This section provides you with practical information on well-known environmental authorities in different countries, which would help you in learning environment related criteria and improving your own management. Under each institution, we have provided you with website links, organization descriptions, information of geographical level of recognition, justification, and target group in a nutshell.
Webpage: www.umweltzeichen.at/cms/en/tourism/content.html
With the Austrian Ecolabel for Tourism a quality label was created in 1996, by the acquisition of which Austria’s tourist enterprises are offered the opportunity to demonstrate environmentally conscious management and social action also externally. Criteria documents have been developed for various sectors: accommodation, gastronomy, event-catering, community catering, camping, shelter huts, travel offers and green meetings and green events.
Webpage: http://www.authenticbulgaria.org
Description of the tool
The philosophy of "Authentic Bulgaria" is built to support quality and original tourist product based on several core values - professionalism in service and genuine Bulgarian hospitality, impeccable service quality, responsible attitude to the environment and continually striving to improve the working environment.
Webpage: http://www.associationbilancarbone.fr
Description of the tool
The Bilan Carbone method enables to:
Webpage: http://www.biohotels.info
BIO HOTELS is the largest association of eco-friendly hotels: with seven “core focuses”, the nearly 100 BIO HOTELS in seven European countries offer everything you want for an organic holiday, family holiday, wellness weekend, sustainable conference or green meeting and ecologically-oriented service for business travelers. Even weddings and events are held in the most beautiful BIO HOTELS locations: at the sea, in the mountains or in gorgeous natural settings.
Webpage: http://www.ecocamping.net
Description of the tool
ECOCAMPING is an EMS that has been specifically developed for campsites. In 1999, 20 campsites from the Bodensee and the Lago Maggiore have been awarded the ECOCAMPING label. Over a two-year period, the EU supported the development of a comprehensive EMS, based on EMAS and adapted to the needs of campsites. To broaden the scope of the initiative, the ECOCAMPING association was created by four campsite associations and four environmental organisations in 2002. The national associations of the camping industry are the initiators, as well as responsible for the implementation of an ECOCAMPING programme. Close contact is maintained with local authorities and various departments of the European Commission. ECOCAMPING is actively involved in the development of the European Ecolabel for campsites.
Webpage: http://www.environnement.brussels/thematiques/ville-durable/le-label-entreprise-ecodynamique
Description of the tool
The ‘Eco-dynamic Enterprise’ label gives official recognition for the good environmental practices of companies in the Brussels-Capital Region. It awards them for their environment activism and their improvement especially in waste management, rational energy consumption, mobility management, and others. Furthermore, it promotes and provides support to companies for the implementation of an internationally recognised environmental management system, as it is recommended by ISO 14001 or the European EMAS standard.
Webpage: http://www.maaturism.ee/index.php?id=ehe-en
Description of the tool
EHE-mark is a quality mark to label tourism products in compliance with the principles of eco tourism. The objective of the EHE-mark is to promote the principles of eco tourism among tourism enterprises, consumers and public. By applying the EHE-mark to its products, the entrepreneur obliges to follow the principles of eco tourism and fulfil the requirements set to the products.
Webpage: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/emas/index_en.htm
Description of the tool
The European EMAS Regulation specifies the requirements to comply with when setting up an Environmental Management System (EMS). It is a voluntary scheme.
Webpage: www.ecolabel.eu
Description of the tool
In order to be granted the European Ecolabel for Tourist Accommodations, the accommodation entities have to meet a set of very strict environmental performance criteria in various environmental areas. The label includes 22 mandatory criteria and 45 optional criteria among which candidates will choose to obtain a sufficient amount of points.
The label is used throughout the European Union and sites can be labelled all over the world.
Webpage: http://greenglobe.com
Description of the tool
Green Globe is positioned on the market as the standard for managing sustainability in the tourism industry.
The criteria are both operational and organizational. They are organized the 4 themes, which are subdivided in criteria. To each criterion, are linked a set of compliance indicators, which allow the organization and the auditor to assess the level of conformity to the criteria, and to the label.
Webpage: http://www.greenkey.global
The Green Key award is a leading standard of excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operation within the tourism industry. This prestigious eco-label represents a commitment by businesses that their tourism establishments adhere to the strict criteria as stipulated by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). A Green Key stands for an establishment’s promise to its guests that by opting to stay with such an establishment, they are helping to make a difference on an environmental and sustainability level. The high environmental standards expected of these establishments are maintained through rigorous documentation and frequent audits.
Webpage: http://www.baatbg.org/green-lodge/38/49
Description of the tool
Green Lodge® is a certificate issued to guesthouses and small hotels that correspond to ECEAT sustainable tourism label and Eurogites quality standards. Hosts of these houses are local people who have special attention to local nature and culture.
Webpage: http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/management-standards/iso14000.htm
Description of the tool
ISO 14001 specifies the 18 requirements and the 52 check points to comply with when setting up the Environmental Management System (EMS).
It is a voluntary scheme.
Webpage: http://www.panparks.org
Description of the tool
PAN Parks – a European-wide network of well managed protected areas focusing on an integrated approach combining wilderness protection and sustainable tourism development.
Webpage: www.tourcert.org
The TourCert CSR system for hotels increases your energy and environmental efficiency and thereby reduces costs.
Webpage: www.travelife.org/Hotels/Home.asp
Travelife is a web-based international sustainability certification system which allows accommodation providers to monitor and self-assess their sustainability performance.