Sandal s Foundation has been named the top Responsible/Philanthropic Travel Foundation at the 20th annual Agents’ Choice Awards Gala held in Toronto, Canada, on June 13, giving the non-governmental organisation, which is marking its 10th anniversary, another reason to celebrate this year.

The Agents’ Choice awards were established in 1999 by Toronto-based Baxter Media and its flagship publications Canadian Travel Press and Travel Courier. The awards programme is regarded as Canada’s most authoritative travel industry poll, and each year it asks Canadian travel agents to pick their favourite suppliers in over 40 categories — ranging from airlines to tour operators, cruise lines to destinations, coach operators to car rentals, and more. Last year, 6,027 Canadian agents voted for their favourite suppliers in the poll.

This year, a total of 6,512 agents voted and, in addition to the award to Sandals Foundation, Sandals Resorts International was voted Favourite Hotel Brand – All-Inclusive for the 20th year in a row.

Reacting to the award, Sandals Foundation President Adam Stewart, who is also deputy chairman of Sandals Resorts International, said: “We remain committed to providing opportunities for the development and sustainable growth of our Caribbean people and the region as a whole. While this remains our focus, we are very pleased to be recognised with this award and thank all those agents who not only voted for us, but also continue to support our efforts in making this a reality for those we serve.”

Earlier this year, Sandals Foundation was accepted by the Department of Global Communications of the United Nations as one of the organisations across the globe whose efforts are contributing significantly to the implementation of the Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through this association the foundation has committed to supporting the 17 SDGs, and to raise public awareness about the purposes and activities of the United Nations and issues of global concerns.

“For the past 10 years the Sandals Foundation has been working diligently towards sustainable development in the Caribbean region —addressing issues such as marine and coral conservation, proper health care for all, and equal opportunities through improved educational facilities,” said the foundation’s Executive Director Heidi Clarke.

“The UN Sustainable Development Goals require us all to play our part to ensure that no one is left behind. Our association with the Department of Communications for the UN solidifies our pledge to continue to work to ensure that the islands that we call home are on track for a sustainable future.”

Since 2009 Sandals Foundation has impacted over 840,000 people in Jamaica, St Lucia, Grenada, Antigua, Barbados, Turks and Caicos, and the Bahamas through its work in education, the community, and the environment.