A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Master’s degree in Management from the Nova School of Business and Economics.
Sustainability and Eco-labels in the Tourism Sector: Legal Framework and Market Evidence
LORENZO BELLINI
Work project carried out under the supervision of:
Prof. Ricardo Jorge Almeida Zózimo da Fonseca Prof. Franco Stefano
26/09/2022
Abstract
This thesis aims to analyze the issue of sustainability, with particular attention to sustainable tourism and the various certifications that accommodation facilities can receive, following different sustainable criteria, which are voluntary and mandatory. In addition, this paper will explore the existence or otherwise of discrepancies between the theoretical framework dictated by eco-labeling practices and the actions undertaken daily by the main players in the world of tourism.
This paper will be divided into three different chapters:
FIRST CHAPTER: The first chapter deals with sustainable tourism. In fact, after an
introductory paragraph devoted to presenting the broader concept of sustainability, the chapter will focus mainly on sustainable tourism, defined by the UN as "tourism that meets the needs of today's tourists and host regions while foreseeing and enhancing opportunities for the future". This type of tourism will be examined from its creation to its scale.
SECOND CHAPTER: In the second chapter several themes will be addressed; in fact, we will analyze the issue of corporate environmental management, and certified sustainable brands, with a careful analysis of the sustainable and ecological labels that accommodation facilities can receive following various criteria. The labels mentioned in this chapter are EU Ecolabel;
Luxury Eco Certification Standard; Eco Bio Tourism ICEA; Legambiente Turismo.
THIRD CHAPTER: The last chapter will focus on a case study centered on an interview with Ciro Verrocchi, General Manager of Palazzo Fiuggi, a hotel belonging to the Forte Village group, and Manager of the Year in 2016, who will talk to us about sustainability in the hospitality sector, particularly in luxury hospitality. With him, I will also try to deepen what have been the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on the tourism sector and more specifically on sustainable tourism practices.
Keywords: Tourism, Environment, Management, Travel, Sustainability
This work used infrastructure and resources funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (UID/ECO/00124/2013, UID/ECO/00124/2019 and Social Sciences DataLab,
Project 22209), POR Lisboa (LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-007722 and Social Sciences DataLab, Project 22209) and POR Norte (Social Sciences DataLab, Project 22209).
Index
Executive summary
Chapter I Sustainability and sustainable tourism
1.1. What is sustainability? The dimensions of sustainability 1.2. Sustainable tourism: definition and dimensions
Chapter II Sustainable tourism and certified sustainable brands
2.1 Corporate environmental management
2.1.1 The UNI EN ISO 14001 standard in the Environmental Management System
2.1.2 Eco-Management and Audit Scheme in the Environmental Management System
2.2 Environmental labels 2.2.1 The EU Ecolabel
2.2.2 Luxury Eco Certification Standard 2.2.3 ICEA Eco Bio Tourism
2.2.4 Legambiente Tourism
2.2.5 The 'Greenwashing' phenomenon
Chapter III Practical evidence of environmental management: an empirical experiment
3.1 Sustainability in the hospitality sector: an interview with Ciro
Verrocchio
Executive summary
Interest in sustainability and sustainable development has experienced an unprecedented increase in recent decades. Encapsulated in the concept of sustainable development, generally defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (WCED, 1987), there are numerous areas of study, interest, and action. In fact, the pursuit of a sustainable development model, desired by international institutions and civil society in a large part of the world, sees three fundamental aspects of human progress intersect: the economic, social welfare, and environmental protection aspects.
The corporate world is fully involved in all three aspects, and business management is required to make its own contribution, both in the concreteness of business practices and in the study of the phenomenon that is rapidly and continuously evolving by scholars on the subject. The stimuli for more sustainability-oriented business management, no longer only economic (inherent to the very existence of the company), but also environmental and social, come from many quarters.
Environmental protection legislation is becoming increasingly stringent and public attention to the issue has grown over the years. Companies are being given responsibilities that go far beyond the traditional satisfaction of shareholders, and it is now widely accepted that they must contribute to the well-being of the societies in which they operate. The most current and successful trend, however, seems to favor sporadic initiatives separate from the core business, a real shift in corporate focus. The strength of the orientation towards sustainability is reflected in a general overhaul of production and management processes, with a view to saving energy, rationalizing the use of materials, or reducing waste, etc. These initiatives are seen as a source of added value for the company. These initiatives are seen as a source of competitive advantage (Porter & van der Linde, 1995; Porter & Kramer, 2006) because of the reduction in the cost of operations resulting from the investment. Initiatives that companies can take to demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability include ecolabels.
These are environmental quality certifications that aim to provide consumers with clear and reliable information, precisely because they are certified, on the environmental impact of the products that display them (Gallastegui, 2002)
This thesis aims to analyze the issue of sustainability, with particular attention to sustainable
tourism and the various certifications that accommodation facilities can receive, following different sustainable criteria, which are voluntary and mandatory. In addition, this paper will explore the existence or otherwise of discrepancies between the theoretical framework dictated by eco-labeling practices and the actions undertaken daily by the main players in the world of tourism.
This paper will be divided into three different chapters:
FIRST CHAPTER: The first chapter deals with sustainable tourism. In fact, after an introductory paragraph devoted to presenting the broader concept of sustainability, the chapter will focus mainly on sustainable tourism, defined by the UN as "tourism that meets the needs of today's tourists and host regions while foreseeing and enhancing opportunities for the future". This type of tourism will be examined from its creation to its scale.
SECOND CHAPTER: In the second chapter several themes will be addressed; in fact, we will analyze the issue of corporate environmental management, and certified sustainable brands, with a careful analysis of the sustainable and ecological labels that accommodation facilities can receive following various criteria. The labels mentioned in this chapter are EU Ecolabel; Luxury Eco Certification Standard; Eco Bio Tourism ICEA; Legambiente Turismo.
THIRD CHAPTER: The last chapter will focus on a case study centered on an interview with Ciro Verrocchi, General Manager of Palazzo Fiuggi, a hotel belonging to the Forte Village group, and Manager of the Year in 2016, who will talk to us about sustainability in the hospitality sector, particularly in luxury hospitality. With him, I will also try to deepen what have been the
consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on the tourism sector and more specifically on sustainable tourism practices.
