and Marketing Manager of The Apurva Kempinski Bali, Charles Octoriano, stated that ‘Seeds of Change’ is not only aimed at business actors in the hospitality and tourism sector but is open to startups from various sectors focusing on environmental, social, and sustainability issues.
Participants will receive mentoring from experts in the hospitality sector, sustainability consulting, and the financial industry. They will also be able to study the sustainability practices already implemented by The Apurva Kempinski Bali, including rooftop garden management, food waste processing, and the circular economy system developed by the company.
The programme is expected to create a ripple effect through knowledge transfer to the younger generation, giving rise to new innovations capable of addressing future sustainable development challenges.
Sustainability Consultant MVB Alistair Speirs assessed that the hospitality sector holds a strategic position to broaden the influence of the sustainability movement because it interacts directly with thousands of people from various backgrounds every day.
‘Hotels are interaction points that bring many people together. If sustainability principles are applied correctly, the impact can reach a wider community when they return to their respective communities,’ said Speirs.
Involving students in the incubation programme is also an important step to instil an understanding of sustainability from an early stage, while creating a generation of innovators capable of tackling future environmental and economic challenges.
The ‘Seeds of Change’ programme is one of the new initiatives in the ‘Path to Sustainable Growth 2026’ series, which this year carries the theme ‘Regenerate for the Future’. Through this programme, The Apurva Kempinski Bali seeks to expand the sustainability agenda from discussion forums into concrete actions involving the younger generation, businesses, academics, and communities in building a more regenerative tourism ecosystem.