Certification schemes and awards

If you've worked hard to make sure you meet best practice in your field, it's nice to be rewarded. This also tells your travellers you have a seal of approval from a recognised organisation. There are many different schemes and awards depending on what you do and where you do it.

Certification schemes

Green Globe

The Green Globe Company Standard is designed for organisations within the travel and tourism industry and sets out the criteria to attain Certification. It provides an environmental management framework for organisations to achieve sustainability. The Green Globe Benchmarking (Bronze) and Certification (Silver) process focuses on making operational improvements. Participants are connected with a highly respected international organisation committed to the environment. To find out more, visit the Green Globe website

The Green Tourism Business Scheme

The GTBS is the leading sustainable tourism certification scheme in the UK. Businesses opting to join are assessed by a qualified grading advisor against a rigorous set of criteria, covering a range of areas, like energy and water efficiency, waste management, biodiversity and more. Businesses that meet the required standard, receive a Bronze, Silver, or Gold award based on their level of achievement. The Green Tourism Business Scheme, has been running since 1997 and with over 1400 members across the whole of the UK, it is the largest and most established scheme of its type in the World. The current network of members is comprised of a wide range of business types, including accommodation providers, visitor attractions, corporate offices and others. For more information visit the GTBS website

EU Flower

The EU flower is an Eco – Label available to a range of products and Services. The scheme, which has been designed and is overseen by the European Commission, sets out specific ecological criteria that products must comply with to be certified as environmentally friendly. The awarding of the label is independently verified and endorsed by the European Commission. The EU Flower is a recognised environmental quality mark across the countries of the EU and in Norway and Liechtenstein. So far, several hundred products have received the EU Flower. Visit the EU Flower website

The Green Key

TheGreenKey is an international eco-label awarded to companies within tourism: hotels, youth hostels, conference- and holiday centres, campsites, holidayhouses, leisure facilities and restaurants. It originated for hotels in Denmark in 1994 and in 1998 France joined and started labelling camping sites. Today, criteria are available for hotels, camping sites, hostels, summer houses, restaurants, leisure facilities, and conference facilities. Not all criteria are available in all countries. It is an ongoing work to develop criteria for the international campaign. Read more information on the Green Key website

Local and national awards schemes

Alaska: Adventure Green Alaska (AGA) certificate

Austria: Austrian Environmental Medal and Austrian Alpine Club

UK, Cornwall: Green Acorn award

UK, Devon: South Hams Green Tourism Business scheme

UK, Lancashire: Green Lantern standard

Awards

Responsible Travel & Tourism Forum's Annual Leadership Award, Canada

The RTTF's Annual Leadership Award will be presented to a Canadian travel and tourism organization that has demonstrated commitment to socially and environmentally responsible practices. The award is open to organizations that operate in Canada as tour operators, travel agents, accommodation providers and destinations (convention & visitor bureaus, tourist boards, tourism authorities). Read more about the RTTF's Annual Leadership Award

Responsible Tourism Awards

The Responsible Tourism Awards were founded in 2004 by responsibletravel.com, who run the Awards, with sponsorship from Virgin Holidays. The central tenet of the Awards is that all types of tourism – from niche to mainstream – can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people. The Awards recognise individuals, companies and organisations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and are providing a positive contribution to biodiversity conservation. Responsible Tourism Award winners are nominated by tourists and one of the founding principles of the Awards is always to seek out new responsible tourism ventures. The winners are announced in November at World Travel Market, London. Read more about the Responsible Tourism Awards

Further reading
Read more resources for responsible tourism