Chapter I Sustainability and sustainable tourism
1.1What is sustainability? The dimensions of sustainability
What is meant by sustainability?1 The Treccani dictionary tells us that this feminine noun refers to the idea of maintaining existing conditions over time, and in particular in the long term, and of being able to guarantee support without producing degradation.
For companies, sustainability symbolizes a developmental guideline that is necessary to respond to an increasingly knowledgeable and demanding consumer and an increasingly stringent regulatory framework.
Even in 2020, when we talk about sustainability, we are faced with two opposing hypotheses.
The first assumption is that sustainability is a fad destined to fade over time.
The second hypothesis is the opposite: that the term sustainability is abused and thus devalued.
Both hypotheses are united by a strong mistrust of the issue. It is as if they are unable to see the real purpose of sustainability because they are too focused on their markets ("my customer does not pay for the sustainable product", which is very dangerous as sustainability is a supply chain concept)2.
In most cases, sustainability is linked to the concepts of energy saving, and eco-compatibility, and thus remains limited to the environmental field. This is partly correct, but it limits the innovative and differential capacity that a broad and invasive approach to sustainability can offer in terms of process and product analysis and, more generally, in terms of corporate philosophy and how it relates to the whole context.
In a nutshell, being sustainable is not a marketing operation, it is a corporate philosophy that cuts across the entire structure and very often requires a drastic transformation of business models, starting with a modulation of the company DNA and ending with a profound revision of products and processes in a "green" key.
The company, as always, must strive for economic sustainability but must also aim for its goal, which is profit, while considering environmental and social balances, balancing them, and
responding efficiently not only to the demands and needs of customers but also to the demands of the enlarged group of stakeholders. The word sustainability has been considered as a strategy put in place to find solutions to the impossibility of pursuing development according to traditional market logic and without considering the possible consequences that these may inflict on the
1 Enciclopedia Treccani, edizione 2017;
2 Wei, Shuqin, Tyson Ang, and Vivien E. Jancenelle. "Willingness to pay more for green products: The interplay of consumer characteristics and customer participation." Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 45 (2018): 230-238.
environment (Geoffrey Wall 1997)3.
There are three dimensions and components of sustainability, and they are closely interrelated:
environmental sustainability, social sustainability, and economic sustainability. These dimensions of sustainability were referred to as "interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars" by the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002.
Environmental sustainability is the environmental capacity to enhance the environment as a 'distinctive element' of the territory while guaranteeing the protection and renewal of natural resources and heritage.
When analyzing environmental aspects, there are two guidelines on which to build a sustainable approach: improving product performance and improving the environmental impact of production processes. However, we are always talking about improvement, because zero impact does not exist, as zero-impact production is impossible. Certainly, some activities are greener than others, but even activities that are considered "polluting" (nuclear power) can make an important positive contribution.
Social sustainability means all actions and rules aimed at guaranteeing all citizens of the world a better quality of life, safety, and security and all the services citizens need.
Finally, economic sustainability is the ability to create the conditions for a self-propelling growth process based on knowledge, the ability to attract investment flows, and innovation.
However, we could also add a fourth dimension, the cultural dimension, which has recently been endorsed by the United Nations, UNESCO, and Agenda21 for Culture. This type of sustainability aims to outline the main issues and problems that could arise from the development and pro- motion of cultural goods and services.4
Sustainable development is based on the three dimensions of sustainability and was first described in 1987, in the report Our Common Future, published by the World Commission on Environment and Development of the United Nations program, which defined sustainable development as
"development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the satisfaction of the needs of future generations".
We can therefore say that sustainable development is not a scientific theory, but an ongoing process of research between economy, environment, and society. It refers to growth that meets the needs of our societies in terms of well-being in the short, medium, and long term5, but sustainable development must meet the needs of the present without compromising those of future
generations. It is a question of creating the right conditions to ensure that long-term economic
3 Wall, Geoffrey. "Is ecotourism sustainable?." Environmental management 21.4 (1997): 483-491.
4 Kristensen, Heidi Simone, and Mette Alberg Mosgaard. "A review of micro level indicators for a circular economy–
moving away from the three dimensions of sustainability?." Journal of Cleaner Production 243 (2020): 118531.
5 http://www.unesco.it/it/TemiInEvidenza/Detail/29
development is environmentally sound. The three points to be borne in mind when aiming at sustainable development are:
1) the environment;
2) the economy;
3) social conditions;
These three points are the pillars of the Rule of Three Es, i.e., ecology, equity, and economy. This definition starts from an anthropocentric view; in fact, it is not so much the ecosystem, and
therefore the survival and well-being of all living species, but rather human generations that are at the center of the issue. Sustainable development occurs when economic development, the
protection of natural and environmental resources, and the satisfaction of social needs are integrated.
If planning choices do not meet all three requirements, sustainable development does not occur, but development from a perspective:
-Ecologist (Environmental and Social).
-Conservationist (Environmental and Economic) - Socio-economic (Economic and Social)
Promoting sustainable development means seeking a balance between the three dimensions. The balance recreated is dynamic, in that it is continually called into question by the pressures of change, and that calls into question the priorities among the three fundamental objectives.
Some elements characterize the concept of sustainable development, such as:
-the close interrelationship between social, economic, and environmental development and thus a holistic approach to development.
- the long-term logic, the reference to future generations
- intergenerational equity implies equal access to resources for all citizens.
- intergenerational equity implies equal opportunities between successive generations - resource efficiency.
- ecological sustainability implies the conservation of resource stocks and the creation of wealth without damaging life-supporting systems.
The concept of sustainable development integrates and balances the three social, economic, and environmental dimensions and thus the three values of utility, equity, and ecological integrity.
There are many different actors involved in the process of sustainable development and, above all,
they conflict with each other. It becomes necessary to avoid or reduce conflict and instead activate cooperation between the different actors.
Over time, the definition of sustainable development has been modified:6
- In 1991, UNEP and the WCU defined sustainable development as: "an improvement in the quality of life, without exceeding the carrying capacity of the supporting ecosystems on which it depends."
- In 1994, ICLEI defined it as: "development that provides ecological, social and economic opportunities to all inhabitants of a community, without creating a threat to the viability of the natural, urban and social systems on which these opportunities depend."
- In 2001, UNESCO came up with this definition: 'cultural diversity is as necessary for humanity as biodiversity is for nature (...) cultural diversity is one of the roots of development, understood not only as economic growth, but also as a means of leading a more satisfying existence on an intellectual, emotional, moral, and spiritual level'.
