Tourism Sustainability Certifications Alliance Members (A-Z)
Biosphere
Biosphere is the international sustainability management, recognition and certification system of the 17 SDGs and 169 targets of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
With indicators developed jointly with UN-SDSN, the methodology is aligned with the only worldwide 4 summits sponsored by UNESCO and UNWTO during the International Year of Sustainable Tourism, and that allows connecting DMOs, business fabric and tourists in real time, for the enhancement of the sustainable practices implemented.
The BIOSPHERE© certification is granted by the Responsible Tourism Institute (RTI), an independent organization created in 1995 with the aim of promoting sustainable development actions and programs in destinations and companies. With more than 25 years of experience, Biosphere is pioneer in the sector and recognized as the best sustainability management and certification tool in the world; operating in more than 77 countries, with more than 4.500 members and more than 30M tourists visiting Biosphere companies and destinations annually.
Find out more: www.biospheretourism.com
Green Globe certification
Green Globe is one of the foundation sustainability certification bodies for the travel and tourism industry. Green Globe traces its roots back to the United Nations Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992, where 182 heads of state from around the world endorsed the Agenda 21 principles of sustainable development.
Green Globe requires an independent audit of all certifications. These audits are conducted by independent companies who have been accredited to audit a tourism enterprise’s compliance against Green Globe’s 44 criteria supported by over 380 indicators.
Green Globe has certified members across 90 countries, with the majority being in Europe, South East Asia, Middle East, the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean. Along with Booking.com, Green Globe supplies all leading online travel agencies with lists of its certified members. Green Globe is distinguished for its focus on the premium travel and tourism market and supporting its certified members with services that assist them to communicate their sustainability credentials to travellers via press releases to global news outlets along with social media marketing.
Find out more: www.greenglobe.com
Good Travel Seal
The Good Travel Seal is a program of the Good Travel Guide and Green Destinations Solutions, offering tools for assessment, performance data validation, certification, supporting the sustainability of businesses, especially but not limited to the leisure & tourism sector. We support any businesses, products, activities in the tourism supply chain, from hotels to restaurants, activity and mobility providers, local DMOs, and so on. We have a special cooperation with Travelife for tour operators for the certification of the latter. The programs are especially designed to be highly feasible and very affordable for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). It focuses on practical requirements that are easy for smaller businesses to manage.
Find out more: www.greendestinations.org
Ecotourism Australia
Ecotourism Australia is a non-government, not-for-profit organisation, established in 1991, that promotes and supports the industry in Australia through building capacity and actively promoting sustainable tourism operations and systems. As the peak body for ecotourism and sustainable tourism in Australia and the Pacific, we connect, champion, inspire and inform through strategic partnerships and global best practice standards.
Our foundational program – ECO Certification – was the world’s first national ecotourism certification program. In 2022 we launched our Sustainable Tourism Certification program to support the entire visitor economy. Our ECO Certification showcases ECO Certified operators’ ecotourism and sustainability leadership with additional criteria for wildlife engagement and conservation, while our Sustainable Tourism Certification supports tourism businesses operating in urban environments.
We have more than 2000 certified experiences in our globally recognised Certifications.
The ECO Destination Certification was developed by Ecotourism Australia using the international Green Destinations standard where local government; regional tourism organisations and operators work together to demonstrate a community-wide and regional commitment to sustainable tourism management practices. Today, some 20 destinations in Australia and the Pacific participate in the program. The Certification assesses a region across the four pillars of sustainability and as with our ECO and Sustainable Tourism Certification for operators, the destination must pass an on-site audit conducted by a third-party auditor before Certification can be granted.
We have a consumer-facing website that features every Sustainable Tourism Certified operator, ECO certified operator, and Certified ECO Destination in Australia: https://greentravelguide.org
Ecotourism Australia has global partnerships, working with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), Green Destinations (an international organisation for sustainable destination development); and key partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region including with WWF-Australia, Parks Australia and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).
Find out more: www.ecotourism.org.au
Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE)
The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is one of the world’s largest Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) organisations, with over 100 member organisations in 81 countries. With a network of over 50,000 educational institutions, the Eco-Schools, Learning About Ecosystems and Forests and Young Reporters for the Environment programmes empower young people to create an environmentally conscious world through experiential, project-based learning. The Green Key and Blue Flag programmes are globally recognised for promoting sustainable business practices and the protection of natural resources. With over 40 years of impactful experience in ESD, FEE’s strategic plan, GAIA 20:30, prioritises impactful action across all five programmes to address the threats of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution.
Find out more: www.fee.global
Blue Flag
Coordinated by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), the iconic Blue Flag programme is one of the world’s most recognised eco-tourism awards for beaches, marinas, and tourist boat operators. In order to qualify for the Blue Flag, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria must be met and maintained.
Find out more: www.blueflag.global
Green Key
Coordinated by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), Green Key is an internationally recognised programme certifying more than 6,000 hotels and other establishments in 70 countries and is the leading standard for excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operation within the tourism industry.
Find out more: www.greenkey.global
Green Key Global
Green Key Global is one of the leading sustainability certification programs dedicated to empowering hotels across North America to achieve environmental excellence. Co-owned by the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), Green Key Global offers best-in-class, industry leading certification solutions that enable properties to meet rigorous international sustainability standards.
With the largest number of certified properties in North America and the program aligned with all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Green Key Global supports hotels in enhancing their corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. By providing a trusted benchmark for sustainable operations, innovation, and actionable tools, Green Key Global enables its members to stand out in an eco-conscious marketplace, attract sustainability-focused travelers, and drive measurable environmental impact.
Find out more: www.greenkeyglobal.com
TourCert
The independent certification organization TourCert gGmbH was founded in 2009 and is dedicated to promoting ecological, social, and economic corporate responsibility in tourism. TourCert advises and supports tourism companies and destinations in implementing sustainable and successful business practices and provides qualifications through seminars and online training offered by the TourCert Academy. Additionally, the organization certifies and awards the TourCert Seal for sustainability and corporate responsibility in tourism, as well as the TourCert Qualified certification.
Find out more: www.tourcert.org
Travelife for Accommodation
Travelife is a global accommodation sustainability certification body. Respected for being impartial and robust, we require 100% compliance with our comprehensive set of certification requirements that cover emissions, biodiversity, human rights, fair labour, child safeguarding and animal welfare.
We use third party verification to establish if a property complies with our requirements. This is achieved via a full onsite audit every 2-years that is carried out by an independent auditor. Following a quality check of the auditor’s findings, Travelife determines if a certification can be issued.
Find out more: www.travelifestaybetter.com
Travelife for Tour Operators
Travelife is an accessible and cost-effective online sustainability program designed to help tour operators and travel agencies improve their social and environmental performance. By meeting internationally recognized sustainability criteria, companies can achieve the Travelife Certified award, showcasing their commitment to sustainable tourism. To support your journey toward sustainability, Travelife provides a comprehensive suite of tools and services, including training, management systems, planning & reporting tools and supply chain management tools.
Find out more: www.travelife.info
