Sustainability Best Practice Guidelines

These sustainability best practice guidelines have been developed after extensive research, discussion and debate with leading experts, and build on the well developed ideas of leading international figures, organisations and bodies concerned with the principles of eco tourism, sustainable tourism and geotourism.

Hopefully they provide a resource to spark ideas, help set targets, and make plans that will further improve the benefit of your operations to local communities and minimise your environmental impact.

The content is ever evolving, so your ideas and comments are always welcome.

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1)    Best Practice: Care for environments

Local environments

Operators are involved in, supporting or donating to locally appropriate projects and initiatives for the protection of local environments, and the rehabilitation and restoration of local biodiversity. They provide education and information to staff and guests on local environmental issues and have a fully enforced written policy for staff and guests, based on ‘take only photos, leave only footprints’ philosophy, and designed to minimise damage to environments, wildlife and marine ecosystems they may interact with during their trip.

Ideas/notes

Policy should include:

• avoiding environmentally stressed areas,     
• sticking to trails,
• keeping all rubbish with you until it can be properly disposed of,
• encourage collection of any extra litter seen around,
• no taking of ‘souvenirs’,
• no approaching/touching wildlife or fragile organisms,
• never wash anything with cleaning agents directly in river or lake water,
• use biodegradable, phosphorous free cleaning agents on all trips,
• a carefully planned policy on camp fires.

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Energy

Operations should have zero-carbon output as a key goal. The approach should prioritise a hierarchy of avoidance, reduction, replacement and offsetting of emissions. Operators should look to meet energy needs with low carbon renewable sources, ideally on site. At the least, energy efficient appliances and technologies are universally adopted, and comprehensive energy saving/heat conserving measures are implemented or planned for. New developments will implement energy efficient, bio-climatic building design. A formal policy on energy saving is implemented by staff and guests. Strict energy targets should be set internally, and self-monitored through regular audits which are made available to us. High quality carbon offsetting or donations should be used only after all other energy saving options have been employed.

Ideas/Notes:

• Purchase energy from renewable or low carbon sources if available. If not available, generate a considerable amount on site through appropriate renewable energy technologies.
• Use energy efficient lighting.
• Use energy efficient rated appliances (from fridges to computers to fans), and have a replacement scheme for old appliances.
• Have a modern, energy efficient boiler or other energy efficient source of hot water.
• Have boiler and hot pipes insulated.
• Have a policy for regularly monitoring energy usage, and setting targets.

If appropriate:

• Have draught excluders fitted to exterior doors and windows.
• Have windows double glazed. Units fit and close properly.
• Have the roof well insulated (preferably with natural insulating materials).
• Have wall cavities insulated (preferably with natural insulating materials).
• Have a written policy on staff and management operations designed to ensure minimisation of energy use, which is also made available to guests. This should include:
• Natural light used first where possible,          
• Lights and appliances switched off at mains when not in use, never left on standby,
• radiator levels, or air conditioning systems regularly checked and turned off or down as appropriate – not over heating or cooling, heating or cooling when rooms are usually empty ,windows in rooms being heated are kept shut,
• boil the volume of water needed only,
• regularly defrost freezers and try to keep full/ fill any unused areas with bubble wrap, do not put fridges and freezers near heat sources,
• replace all filters at manufacturer’s recommended intervals,
• do not block grills and fans.

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Travel

Operators should also be working towards a zero carbon travel plan for both staff and guests. They actively encourage/incentivise overland journeys to the destination where possible, and at least encourage the use of airlines with the most efficient fleets. They minimise travel required and maximise the efficiency of all travel made. High quality carbon offsetting should be used only after all other energy saving options have been employed.

Ideas/Notes:

• Encourage/incentivise staff and guests to walk, cycle or use public transport,
• seek very fuel efficient or no emission (electric/hydrogen) vehicles. Also consider that diesel is less carbon intensive than petrol, and many car manufacturers now recycle and reuse parts,
• do regular maintenance checks and tyre pressure checks on vehicles to ensure maximum efficiency,
• encourage driving in a consistent, fuel efficient manner, and combine tasks or car pool on any journeys made.

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Water

The quality and quantity of local water reserves and supplies to local communities are not compromised by the operations of the operator. Water saving monitors, devices and water recycling facilities are in use, and a formal policy on efficient water use, and water saving techniques are implemented by staff and guests.

Ideas/Notes:

• Have water saving shower heads low-flow tap aerators fitted.
• Implement grey water recycling.
• Collect rainwater for garden use.
• Have dual flush toilets or composting toilets.
• Have a towel/sheet re-use policy.
• Use Xeric (low water usage) gardens, and plants native to the area.
• A written policy on staff and management operations, designed to ensure minimisation of water wastage and contamination, and made available to guests. This should include:Do not leave taps running unnecessarily, do not flush unless necessary, report and resolve quickly any leaks and drips

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Waste

Zero waste to landfill is a key aim of operators. A formal policy of waste reduction, re-use and recycling is implemented by staff and guests, in all areas of operation and activity. Organic and biodegradable waste is composted. In some destinations local facilities don’t make recycling easy but our operators always aim for the best solution and then, with others, try to influence the development of a better infrastructure. There are high standards for waste containment and disposal - sewage and other waste is disposed of in a manner that’s removes any possibility of contamination of local water bodies and natural environments.