With the UNESCO definition, cultural diversity becomes the fourth pillar of sustainable development, alongside the traditional balance of the three Es. (Ecology, Equity, Economy).
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio in 19927 gave rise to five official documents, which are still the main reference framework for sustainable development at the international level:
1) The Rio Declaration8: This declaration sets out in 27 principles the rights and responsibilities of nations regarding sustainable development. These include:
Principle of equity between generations: guarantees the right to development in harmony with the needs of the environment and present and future generations; Principle of integration: considers environmental integration as a tool for sustainable development; Principle of common but differentiated responsibilities according to the different contribution of states to general environmental degradation; Principle of non-discrimination: Trade policy measures for
environmental purposes shall not constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised restriction on international trade; Precautionary principle: where there is a risk of serious or irreversible damage, the absence of absolute scientific certainty shall not serve as a pretext for postponing the adoption of appropriate and cost-effective measures to prevent environmental
6 Unesco, D. U. D. C. "Dichiarazione Universale dellUnesco sulla Diversità Culturale." Sommet mondial sur le developpement durable, Johannesburg (2001).
7 McCammon, Antony LT. "United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during 3–14 June 1992, and the'92 Global Forum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1–14 June 1992." Environmental Conservation 19.4 (1992): 372-373.
8 Declaration, Rio. "Rio declaration on environment and development." (1992).
degradation; Polluter pays principle: the polluter should bear the cost of pollution.
2) Convention on Biological Diversity: recognizes the value and importance of biodiversity for the evolution and maintenance of life-supporting systems in the biosphere, mainly requires the development of national and international strategies for the protection of biological biodiversity, the identification, and monitoring of the components of biodiversity and the processes and activities that have the greatest impact on it. It promotes the adoption of programs for the protection and sustainable use of the components of biological diversity and, finally, encourages research.
3) Convention on Climate Change-UNFCCC9: adopted in New York in 1992 and signed at the Earth Summit, it is the main international treaty on combating climate change. It aims to prevent man-made interference with the climate system. Until 2020, the only legally binding global instrument for reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol was signed in 1997 but only came into force in 2005 when Russia ratified it. The motivation behind the Kyoto Protocol was to combat global warming, which is probably the most worrying environmental problem of the modern era, with CO2 emissions into the atmosphere constituting the main
constituent of the human ecological footprint. The Protocol commits industrialized countries to a quantitative reduction of their greenhouse gas emissions.
4) Agenda 2110: is the Program of Actions, divided into 40 chapters, indicated by the Rio
Conference for reversing the negative impact of human activities on the environment. The Agenda defines the activities to be undertaken, the actors to be involved and the means to be used in relation to the three dimensions of sustainable development (Environment, Economy, Society).
This Program of Actions identifies nine social groups whose participation is vital to achieving sustainable development: women, children, indigenous people, non-governmental organizations local authorities, workers and trade unions, businesses, scientific communities, and farmers.
5) The Declaration on the "Principles of Forests": This enshrines the right of states to use forests as they see fit, without harming the principles of forest conservation and development. The Declaration, therefore, protects forests and aims to exploit the planet's resources sustainably.
However, the concept of Sustainable Development has been criticized, above all in fact, by some large countries, such as the USA, China, and India, which are mainly concerned with providing a
9 Bodansky, Daniel. "The United Nations framework convention on climate change: a commentary." Yale J. Int'l l. 18 (1993): 451.
10 Lafferty, William M., and Katarina Eckerberg, eds. From the Earth Summit to Local Agenda 21: working towards sustainable development. Routledge, 2013.
state of unlimited growth for their economies and which are based on the belief that the market can bring any crises in the system back into balance.
1.2. Sustainable tourism: definition and dimensions
Before starting to talk about sustainable tourism, we must talk about the meaning of the word tourism, i.e., the systematic context within which this thesis wants to study the topic of interest, and how it came about. Tourism can be defined as the set of relationships that result from the temporary movement of people. The etymology of the word comes from the Greek "tornos", from which the Latin term "tornus" derives, understood as movement around a point with a central axis: from the Latin term the word "tour", used in both French and English, is derived, understood as a circuit, an organized tour.
Tourism is synonymous with 'travel', holidays, and leisure. The term travel comes from the Provençal 'viatge' which in turn derives from the Latin 'viaticum'11. The English word 'travel' has the same root as the French word 'travail': it indicates labor and fatigue. Some languages, therefore, prefer the positive aspect of travel, while others emphasize its tiring and burning aspect. Travel simulates life, which contains all the factors: abandonment of the known, acceptance of risk, uncertainty but also pleasure and promises of happiness. Tourism is a complex phenomenon, as it implies the performance of many activities, which must be organized and coordinated: the tourist needs hotels12, restaurants, means of transport, and much more. We can say that it is also a very varied phenomenon because the word tourism is used to indicate the most diverse activities, which have in common the movement of people from their place of residence. According to the WTO (World Tourism Organization), tourism is the set of cultural, social, and economic relations that arise between different countries and cultures as a result of the temporary movement of people.
In 1963, the WTO defined "visitors" as all those who go to a country other than that in which they usually reside for any reason not related to the exercise of a paid profession. Visitors are divided into:
- Tourists, visitors staying at least 24 hours in the visited country;
- Tourists, visitors who stay at least 24 hours in the visited country; Excursionists, visitors whose
11 Enciclopedia Treccani, edizione 2017;
12 INIZIARE, P., LE TIPOLOGIE, D. T. S. E. C., LE TIPOLOGIE, D. T. A. N., & LE TIPOLOGIE, D. I. T. I. N. B. A.
I. (2015). Il turismo.
stay lasts less than 24 hours and ends with the return to their place of residence within the day;
Tourism is divided into three basic classifications:
1. Internal tourism comprises domestic tourism and inbound tourism between residents and non-residents of a country;
2. National tourism, comprises domestic tourism and outbound tourism from a country;
3. International tourism, which comprises incoming and outgoing tourism between two or more countries.
Travelers engage in active tourism through their movements. Travel is defined as outgoing when it is directed outside the region or country of residence of the tourist. Incoming tourism is defined as the arrival of travelers from elsewhere in a country or region. Explaining the evolution of tourism means understanding the motivations that have led people to travel throughout history, which in most cases are similar to today's motivations: cultural, religious, commercial, leisure, health, etc.
