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EarthCheck Certification

EarthCheck Turismo Turismo sustentable Hoteles EarthCheck México, EarthCheck Tourism Sustainable tourism Hotels

EARTHCHECK CERTIFICATION

WHAT’S EARTHCHECK?

With more than 25 years in the market and a presence in over 70 countries, EarthCheck is the world’s leading sustainable consulting and certification organization for the tourism and hospitality industry.

EarthCheck collaborates positively with the private and public sector, including: local governments and federal ministries.

EarthCheck owns Standards, Management Systems and Certification Programs. Based on the objectives of Agenda 21, EarthCheck’s certifications apply the principles of sustainability in planning, building and operating in the tourism and hospitality industry.

WHO AWARDS EARTHCHECK CERTIFICATION?

EarthCheck’s certification programs have been created to support investors, owners and managers throughout all stages of construction, from the planning and design stages of venues, buildings and infrastructure to their subsequent operation.

EarthCheck certifications focus on social responsibility initiatives, improved corporate practices and optimizing environmental performance.

Earthcheck certifications are issued by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and are approved by the non-profit organization CDP, which is in charge of monitoring global climate change and preventing the increase of global warming to avoid irreparable ecological damage.

 

WHAT CAN EARTHCHECK CERTIFY?

EarthCheck Certifications are available for more than 30 tourism sectors, including hotels, airports, convention centers, airlines, theme parks, golf courses and destinations.

Sustainable Design: The Sustainable Planning and Design Standard certifies projects (buildings and venues) under development and guarantees future performance above the best practice level.

Sustainable Operations: The Company Standard provides a management system and supporting tools that enable any company or organization to improve its environmental, social and economic performance.

 

WHAT DOES EARTHCHECK EVALUATE UNDER ITS CORPORATE STANDARD?

This certification rewards various aspects of sustainability based on Key Performance Areas (KPAs) including:

1. Greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Energy efficiency, conservation and management.
3. Drinking water and stormwater resource management.
4. Ecosystem conservation and management.
5. Social and cultural affairs management.
6. Land use planning and management.
7. Air quality and noise control.
8. Wastewater management.
9. Solid waste management.
10. Storage of environmentally harmful substances.

In addition, it is based on an approach of integration within the community, in social, environmental and economic terms, to favor the sustainable development of the project and the community at the same time.

 

EARTHCHECK CERTIFICATION LEVELS

EarthCheck Bronze Benchmark Sustainable tourism

EARTHCHECK BRONZE

The company must complete online registration, develop cultural, social, and economic policies with a sustainable approach and feed an online software with at least 3 months of operational data. This data will be used to create a company benchmark that allows performance comparisons at a local and sector-specific level. Once this process is completed, the company receives EarthCheck Bronze status. Bronze status is a prerequisite for the following certifications.

 

EarthCheck Silver Sustainable tourism Certification programs

EARTHCHECK SILVER

After having achieved Bronze Status, the company can opt for the next level: Silver Certification. This is achieved through an audit conducted by an EarthCheck-authorized auditor, who visits the facilities of the company or organization undergoing certification, reviews the documentation shown, conducts a tour of the facilities, and interviews the personnel involved. If everything matches the documentation, the Silver Certification is obtained. This process must be repeated annually or biannually to renew your certification.

 

EarthCheck Gold Sustainable tourism Certification programs

EARTHCHECK GOLD

The next level of certification is the Gold level. This level is achieved by having demonstrated for 5 consecutive years the company’s sustainable commitment to following the Company Standard. Like the Silver level, this level must be renewed every year to be maintained.

 

EarthCheck Platinum Sustainable tourism Certification programs

EARTHCHECK PLATINUM

The Platinum level is obtained under the same structure as the Gold level. However, the term of requirement within the certification is increased to 10 years.

 

EarthCheck Master Sustainable tourism Certification programs

EARTHCHECK MASTER

Finally, the highest level of certification within this scale is Master. This grade is achieved when the facility has exceeded and demonstrated a commitment to sustainability for 15 years.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF EARTH CHECK CERTIFICATION?

In Bioconstrucción y Energía Alternativa we are experts in advising tourism companies to obtain the prestigious EarthCheck certification that will give more return on investment to all its stakeholders.

There are multiple benefits for a company that enrolls in the EarthCheck program:

 

  • Access to methodologies, support tools, and state-of-the-art software.
  • Reduction of operating costs.
  • Understanding and identification of opportunity areas and business risks.
  • Generation of financial, environmental, and social results.
  • Leadership in environmental, social, and economic sustainability within the sector.
  • Promotes confidence in the market by providing genuine statements audited by an independent external auditor.
  • Sense of ownership among employees
  • Provides a framework for building sustainable destinations.
  • Its assessment methodology is aligned with ISO14001, ISO26000, ISO50001, ISO9001, and GRI (Global Reporting Initiative).
  • EarthCheck’s Company and Destination Standards are approved by the Global Tourism Council and its carbon accounting methodology has been approved by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).
  • Ability to use verified and validated data for regulatory or voluntary reporting.

 

WHAT DOES EARTH CHECK EVALUATE UNDER ITS PLANNING AND DESIGN STANDARDS?

EarthCheck’s Design Standards provide a comprehensive sustainability framework to guide development and renovation projects toward sustainability. EarthCheck owns the world’s largest database of tourism infrastructure performance. By using the Design Standards, a project can ensure performance that is equivalent to or exceeds best practices in environmental, social, and economic matters.

EarthCheck’s Design Standards provide guidelines, guidelines, calculators and benchmarking performance data to guide the project team through the planning and design phases.

The key performance areas of the Planning and Design Certification align with those awarded in the Company Standard to ensure a comprehensive and systematic sustainability process throughout the life of the project and future company or organization. This certification rewards various aspects of sustainability based on Key Performance Areas (KPAs) including:

 

KEY AREAS OF PERFORMANCE:

  • Sustainability focus
  • Energy
  • Water management
  • Land Use Management and Biodiversity Conservation
  • Solid Waste Management
  • Conservation of Sustainable Materials and Materials
  • Air Quality, Noise Control and Lighting Management
  • Transportation
  • Social, cultural and economic well-being
  • Innovation

 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF EARTH CHECK DESIGN CERTIFICATION?

There are multiple benefits for a development project that enrolls in the EarthCheck program.

  • Demonstrated return on investment (ROI of the 4-month BPDS participation fee).
  • Globally recognized design leadership and innovation.
  • Designed specifically for the travel and tourism industry.
  • Science-centric and focused on delivering results.
  • Best social license to operate.

 

EARTHCHECK CERTIFIED COMPANIES

Yes, our country currently has more than 40 companies certified under this system as part of a tourism expansion plan. Mexico is the leader in EarthCheck certifications in the “Destinations” category, having the only three certified destinations in the American continent that have achieved EarthCheck certification: Huatulco (in the state of Oaxaca), with platinum level; Ixtapa (in Guerrero) and Loreto (in Baja California Sur) with silver level.