Tackling climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing Scottish tourism now. Consumer concern over the environment and climate has doubled in the last decade. Visitors are increasingly seeking out businesses and destinations with excellent green credentials.
Generally, an assessor will measure your business against a range of sustainability aspects.
By meeting these criteria, you gain the certification’s label, which you can use in the form of a verified badge of validation.
The assessor is an independent third party. They'll review your business regularly to ensure the sustainability criteria are being maintained.
A scheme's verified badge is a clear visible and verifiable way to prove your business' commitment to the environment to the public. Having such a badge will make it easier for environmentally conscious visitors to choose your business.
Taking part in a scheme is also a great way of reviewing your business' environmental, social, and economic impact. By being assessed for the scheme, you might get a clearer idea of where your business is doing well and where it could improve.
Become greener
It’s a great way of reducing not just your carbon footprint, but also energy, water and waste bills.
Get more sustainable
The assessment's management framework lets you monitor and help improve your sustainable practices.
Raise awareness
It can help guests, staff, and suppliers become more environmentally conscious.
Get more visitors
You can use your certification to get a marketing advantage over your competitors.
The programme addresses key global environmental, cultural, social, and economic concerns. It deals with environmental regeneration and improvement. The programme also looks at the conservation of existing natural heritage assets.
EarthCheck is one of the world’s leading business advisory groups. It specialises in sustainability and destination management for the travel and tourism industry.
They have a holistic approach to responsible tourism and world-leading science. EarthCheck enables destinations and operators to benchmark and certify their performance with confidence.
EarthCheck collaborates with clients in over 70 countries to help plan for the future. They guide the design, construction, and operation of intelligent buildings. They also help with the responsible management of tourism destinations.
The certification is for organisations across the visitor economy with a defined boundary. It needs to have an appointed representative to be responsible for the management of the certification. It assesses the entire organisation’s management practices.
Economic concerns addressed in the programme include:
Green Key has certified over 3,000 tourism businesses in 60 countries worldwide. It's one of the world’s largest eco-certification programmes for the tourism industry.
The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) owns this international, voluntary eco-label. It's managed in Scotland by Keep Scotland Beautiful and has been developed for the hospitality and tourism sector.
It's recognised and supported by the UN World Tourism Organisation and the UN Environment Programme.
Green Key criteria are based on:
environmental management
water
energy
administration
green activities
staff involvement
food and beverage
waste
Visit keepscotlandbeautiful.org for more information and apply.
Suitable for tourism and hospitality, this scheme helps businesses reduce their environmental impact. It's based on the three pillars of caring for people, places, and our planet.
Green Tourism influence and advise tourism and hospitality businesses. Founded in Scotland, it has more than 2,500 members and its reach extends to 20 different countries worldwide.
Its awards are globally acknowledged as an indicator of environmentally friendly best practice. The positive impacts it’s collectively making, endorses its overarching vision to care for people, places, and the planet.
The scheme's criteria cover over 70 indicators across 15 sustainability goals, including:
carbon, waste
biodiversity
local produce
ethical purchasing
equality
All the criteria are aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In 2021, Green Tourism launched the Green Meetings Standard. This was on the back of a strong demand for a meetings sector specific accreditation.