The true essence of tourism has its roots in the distant past. Already in ancient times, there were movements of a small circle of people, who for the need-to-know different people and places, traveled. In addition to transport, the trip also includes accommodation, possible meals, visits, excursions, etc. Most of them are organized directly and independently by the traveler. The most common means of transport used by tourists is their car; flats and private houses are the most common accommodation (Castoldi Giorgio 2008)13. The producers of trips that are offered to the public are called tour operators. Travel agencies are enterprises that deal with the sale of trips. A trip produced by a specialized operator is called a package tour or all-inclusive trip. In Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries, a form of cultural and educational travel developed by aristocrats, especially Anglo-Saxons, to Italy and France, this form of travel was known as the Grand Tour. The Grand Tour is the predecessor of organized travel and is the best known and most widespread form of cultural travel. It was an obligation, an educational requirement for all the rich young people of Europe, its total duration was no less than two years. Young people from the best families across the continent undertook it with an armed guard or numerous servants. The Grand Tour aimed to see and learn as much as possible about the culture, language, and customs of the places visited.
In the first half of the 19th century, there was a significant spread of railways, which extended the possibility of faster travel for many people. The possibility of using a means of transport on the one hand, and free time on the other, allowed the emergence of tourist activities accessible to more and more people and not only to the rich. This process developed in England, and it was an
13 Nuovo Turismo, Castoldi Giorgio;2008
Englishman, Thomas Cook, who invented organized travel, which was based on the availability of time, transport, and money. Thomas Cook owned a small typography in Leicester, in the North of England. Thomas was a supporter of struggles against the spread of alcoholic beverages. As workers used their free time for drinking, this led to far-reaching social problems. Cook published articles on the subject in his print shop and the idea of organizing trips came out of this social commitment. A meeting against alcoholism was planned for 5 July 1841 in Loughborough, a village about 20 km from Leicester. So, Cook organized a special train of supporters, the price of a return ticket Leicester-Loughborough was only 1 shilling. This initiative was a resounding success, as 570 tickets were sold. From that day on Cook organized excursions on the occasion of meetings, fairs, shows, and exhibitions, and the success of his initiatives was so great that in 1865 he opened an office in London with the main function of providing accommodation for all travelers arriving in the capital from all over England. As the years went by, Cook extended his itineraries, following a strategic policy of differentiating his clientele; alongside excursions destined for a large clientele, he organized trips abroad for a small elite. The first foreign country where he took his clients was neighboring France, Paris in particular. In 1866 he organized the first overseas trip to America and the following year the first round-the-world trip. In 1867 he invented the voucher, which is still considered the fundamental tourist document. By 1878, his business had grown considerably, and on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition held in the French capital, he provided transport, accommodation, and lodging in Paris for 75,000 Englishmen. After 178 years in business, the British giant Thomas Cook filed for bankruptcy on 23 September 2019. 14
The protagonists of tourism activity are the tourists and the operators providing the services.
However, there is a third component, whose importance is becoming more and more considerable:
the residents of tourist destinations, who in some way 'suffer' the visitors, defined as passive
tourism. Tourism can cause price rises, full shops, and traffic: a series of effects that are unwelcome to those who live in a city crowded with people who often do not show a proper attitude. There are many cases of natural environments being disfigured, of social environments whose culture is disrupted, and of human environments which are profoundly affected by the flow of visitors and the new activities they bring. Awareness of the need to protect the environment is growing, and the models of tourism on offer are increasingly respectful of these needs. Since 1992, Sustainable Tourism has been considered an effective tool to contribute to Sustainable Development,
emphasizing its role in supporting the local economy, fostering greater respect for the environment, and protecting not only the interests of today's generations but also those of future generations.
14 Collinson, P. "Why did Thomas Cook collapse after 178 years in business." The Guardian 23 (2019).
One of the earliest definitions we have is this: "Tourism is sustainable when its development maintains its related activities for an unlimited time, without altering the natural, social and artistic environment, and does not hinder or inhibit the development of other social and economic activities in the area". (WTO 1988).
Sustainable tourism has three dimensions15:
1. Environmental, where the use of environmental resources, respect for and protection of the landscape and biodiversity, and the reduction of environmental impacts (air pollution, noise pollution) are the main objectives;
2. Socio-Cultural, which aims at improving relations between tourists and local communities, reducing intragenerational and intergenerational conflicts, respecting and enhancing the local material and immaterial heritage, and reducing standardization and cultural commodification;
3. Economic, whose aim is to control the increase of prices in tourist resorts, to give fair access to resources to all social groups, to give a fair distribution of tourist income to the local community, and to use local resources for the promotion of Km0.
Thanks to its multifaceted nature, it has taken on different nuances depending on the context considered (the environment, the economy, or society), each time helping to take into account only one of its dimensions.
2015 represents a crucial moment in the debate on the relationship between tourism and
development, which culminated in the inclusion of Sustainable Tourism among the development goals within the 2030 Agenda (UNWTO, 2017). Indeed, Sustainable Tourism has been considered a key sector in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, of which there are
seventeen (SDGs)16: 1) Eradicate zero poverty;
2) End hunger;
3) Ensuring a healthy life and well-being;
15 Pavione, Enrica, Roberta Pezzetti, and Patrizia Gazzola. "The Role of “Slow Territories” in the Development of Sustainable Tourism." European Scientific Journal 13 (2017): 238-248.
16 Boluk, Karla, Christina T. Cavaliere, and Freya Higgins-Desbiolles. "Critical thinking to realize sustainability in tourism systems: Reflecting on the 2030 sustainable development goals: Guest editors." (2017): 1201-1204.
4) Ensuring quality education;
5) Achieve gender equality;
6) Ensuring clean water and sanitation;
7) Ensuring access to clean and affordable energy;
8) Provide decent work for all and create economic growth;
9) Building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization;
10) Reducing inequality;
11) Making cities and communities sustainable;
12) Responsible for consumption and production, ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns;
13) Climate action, take urgent measures to combat climate change;
14) Life underwater, conserve and sustainably use the oceans;
15) Life on Earth, protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of ecosystems;
16) Peace, justice, and strong instructions, i.e., promote peaceful and inclusive societies geared towards sustainable development, ensure access to justice for all; and
17) Partnership for Goals, i.e., strengthen implementation arrangements and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development;
These seventeen Sustainable Development Goals are seen as a powerful means of achieving them.
