Six Senses Douro Valley from the west panorama

Keeping everything sustainable

Being a UNESCO World Heritage Site means all of the region’s stakeholders have a strict obligation to its 3,500 botanical species. Six Senses Douro Valley is continuing to protect and regenerate a 10-acre (4-hectare) woodland on the property, highlighting its commitment to sustain the environment and beautiful old growth trees.

Our entire team is committed to reducing any negative impacts, and fostering positive outcomes. With that in mind, we want to spread the word and inspire change in others too. Therefore, we warmly invite you to visit our Earth Lab to see the good things we have been up to and learn more about the projects supported by our Sustainability Fund.

270

children and their families receive our support from counselors, educators, and psychotherapists
1,593

donkeys under the watchful care of AEPGA
1,640 / 500 feet / meters

stretch of stream crossing our property for which we are joint-custodians for flora and fauna
49 percent

of electric energy from renewable sources
8,750 / 3,969 pounds / kilograms

organic vegetables, fruits and aromatic herbs produced from our organic garden in 2022
21,164 / 9,600 pounds / kilograms

compost produced in-house from our organic waste in 2022
48,869

plastic bottles avoided in 2022 with reusable glass bottles

Environmental Responsibility

Together with our hosts, we are firmly committed to improving the ecological and carbon footprint from activities associated with the resort and spa operations.

Donkey Conservation

APEGA, Associação para o Estudo e Proteção do Gado Asinino, is an environmental NGO that works in the conservation of the Miranda donkey, an autochthonous breed. Twenty years ago, this breed was threatened of extinction, but due to the effort and hard work of this group, their numbers have grown to around 1,500 all over the country.

AEPGA keeps three centers – CVBM, CAB and CALP – and the team travel all over the country to support other donkey breeders. In 2022, they visited 45 municipalities. In 2022, 1,593 Miranda and other breeds of donkeys had a health and welfare check-up, 417 had their hooves trimmed, and 456 underwent teeth assessments and treatments. We were delighted to welcome two newborns in the CVBM: Sabor and Sussurro. 14 older donkeys were also rescued and joined the donkey family at CAB .
River and Ecosystem

By adopting a 1,640-foot (500-meter) stretch of the river bank, we are its guardians, committing to monitor and create suitable conditions for the existing fauna and flora.

This is a citizen-science based project that allows everyone to contribute to the monitoring of streams across the Iberian Peninsula, while raising awareness for important topics regarding nature preservation.
Community Forest

The Forest Restoration Project is a true labor of love and commitment. We take great pride and pleasure in nursing this parkland back to health and making it a home for soil fertility, fungi, insects, mammals, and birds, and a place that we can all enjoy.

In 2022, and together with Associação Bioliving, we started an inventory of the existing fauna and flora, which will enable us to make even better decisions to preserve this important ecosystem. So far, 363 species have been identified.

Social Responsibility

The hotel's Sustainability Fund supports projects that promote the well-being and health of the community, education, environmental protection, preservation of biodiversity and cultural heritage.

Families at risk

Bagos D’Ouro is a charity that helps gifted children from disadvantaged families of Douro Valley to make it through school all the way to university. The support goes beyond financial donations as Bagos D’Ouro realizes that more effective results come from helping children to have real educational opportunities through a tailored and hands-on approach. In 2021, Bagos D’ouro helped 103 families, and 197 children and young adults, a total reach of 379 people.

Afonsinhos Association runs a local football team that promotes social inclusion through sports. Who can play? Anyone, as long as they work hard at school. Since 2011, this approach has proven to be very successful. In 2022, 98 children received support from the group.
Stray Animals

GPAR, Grupo de Proteção de Animais da Régua, and ASPA, Associação de Salvamento e Proteção Animal, are local associations aiming to improve the living conditions and protection of mistreated or abandoned cats and dogs. Since the beginning, both have worked closely with local entities and corporations such as Six Senses to raise awareness of the importance of animal welfare. In 2022, they looked after more than 500 animals.
Sustainability Wall of Fame

We have two beautiful 18th-century tile panels behind the hearth of Vale de Abraão Restaurant that have inspired us to start a unique project: The Wall of Fame. You can choose the design you like from our life-size catalog of 55 unique tile patterns displayed on the wall of our organic garden. Then Helena, our resident artist, will create a perfect copy of one of these ancient tiles to add to the wall and sign your name in history. Can you help us make it to the end of the wall? The proceeds of each sale contribute to our Sustainability Fund. Minimum contribution EUR 25. For contributions over EUR 100, you can also include your initials (or those of a loved one).

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Keeping everything sustainable

Environmental Responsibility

Donkey Conservation

River and Ecosystem

Community Forest

Social Responsibility

Families at risk

Stray Animals

Sustainability Wall of Fame

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