Ideas/Notes:

• Recycle all waste glass, plastic, paper and card, cartons. Provide guests with recycling facilities. Donate old IT equipment, refill printer cartridges.
• Seek less heavily packaged products, seek only recycled/recyclable or biodegradable packages, and avoid plastic packaging where possible.
• Ensure construction and renovation work is under taken with attention paid to minimising non-degradable waste, and attempts to salvage/pass on reusable materials.
• Buy products in large containers, refill smaller containers/dispensers from these.
• Provide reusable bottles for tap water, or filtered water instead of bottled water wherever safe
• Compost organic waste
• Attempt to run as a paper free operation – electronic communication, no brochures, double sided printing, reuse free sides of paper as draft or scrap pads
• Have a written policy on staff and management operations, designed to ensure minimisation of waste and appropriate waste management, which is also available to guests.

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Purchasing and resource use

There is a formal sustainable resource usage and purchasing policy for both construction and day to day operation. This includes; the use of local suppliers wherever available and appropriate; and swapping the use of scarce raw materials for recycled or renewable materials, or materials locally and/or sustainably sourced. The use of non-toxic, organic, fair trade, sustainable, locally supplied and/or natural alternatives should be prioritised whenever available, especially in items such as food, office supplies, marketing materials, sporting equipment and accessories, furniture, paints, cleaning products, and insulation.

Ideas/Notes:

• Buy paper that has high post-consumer recycled content (not chlorine bleached)
• Avoid single-use and disposable products, e.g. buy rechargeable batteries.
• Fair trade products are bought where available
• Minimise the use of cleaning products, such as bleaches, chlorine and detergents that will end up in the wastewater.
• Sourcing of local foods would mean menus are affected by seasonality.
• Ethical considerations should be considered when purchasing services eg banking, utilities or sub-contractors.
• Only surplus natural resources are taken from local supplies for daily operations, construction and maintenance, and local needs are always prioritised.
• There should be a preference to conversion and renovation of existing buildings, rather than new build where possible.

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2)   Best practice: Care for Communities

Every effort is made to ensure the local communities and economies are the main beneficiaries of the operation, and that these operations are sustained year round. There should be a culture of inclusivity: where appropriate there will be formal structures for community involvement in land use and management decisions, and the facilities, good and services you provide should be made available to the local community.

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Employment

Operators will be committed to local employment (including management positions), ongoing training, education and promotion possibilities, fair (living) wages, equal opportunities, regular staff consultation and close observation and co-operation with local and national worker standards/organisations. They will also have high standards of health and safety, regular training and work to protect staff, their children and their local communities from any exploitation of human rights. Operators always encourage long-term employment wherever possible, and the integration of non-local staff into the local community.

Ideas/Notes:

• ILO standards (see ILO.org) or local legislations are always implemented (whichever is higher).
• Trade unions, workers organisations and formal structures for staff consultation and involvement ar        e allowed and encouraged.

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Economy

For most areas of business operation, long term relationships with local suppliers and service providers are established and carefully monitored. Local enterprises and best practices are supported by operators, and they will also recommend these local services to guests e.g. restaurants, guides, shops, crafts, and attractions. Local needs are always prioritised however, and care is taken not to put strain on local resources leading to shortages and inflation.

Ideas/Notes:

• Targets are set for increasing local supply, and there may be some assistance offered aimed at improving local supply and production.
• Fair prices are paid, and fair trade products are bought where available.

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Cultures

Operators respect and value local cultures and customs, and pro-actively support or encourage local community attempts to protect and preserve cultural practices, sites and events and traditional methods. This should include adopting local traditional art, design and architecture into developments. Operators also provide information to staff and guests on appropriate behaviour and a zero tolerance policy is enforced.

Ideas/Notes:

• When community members are actively involved in tourism, they will take more responsibility for destination stewardship, and develop pride and skill in showing off their locale. Result: both visitor and host get more out of the visit.
• Ideally there should be a structure in place for joint (company and community) decision making and planning, and land should be managed in partnership with local/indigenous peoples.
• Failing this, there would at least be formal structures for local consultation and agreement before developments start, all traditional rights are respected and preserved, and a fair price is paid for land/fair compensation for any loss of land, and at least one member of staff should be responsible for community relationships.
• In the destination, there should be a community agreement on destination capacity, which is respected at all times.

 

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Note

Tour operators should seek these same environmentally and socially responsible practices by any supplier or sub-contractor they work with, and work closely with local partners on these matters.