At the international level, therefore, it is considered that tourism can contribute to17:
17 Rasoolimanesh, S. Mostafa, et al. "A systematic scoping review of sustainable tourism indicators in relation to the sustainable development goals." Journal of Sustainable Tourism (2020): 1-21.
- Sustainable economic growth;
- Social inclusion, engagement, and poverty reduction;
- Environmental protection;
- Peace, security, and solidarity;
- Cultural values;
The theories that see Sustainable Tourism as a strategic sector of the economy have contributed to its inclusion in international agendas, which have increasingly shown interest in the industry, highlighting its enormous collaboration in the economic development process, as well as its socio- cultural and environmental impacts. (World Bank Group, 2017)18. Therefore, in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, sustainable tourism is proposed as an alternative to traditional tourism, in an attempt to stimulate a change in policies, business strategies, and tourist behavior, promoting the growth of a sector that looks at sustainability as an essential element for
development (UN, 2015)19. From this point of view, sustainable tourism represents an opportunity for both industrialized and developing countries. While for the former, the adoption of sustainable tourism planning strategies can be considered as the direction in which to aim for innovation and diversification of supply in an attempt to halt the loss and erosion of environmental, cultural, and social heritage, for the less developed countries it can be not only a way to encourage economic diversification but also the main means of facilitating new forms of involvement of the local population. In these countries, the lack of a wide economic distinction, the scarcity of
infrastructure, and the lack of access to primary resources clash with the possibility of finding extraordinarily beautiful landscapes and cultural heritages, which are not properly 'touristy'. The tourism sector, as a transversal economic sector, involves many stakeholders who contribute to the competitiveness of the destination and the creation of value. Over the years, the idea of
stakeholders in the tourism sector has gained more and more importance. The organizational structure of a destination is seen as a network within which there is a strong interdependence between the many actors that contribute to the definition of its offer. When we speak of stakeholders in tourism, we refer to tourists (demand), businesses (supply), and hosts (local
18 World Bank, Tourism Knowledge Exchange 2017: Delivering on Inclusion Through Tourism
19 World Health Organization. "United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015." Assessed on 7 (2016).
population and environment), i.e., all the actors who work inside and outside the destination and who can influence or be influenced by tourism development.
The World Tourism Organisation has drawn up a list of categories of actors that can be considered stakeholders in the field of sustainable tourism development while emphasizing the decisive role played by each of them in the creation of the global tourism product.
Some authors (Hall, 2008; Bramwell, 2011;)20 support this idea and state that in the field of sustainable tourism, to be able to formulate efficient development strategies, it is necessary to consider a larger number of actors, referring to those in the sphere of tourism as well as those involved in sustainable development.
When talking about sustainable tourism development, one refers to the attempt to balance tourism growth with the need to protect and safeguard a destination's primary resources.
growth with the need to protect and safeguard the primary resources of a destination.
The need to find a balance between tourism development policies and the principles of
sustainability represents real challenges for those involved in destination development since they require the involvement of many actors with different objectives and interests, which sometimes conflict with each other (Getz, Timur, 2012)21.
In an attempt to identify the stakeholders involved in sustainable tourism development, the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO, 2013)22, in its handbook Sustainable Tourism for Development, has highlighted several categories of actors who, operating on different scales and at different levels within the destination and playing different roles, contribute to the creation of a sustainable tourism product:
- International development assistance agencies: these are all those bilateral, multilateral (UN, World Bank, other), and multi bilateral institutions whose aim is to integrate tourism into
development agreements and policies, as well as to provide technical and financial assistance for sustainable tourism development.
- National and local governmental institutions and bodies: These include all governmental actors involved in the implementation of tourism development strategies and policies at the national
20 Critical research on the governance of tourism and sustainability, Bramwell, 2011.
21 Stakeholders involvement in sustainable tourism, Donald Getz, 2012
22 World Tourism Organization (2013), Sustainable Tourism for Development Guidebook - Enhancing capacities for Sustainable Tourism for development in developing countries, UNWTO
and local level, equipping the strategic framework that will influence the performance of other stakeholders. Local authorities and DMOs are also considered part of this category.
- Individuals: These are those who, at an operational level, are responsible for the design and delivery of the tourism product to the final consumer. They are therefore tourism associations, consortia, tour operators, and service providers (hotels, transport, catering) that are involved in the development of the tourism product, its marketing, and innovation of the offer.
-Workers and workers' associations: The former is involved in product development on behalf of all the companies operating in the tourism sector mentioned above; the latter represent the interests of the workers operating in the sector.
- NGOs: operating at an international or local level, they are involved in the strategic planning of tourism development, where they represent the interests of a part of the stakeholders operating in the territory.
- Bodies engaged in the promotion of education and training: These are all those actors engaged in the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge, such as training centers, universities, and bodies engaged in research. They train professionals specializing in the different areas of the sector and offer their knowledge and experience, contributing to the elaboration of tourism development policies.
- Local communities: these include municipal councils, representative bodies, and organized groups that should voice the interests of members of local communities, thus involving them in the decision-making process of destination development. Another role of local communities within the tourist destination is to interact with the tourist, promoting intercultural exchange.
- Tourist-consumer: intended as the tourist as an individual, consumer societies, clubs, as well as travel and social media users. These, besides representing the main form of income for the
destination, have the power by communicating their opinions through the channels created by ICT to offer information on the quality of the destination and, therefore, also on its sustainability aspects. By adopting responsible behavior towards the environment and local communities, they can contribute to the sustainable development of the destination (UNWTO, 2017).
In 2013, the European Commission introduced the European Tourism Indicator System (ETIS)23, intending to help tourist destinations monitor and measure their sustainable tourism performance, use a common comparable approach. ETIS is a comprehensive management process based on a schematic set of sustainability indicators. It contains 43 main indicators and an indicative set of additional indicators. All indicators are grouped into four sections:
- core indicators on destination management - Core indicators on economic value;
- headline indicators on social and cultural impact;
- Core indicators on environmental impact;
23 Enterprise, D. G. "Industry, European Tourism Indicator System. Toolkit for sustainable destinations." (2013).
Chapter II Sustainable tourism and certified sustainable brands
The tumultuous development of industrial society over the last century requires us to evaluate with increasing attention the possible means of safeguarding ecosystems.
