Green Globe International, Inc. Endorses Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria

Green Globe International, Inc. Chief Operating Officer Bradley G. Cox today endorsed the efforts of the United Nations Foundation, Rainforest Alliance, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in launching the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC). Green Globe International owns the Green Globe brand, the premier international green brand for sustainable tourism.

United Nations Foundation Founder and Chairman Ted Turner recently announced the first-ever globally relevant sustainable tourism criteria at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. The new criteria – based on thousands of best practices culled from the existing standards currently in use around the world – were developed to offer a common framework to guide the emerging practice of sustainable tourism and to help businesses, consumers, governments, non-governmental organizations and education institutions to ensure that tourism helps, rather than harms, local communities and the environment.

“Throughout the development process, Green Globe has been pleased to be able to contribute its Sustainability Standards and other key knowledge, developed over 15 years in sustainability certification, to this global initiative. The new global criteria has rigor and accommodates the necessary actions to document and continually improve social, environmental and economic contributions by tourism enterprises,” said Mr. Cox

Green Globe’s Company and Community Standards for sustainable tourism practice are used across 48 countries by both tourism businesses and communities. Recently, Mr Cox participated in the “Summit Certification Programs of the Americas,” organized by the Sustainable Tourism Certification Network in Costa Rica as well as meeting with United Nations Foundation in Washington, DC.

“As the only international benchmarking and certification for sustainable tourism, we have an ongoing obligation to share our experience in contributing to the improvement of communities and development of responsible businesses in tourism destinations, particularly those in emerging economies. Green Globe’s vision is to as quickly as possible build a network between all the tourism certification programs that are ultimately responsible for the delivery, assessment and implementation of sustainable tourism practices by the global tourism industry,” commented Mr. Cox.

As an ongoing participant in working committees for the newly formed Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council, Green Globe is resolved to continue its collaboration to the next vital stage of criteria development, bringing a focus on delivering standardized measurement and benchmarking as part of the certification process.

“Being able to measure data, including energy usage, potable water consumption and waste to landfill, under an internationally standardised process has been the achievement of Green Globe in the last decade. We look forward to assisting the Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council understand this practice and the many benefits it brings to rating both individual business and a tourism destination’s sustainability performance.” added Mr. Cox.

The Green Globe brand and program, which traces its roots back to the United Nations Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992, where 182 Heads of State endorsed the Agenda 21 principles of Sustainable Development, has primarily been used in the travel and tourism industry but is now being expanded to include a growing number of environmentally responsible businesses in a variety of market sectors. The Green Globe brand is an ideal symbol for the world’s increasing awareness of environmental responsibility and response to global climate change.

To receive updates or information on Green Globe International and the Green Globe program, please visit www.greenglobeint.com.

Contact:
For Green Globe International, Inc.
A. Beyer
Tel: +01 951 677 8073
[email protected]
www.greenglobeint.com