Green Globe Launches new International Standard for Sustainable Tourism

Green Globe Certification is proud to announce the launch of its new International Standard for Sustainable Tourism V1.7. The new standard has taken over six months to complete and is a significant update to all previous versions with 100 new indicators across six newly developed criteria.

To develop the new standard Green Globe worked with industry partners including Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts, Intercontinental Hotel Group-Green Engage and Club Mediterranee, to understand key factors for enhanced sustainability performance. In addition, Green Globe‘s worldwide network of independent auditors has contributed experience in the application and assessment of the standard’s criteria and indicators.

Green Globe Director of Communications, Mr Bradley Cox said, "The Green Globe Standard is an industry accepted collection of compliance indicators applied to individual sustainability criteria which have been developed over the last twenty years.

"New additions to the standard include elements of ISO26000 providing guidance on social responsibility, as well as criteria and indicators relating to Green Meetings. This is helpful and a new challenge for our growing Membership of congress centres looking to contribute to the sustainability of the MICE industry, " added Mr Cox.

Overall the new International Standard for Sustainable Tourism V1.7 has simplified and clarified indicators aligning them with a variety of activities recognised by regional eco-labels. Greater detail and emphasis has been developed for indicators of Health & Safety, as well as Bribery and Corruption and Disaster Management & Emergency Response. Food & Beverage has been split into separate criteria. Also a new criterion for Local Livelihoods has been included.

Green Globe Certification is active in harmonizing with other established sustainability programs around the world such as the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria. The process of harmonization contributes to maintaining core criteria and at the same time addresses regional issues through the adoption of locally developed standards.

International Standard for Sustainable Tourism V1.7 is a structured assessment of the sustainability performance of travel and tourism businesses and their supply chain partners. Businesses can monitor improvements and document achievements leading to Certification of their enterprises’ sustainable operation and management.

About Green Globe

Green Globe is the worldwide sustainability system based on internationally accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. Operating under a worldwide license, Green Globe is based in California, USA and is represented in over 83 countries. Green Globe is recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, supported by the United Nations World Tourism Organization. For information, please visit www.greenglobe.com

Media Contact:

Bradley Cox

Director of Communications

phone +1-310-337-3000

fax +1-310-626-9982

www.greenglobe.com

Green Globe Certification

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