The current situation has led to a proliferation of regulations, often contradictory, on the protection of the environment and public health, with the consequence, therefore, that every company, to meet its increasingly complex environmental responsibilities, must commit many resources (technical, organizational, financial), but above all, it must have a method that allows it to know which regulatory requirements to comply with and which are the easiest and most viable ways to comply with these obligations. In this context, an Environmental Management System can represent, for the company, an effective tool for the rational and systematic management of its environmental issues.
Environmental Management Systems (EMS) represent an important and authoritative verification tool that can be used by all organizations, both public and private, to analyze and improve the environmental performance of their activities and services.
The birth of these systems can be traced back to a change in the inspiring principles of European environmental policy that since the 1990s has seen the progressive affirmation, alongside the traditional 'command and control systems (based on strict compliance with environmental regulatory standards and the control of their application), of new ways of protecting the
environment in relation to market rules, trusting in the possibility of combining the environment and the competitiveness of companies according to the principles of sustainable development.
The adoption of an EMS is voluntary and represents an important strategic choice that must be carefully evaluated. The choice to implement an EMS represents an assumption of commitment on the part of the organization, aimed at guaranteeing the protection of the environment beyond strict compliance with regulations, in a context of transparency towards the various stakeholders that interact with the organization itself (customers, suppliers, employees, citizens, public
administrations, credit institutions, etc.).
Generally, the management of environmental aspects and impacts aimed at reducing and preventing pollution is perceived by companies as a cost deriving from activities such as waste disposal, maintenance of water purification and smoke abatement plants, site remediation and restoration, etc., and is only rarely considered as an opportunity. On the other hand, the adoption of an EMS may allow the reduction of several costs such as those arising from waste management, water consumption, effluent purification, electricity consumption, purchase of raw materials, and
insurance premiums.
Other benefits may derive from increased revenues (e.g., reuse of waste) and from the creation of a 'green' corporate image that helps to improve relations with local communities and PAs and to increase the competitive level (in fact, more and more markets are recognizing the value of environmental certifications/registrations).
2.1 Corporate environmental management
All businesses, whether they produce goods or services, have an interaction with the environment that surrounds them, which mainly concerns: the consumption of raw materials and energy and the production of waste. The use of non-renewable raw materials, available energy sources, and the production of waste lead to a drastic change in the planet to the detriment of future generations.
Therefore, it is necessary to carefully manage the activities of the company, which have an impact on the environment, to minimize: the use of raw materials and energy, the production of waste, and the environmental risk. Companies aim to comply with laws and minimize costs. To understand a company's environmental management, it is necessary to answer three simple questions, namely:
What is environmental management? How is it done? What is achieved?
Environmental management is the part of general management, which engages in environmental activities, which involve the interaction of the enterprise with the environment. A perfect example of an environmental activity is the production process, which consumes raw materials and energy and produces waste.
To have a good environmental performance, the company must have an environmental management system (EMS)
which allows the following functions to be carried out correctly:
- the environmental training of staff
- environmental communication inside and outside the company, - documentation of environmental activities,
- control of environmental activities,
- management of environmental non-conformities.
To understand whether the company is operating correctly, environmental indicators are measured, which indicate the interaction between the company and the environment. Based on this
comparison between the values found and the reference values, an environmental performance assessment (EPR) is made and, if necessary, the environmental measures to be taken to improve it
are established. Correct environmental management enables continuous improvement in environmental performance, which consists of reducing the consumption of raw materials and energy, the production of waste, and environmental risk.
An environmental management system (EMS) is the part of the overall management system responsible for the environmental management of the company, which aims to implement an environmental policy, established by the management (ENEA)24.
The environmental policy, which is the set of principles on which all company choices are based, consists mainly of achieving:25
- regulatory compliance;
- low consumption of raw materials and energy per unit of product;
- a small production of waste per unit of product;
- a low environmental risk;
An environmental management system, to be efficient, needs human, financial and instrumental resources,
i.e., an organizational structure, consisting of a manager and environmental management staff, an established environmental management budget, and a set of tools and equipment to be used.
An environmental management system, to be efficient, needs human, financial and instrumental resources, i.e., an organizational structure, consisting of a manager and environmental management staff, an established budget for environmental management, and a set of tools and equipment to be used for it.
We can say that the environmental management system has five functions:26
1) Training: i.e., it is necessary to have staff who are competent in environmental matters. For Therefore, there must be training courses to acquire the competence, which will be perfected by experience in the future.
2) Communication: an adequate communication system must be in place to ensure that those responsible for environmental activities understand all the necessary information they need to carry out their tasks correctly.
24 Musciagna, Angelo. La gestione ambientale: una guida per la piccola e media impresa. ENEA, 2005.
25 Ibidem
26 Gestione Ambientale, Stefano Maglia, Paolo Pipere, Luca Prati, Leonardo Benedusi, 2019
3)
Documentation:
any good functioning of the EMS presupposes that there are procedures and instructions, so it is also necessary to have a documentation system, capable of describing, operating, checking, and correcting the EMS.4) Control: controls must be carried out to check that environmental activities are carried out correctly and that the expected results are obtained. For this reason, all the company's activities that interact with the environment are subject to controls to check that they are carried out correctly and that there are no non-conformities.
5) Non-conformity management: this is the last fundamental function of an EMS, it allows errors highlighted in controls to be corrected. It may occur that may be differences between what has been planned and what has been implemented, in this case, we speak of non-compliance.
Each of the five basic functions of the EMS must be: designed and implemented so that everything is checked and modified. Therefore, it appears that for each EMS function four steps must be followed:
- planning (P).
- actualization (A).
- control (C).
-correction (C).
The combination of these four phases constitutes the PACC method, where planning means
drawing up a plan of activities; implementation means carrying out the activities set out in the plan;
control means checking to see if everything has been carried out correctly; correction means modifying the plan based on the results of experience.
The EMS manual is the document that describes the company's environmental management system.
For the EMS manual, three questions need to be answered: What is it? What does it look like? How does it work? As mentioned above, every company needs to carry out proper environmental
management, so it must have an EMS, i.e., a set of rules to be followed. This manual consists of the following parts:
- Introduction: This part covers the scope of the document, gives information about the press release and its environmental policy, and gives the basics of the press in the environmental field;
Describe the organizational structure, formed by the head of the EMS and his collaborators. The company owner approves the documents drawn up by the EMS manager.
- The EMS: has five basic functions, as we have seen above. The manual also refers to other documents, the annexes.
