International Schemes with Africa Experience
Earthcheck
Established: 1999
# certified (2020): Total: 881 | In Africa: Mauritius 16; Egypt 7; South Africa 3; Morocco 2; Seychelles 2; Djibouti 1; Ghana 1; Kenya 1; Tanzania 1; Zambia 1
Countries covered: All
Type covered: All types of accommodation; activities; attractions; convention centres; catering; retail; tour operators; transport; communities; destinations
Services provided: Works in partnership with clients to guide the design, construction and operation of smart buildings and responsible management of destinations
GSTC status: GSTC-Recognized standards; GSTC-Accredited certification (Destinations)
Additional info: Leading business advisory group specialising in sustainability and destination management. Enables operators to benchmark performance.
Contact: www.earthcheck.org [email protected]
Green Key
Established: 1994
# certified (2020): Total: 3100 | In Africa: Morocco 44; Tunisia 3; South Africa 3; Mauritius 2; Ethiopia 2; Kenya 2; Egypt 1; Sierra Leone 1
Countries covered: All
Type covered: Hotels, hostels, campsites, small accommodation, holiday parks; conference centres; restaurants; attractions
Services provided: Practical guidance materials (online toolbox), direct consultancy (via online meetings), measurement tools (internal database evaluates performance and produces an annual sustainability report for the establishments)
GSTC status: GSTC-Recognized standard
Additional info: Cooperating with many international hotel chains
Contact: www.greenkey.global; [email protected]; [email protected]
Travelife for Accommodation
Established: 2007
# certified (2020): Total: 995 Gold | In Africa: 30+ Gold (Kenya, Tanzania, Tunisia, Morocco)
Countries covered: All (including partner schemes in Kenya, Uganda, Gambia, Southern Africa)
Type covered: Large resorts, mid-size hotels, boutique hotels and campsites.
Services provided: Sustainability Toolkit (Over 60 guidance documents and templates to help hotels implement the requirements – e.g. from environmental policy to recording waste, water and energy usage). Developing direct consultancy.
GSTC status: GSTC-Recognized standard
Additional info: Distinctive experience in identifying areas of risk, e.g. ranging from child safety and bonded labour to animal welfare.
Contact: www.travelifestaybetter.com; [email protected]
Travelife for Tour Operators
Established: 2007
# certified (2020): Total: 107 Certified; 402 Partner | In Africa: 11 Certified; 66 Partner (South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Egypt, Ethiopa)
Countries covered: All
Type covered: Tour operators; DMCs; travel agents; activity providers
Services provided: Basic sustainability training and certificate for one or more staff. Online and on-site trainings and workshops. Themed training on specific issues. Range of tools, e.g. for action planning, reporting and management of suppliers, excursions and communications. Dedicated Travelife coach.
GSTC status: GSTC-Recognized standard; GSTC-Accredited certification
Additional info: Special emphasis on training, reporting, sector benchmarking and standards, data sharing and market access
Contact: www.travelife.info; [email protected]; [email protected]
TourCert -Travel for Tomorrow
Established: 2009
# certified (2020): Total: 200 | In Africa: several in process
Countries covered: East Africa (in particular Uganda)
Type covered: Accommodation; tour Operators; destinations; other tourism businesses
Services provided: Empowerment (training, coaching and consulting – online and offline); Qualification and Certification; Networking on best practices
GSTC status: In process
Additional info: Focus on a company’s learning and continuous development. Companies have their own CSR managers trained, who pass their knowledge on to the team and motivate them to act sustainably.
Contact: www.tourcert.org; [email protected]
Green Destinations
Established: 2016
# certified (2020): Total: 2 Fully Certified; 33 Benchmark; 51 Additional | In Africa: 7 Additional (S Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, DR Congo, Seychelles, Rwanda)
Countries covered: All countries
Type covered: Destinations (counties, provinces, regions, protected areas, local communities)
Services provided: Coaching on on-line platform; on-site training and workshops; on-line learning and webinars; destination management tools; one-to-one coaching; consultancy through partners.
GSTC status: GSTC-Recognized standard; GSTC-Accredited certification.
Additional info: The scheme is for destinations (areas), not operators. However, existing and developing schemes for businesses are encouraged and supported.
Contact: www.greendestinations.org; [email protected]
