Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is as much a part of Shangri-La Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu as its memorable experiences and warm welcome. Our success is due to the active involvement of our hotel colleagues and guests. In all activities, we aim to preserve and respect the way of life and traditions of local communities and endeavor to minimize our impact on the environment by adhering to environmental sustainability policy. We also partner with our local communities as well as volunteers for environmental clean-up days, and tree planting efforts. At Shangri-La Rasa Ria, we are fully committed to the wellbeing of our guests and the community and will continue to lead in finding inclusive, sustainable corporate social responsibility solutions.
At Rasa Ria, we are proud to share our latest initiative, aligned with our vision to 'Do Good' promoting sustainability whilst creating a positive impact and supporting the local Tuaran community with our latest robes available for adults and children for our Ocean Wing guests.
The idea came about towards the end of the pandemic in 2022 in our effort to do more for the local Tuaran community to have a sustainable income leveraging on their skillsets and boosting the cultural heritage, supplementing their income and uplifting the community.With the help from Changgih Designs to recruit the artisans for the Rasa Ria robes, we worked with 8 artisan mothers from Tuaran. The project took an accumulative 1519 fair wage hours to complete from selecting the fabrics to handcrafting the designs and right to the tailoring, all created exclusively for Rasa Ria.
The design on the robes is uniquely local, inspired by the Sarimpak, an iconic ornament worn by the Bajau Samah people of Sabah as part of their ceremonial costume. The Sarimpak fabric design, traditionally crafted by the skilled hands of artisan mothers, showcases their incredible talent and cultural heritage. The headgear is formally worn by the Bajau bride-to-be for weddings, shaped like the horns of a water buffalo.Shangri-La Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu have officially embraced Sekolah Kebangsaan Kitapol or its short name SK Kitapol, a primary school located in Tuaran as part of the resort's Embrace initiative programme.
The resort will be providing assistance to the school by improving its' facility and infrastructure development. Currently in the plans to provide training such as skills transfers, food handling courses and seminar to enhance the learning experience of the students in SK Kitapol.
Shangri-La Cares, with the safety, wellbeing and commitment to our guests, colleagues and the local community is our top priority. At Shangri-La Rasa Ria, we care deeply for the wellbeing of our guests, colleagues, communities and especially during these unprecedented times.
In collaboration with Medisinar Clinic, the resort has reached out to the local Tuaran community, namely the head of villages from the Tuaran District, in our effort to drive the Community Third Dose Booster Vaccination program to support the government efforts by providing booster shots for the adults and children from the four villages. The villages are namely Kampung Terayung, Kampung Laya-Laya, Kampung Lok Batik and Kampung Gayang located in Tuaran, Sabah.
The Rasa Ria Reserve is a 64-acre tropical jungle nestled between two rivers and the South China Sea. With unobstructed views of Sabah’s iconic Mount Kinabalu - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - this reserve acts as a gateway to the lush natural landscapes of Borneo for hotel guests.
The Rasa Ria Reserve is divided into two distinctive zones - Nature Reserve and Adventure Point. The dedicated 64-acre nature is home to numerous plants and animals endemic to Borneo while the Adventure Zone is an experiential play space the recreates animal species along with experiential pieces like a climbing wall to encourage the development of body and the mind through immersive experiences.
At the heart of the Rasa Ria Reserve is a Discovery Centre that educates through tactical exhibitions. The rangers nurture the reserve with the maintenance of the natural surroundings to ensure that fauna and flora continue to thrive. They also offer an opportunity to witness these endemic species through guided walking trails.
The Rasa Ria Nature Reserve was established by Shangri-La Rasa Ria in collaboration with the State Wildlife Department of Sabah in June 1996. The primary purpose of setting up this protected ecological space was to help facilitate rehabilitation programmes for endangered species of fauna endemic to Sabah.
The orangutan rehabilitation programme was the reserve’s first and most successful project. It played a crucial role in providing the necessary habitat for orangutans rescued from various districts on the west coast and interior areas of Sabah. The Nature Reserve also provides educational programmes for local students and those from across Sabah. It actively conducts nature awareness and learning programmes for visitors from all over the world.
The reserve’s focus on rescue and rehabilitation work as well as education and awareness programmes over the next 20 years after its establishment saw a marked reduction in the number of orangutans sent to the reserve for care. In 2016, the reserve ended its orangutan rehabilitation programme after successfully returning 43 orang utans to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Sandakan to be released into the wild, and refocused its energy in providing the best possible environment for the remaining fauna that have come to call the reserve their home.