- The evaluation of the EMS: it is a verification that has come with the final scope of the improve the effectiveness of the EMS in achieving the objectives set by the company's environmental policy.
- The annexes to the EMS manual: the manual explain what you have to do, while the documents attached to the manual describe how to operate.
The organizational structure follows the indications given in the EMS manual and in the documents attached to it to achieve the objectives set by the environmental policy: not only compliance with the law and minimization of raw material and energy consumption but also reduction of waste production and environmental risk. Using the EMS manual27, the company implements an Environmental Management System, which enables it to carry out proper environmental management. The validity of a company's environmental management can be "officially"
recognized in two ways:
- with certification according to UNI EN ISO 14001.
- with EMAS registration.
In both cases, it is necessary to implement an Environmental Management System that meets the requirements of the UNI EN ISO 14001 standard. In both cases, it is necessary to implement an Environmental Management System that meets the requirements laid down in the UNI EN ISO 14001 standard.
27 Blasizza, Erica, and Andrea Rotella. Safety risk management: ISO 31000, ISO 45001, OHSAS 18001. Wolters Kluwer, 2018.
2.1.1 The UNI EN ISO 14001 standard in the Environmental Management System
An EMS can only be certified according to UNI EN ISO 14001 if it has all the requirements set out in this standard. The company wishing to obtain this certification must do the following28:
- Submit the application for certification to an accredited certification body, together with several forms, through which the company provides general information about itself and its main
environmental aspects,
the environmental management system manual, which describes the EMS, and the procedures used.
The documentation submitted by the company is examined during an investigation by the certification body's staff.
- be subjected to an assessment visit by an audit team from the certification body. Whereat the end an evaluation report is issued, containing any non-conformities found during the audit and a judgment on the situation. The assessed companies have a few weeks to officially respond to the non-conformities indicating the measures they intend to take and the timeframe for their
implementation.
- If the investigation and the assessment visit are successful, the certification is issued. The certificate is valid for three years and during this period the company is subject to annual surveillance visits to verify the correct maintenance of the EMS. In accordance with the
"Certification Regulation", the company can reproduce the certification document and the
certification mark on advertising material, certificates, company structures, company vehicles, and much more. At the end of the three years, renewal of the certification is possible if all the
requirements of ISO 14001 are maintained, including the improvement of environmental performance.
28 Fanelli, Giulia. "CERTIFICAZIONI AMBIENTALI ISO 14001 E EMAS." (2017).
2.1.2 Eco-Management and Audit Scheme in the Environmental Management System
EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) is the eco-management and audit system introduced by Community Regulation No. 1836/93 and subsequently amended by Community Regulation No.
761/2001. The main objectives of this Community Regulation are:
-the adoption of an EMS, which meets all the requirements established by the UNI EN ISO 14001 standard and enables the continuous improvement of the company's environmental performance.
- informing the public about the company's environmental management, employing the
"Environmental Declaration" document.
To obtain EMAS registration an organization must29:
1) To carry out an environmental analysis, through the examination of all the environmental impacts of the activities carried out, such as the production processes, products and services, the assessment methods, the regulatory framework, and the environmental management practices and procedures already in use;
2) Have an environmental management system in place, implementing an effective environmental management system that aims to implement the organization’s environmental policy and achieve the improvement objectives defined by the top management.
3) Carry out an environmental audit to assess the effectiveness of the management system and environmental performance against the organization’s environmental policy, improvement
29 http://www.sinanet.isprambiente.it/gelso/rassegna-degli-strumenti-di-sostenibilita-per-gli-enti-locali/sistemi-di- gestione-ambien- tale
objectives, environmental programs, and current regulations;
4) Prepare an environmental statement, which shall describe what has been achieved concerning the environmental objectives set and indicate how and through which programs the organization plans to continuously improve its environmental performance;
5) Obtain independent verification from an EMAS verifier, accredited by a Member State EMAS accreditation body, who shall review and verify the environmental review, the environmental management system, the audit procedure, and activities, and the environmental statement;
6) Register the statement with the competent body of the Member State. The environmental statement validated by the verifier shall be sent to the competent body of the Member State for registration. When registration is achieved, the organization receives a number that identifies it in the European register, is entitled to use the EMAS logo, and makes the environmental statement publicly available.
The company that obtains EMAS registration in the Official Journal of the European Community (OJEC) must send the environmental statement to the local authorities. This improves its image towards the market, the community, the authorities, and employees.
The company, which obtains these certifications, obtains important advantages:
- refines its environmental management system and improves its environmental performance;
- pays lower insurance premiums, as it has a lower environmental risk;
- can access special public funding to promote environmental certification;
- it improves its image and reputation because it shows respect for the environment;
As we can see in the figure below, compared to 2018, there is a growth of 1.1% of new EMAS certificates issued (see Chart 1)30.
30 Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (INSPRA)
Authors: Mara d'Amico, Mauro Patriarca, Valeria Tropea, Silvia Ubaldini Description: Number of EMAS certificates issued
Source: INSPRA
2.2 Environmental labels
Eco-labels, or as they are commonly called, environmental labels, are marks applied directly to a product or service. These labels give information on the overall environmental performance of the product or company. For companies, eco-labels are a very useful market tool, because they make their products stand out from others. These labels are divided into mandatory and voluntary.
Mandatory labels in the European Union apply in different sectors and bind producers, consumers, and distributors. In the case of voluntary labels, the application for a label is entirely voluntary, so that manufacturers, importers, or distributors can decide whether to join the labeling scheme, once they have checked that their products meet the criteria set by that specific scheme. Eco-labels examine the environmental impact of a product or service during its life cycle. These labels contain indications not only on energy consumption but also on many other environmental aspects such as the use of natural resources, emissions to air, water and soil, noise pollution, waste disposal, and waste production. Three types of eco-labels can be distinguished31:
1) Voluntary eco-labels. They are applied to products and services that respect the environment based on pre-established ecological criteria. But which labels belong to this type? In Europe, the best-known and most authoritative example is the European Ecolabel regulation, which today is awarded to 15 product categories;
31 Masone–ISPRA, Marina. "Certificazione ambientale ed etichette ambientali per il settore della raccolta e del trasporto di rifiuti."
