Banyan Tree Group: Sustainability through shared value

• Main Authors: WANG, Heli, LAU, Cubie, BHATTACHARYA, Lipika
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2023
• Subjects: competitive strategy; creating shared value; sustainability; leadership; business and society; financial sustainability; Leadership Studies; Organizational Communication; Strategic Management Policy
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cases_coll_all/462; https://smu.sharepoint.com/sites/admin/CMP/cases/SMU-23-BATCH%20%5BPDF-Pic%5D/SMU-23-0021%20%5BBanyan%20Tree%5D/SMU-23-0021%20%5BBanyan%20Tree%5D.pdf?CT=1697190727999&OR=ItemsView
• Institution: Singapore Management University

In early 2023, Claire Chiang, co-founder of Banyan Tree Group (Banyan Tree), a Singapore-based multinational hospitality brand with several hotels and resorts across the globe, was contemplating growth plans for the company. Banyan tree was aiming to double its existing portfolio to 100 hotels and resorts by 2025, while remaining competitive in a market dominated by large international players, and staying true to its brand philosophy of creating shared value (CSV). Banyan Tree had entered the market with unique proposition of providing culturally rich and unique destination experiences with an innovative ‘pool villa’ concept to luxury travellers while focussing on sustainability. The company had also concentrated on a ‘Responsible Leadership’ approach to drive growth and business diversification. Could Banyan Tree expand rapidly while staying true to its core values of CSV and sustainable development? Could it continue to maintain its competitive advantage when other players were also increasingly adopting sustainable development goals? The case can be used in Strategy and Finance courses that teach Competitive Strategy, Creating Shared Value (CSV), and Sustainable Business as a business strategy in graduate and executive education classes. The case helps students understand: (1) How new entrants can introduce unique products and services for differentiation in a market dominated by large players (2) How sustainability in business can be attained by CSV, while using a ‘responsible leadership’ approach to business management (3) How CSV is also a competitive business strategy to tackle market competition and create a unique value proposition to consumers (4) Analyse corporate portfolio and financial impact of CSV