2) Self-declarations, places, and symbols of respect for the environment. They are found on product packaging, packaging, or advertising. They are used by producers without the approval of an external and independent party, so the guarantee of reliability and correctness of the producer becomes the key element. Such marks serve as an information tool;
3) Ecological declarations. A widespread example is the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), a voluntary certification of companies for their products. The EPD is audited by an independent body (e.g., an industry association), which guarantees the credibility and truthfulness of the
information it contains. The EPD provides information both on the impact of the product or service on the environment from the moment of production to final disposal, and on the most significant environmental characteristics, which must be objective and comparable between several products or services belonging to the same category. The EPD does not affirm the absolute best of the product but allows the consumer to compare different goods based on parameters calculated and verified through common procedures.
There are also environmental labels that have become more widespread in the market in recent years. These are generally grouped as sector labels:
- The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which applies to products in the wood and furniture sector, guarantees that the wood comes from sustainably managed forests, both from a natural point of view and in terms of safeguarding local populations.
- The Confidence in Textiles label according to OEKO-Tex100 standards for the certification of textile products: guarantees the control of harmful substances, such as pesticides, heavy metals, and allergenic dyes, in semi-finished and finished textiles.
- The Energy Star label, used for IT equipment, distinguishes products with low energy
consumption and offers consumers a tool to contribute to more sustainable use of energy resources and the consequent reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
2.2.1 The EU Ecolabel
The EU Ecolabel was established in 1992 by Regulation 880/92 and is now governed by Regulation (EC) No. 66/2010 in force in the 27 countries of the European Union and in the countries belonging to the European Economic Area EEA (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein). The EU Ecolabel is a voluntary eco-label, that rewards products with higher environmental quality during their life cycle.
The label is based on a system of selective criteria, which considers the environmental impacts of products or services during their use and is subject to certification by an independent body.
Environmental performance is assessed on a scientific basis by analyzing the most significant environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of the product or service, also taking into account the average lifespan of products, their recyclability, and the reduction of packaging and their recycled content.32 The EU Ecolabel may be awarded to products (goods and services) for which specific criteria have been adopted by Decisions of the European Commission published in the Official Journal . The criteria are defined based on the life cycle analysis of the product, which allows for the identification of significant environmental aspects and possible impacts on the environment at each stage of the product life cycle: from the extraction of raw materials, through manufacturing processes, distribution (including packaging) and use, to disposal. Environmental aspects of a product's life cycle include33: air emissions, water discharges, use of toxic chemicals, waste generation, energy consumption and sources, water consumption, environmental safety, noise pollution and protection of biodiversity. In addition to the criteria relating to environmental aspects and impacts, there are criteria relating to product performance and, where relevant, social, and ethical aspects.
Decisions on EU Eco-label criteria for individual product groups are taken by the Member States and the European Commission and are valid for between two and six years. At the end of this
32 Official Journal of the European Union
33 Vendries, Jorge, et al. "The significance of environmental attributes as indicators of the life cycle environmental impacts of packaging and food service ware." Environmental Science & Technology 54.9 (2020): 5356-5364.
period, the criteria are reviewed and amended, if necessary, to take into account regulatory, market and scientific, and technological developments, in order to ensure that EU Ecolabel products continue to have a high level of environmental performance.
The possible benefits for companies implementing the EU Ecolabel are many and touch on several issues:
- It improves the image of the establishment;
- It allows you to expand the boundaries of your sales market, both at the national and European level;
- It distinguishes you from other companies in your sector;
- Your clientele and their satisfaction increase;
- It allows you to stay ahead of environmental developments;
The Ecolabel for tourism was created on 14 April 2003 when the European Commission extended the applicability of the Community eco-label to tourist accommodation services (Decision
2003/287/EC), and two years later, with Decision 2005/338/EC of 14 April 2005, campsites offering equipped pitches, a category previously excluded, were also included among the tourist facilities eligible for the Ecolabel.34
The Tourism Ecolabel is an ecological label, a voluntary system specific to the tourism sector that guarantees that the services offered limit their environmental, social, and economic impact, with a view to sustainability. The label can be applied by all establishments whose main activity is the provision of paid accommodation services to tourists, travelers, and guests, such as hotels, B&Bs, guest houses, inns, tourist villages, guest houses, tourist residences, hostels, and holiday homes.
The pathway that leads an accommodation facility to obtain a European eco-label is developed in three phases35:
1) Preparation: During this phase the tourist facility is required to verify and demonstrate the conformity of its service and facilities to the parameters established by the criteria contained in the Regulation;
34 Baldo, G. L., et al. "The EU Ecolabel scheme and its application to construction and building materials." Eco- efficient construction and building materials. Woodhead Publishing, 2014. 98-124.
35 Cadenazzi, Roberta. "Ecolabel: from sustainable product certification to financial product certification." (2021).
2) Application and examination: the applicant, after having ascertained the suitability of his or her facility, fills out a special application form, attaches the file, and sends it to the Competent Body, which has the task of examining the documentation, requesting any additions and carrying out inspections at the candidate facility;
3) Assignment of the Ecolabel and renewal of the contract: if the application is positive, the Committee, within 30 days, assigns to the applicant the license for the use of the label, valid throughout the European territory. The name of the facility will then be entered into the Community register of Ecolabel products and services.
Also, for the tourism sector, the criteria are always compulsory and voluntary. There are a total of 84 criteria, divided into mandatory (37) and voluntary (47), for each of which a score is set. In 2017, the European Commission updated the Ecolabel eco-criteria for tourist accommodation by means of Regulation 2017/175/EU of 25 January 2017, grouping in a single regulation the criteria for camping services and those for tourist accommodation services, to highlight the common characteristics of the two services (Environment Network)36.
The criteria are also divided by sectors: energy sector, water sector, detergents and disinfectants sector, waste sector, and other services. Mandatory criteria include:
- Criterion 1. Electricity from renewable sources: 22% of the electricity of the tourist accommodation shall come from renewable sources;
- Criterion 12. Water flow in bathrooms and toilets: Information on water saving shall be provided in the toilets;
- Criterion 27. Disposable products: Unless required by law, disposable toiletries and cups, plates, and cutlery must not be used in the rooms;
Among the voluntary criteria that give more points to the tourist accommodation we can mention:
- Criterion 50. Bioclimatic architecture (2 points): The accommodation shall be built according to principles of bioclimatic architecture;
36 Cordella, Mauro, et al. "Improving material efficiency in the life cycle of products: a review of EU Ecolabel criteria."
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 25.5 (2020): 921-935.
