•  GSTC extends its recognition to include sustainable tourism management systems

•  Greenview Portal is the first sustainable tourism management system for multi-site businesses to achieve ‘GSTC-Recognized system’ status

•  Users of the Greenview Portal that have made significant progress in their adherence to the GSTC Criteria, will be able to achieve certification following an external audit by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body 

July 28th, 2020 – The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is pleased to announce that the Greenview Portal for the Hospitality Industry has become a ‘GSTC-Recognized System’. It is the first time that a sustainability management system has achieved this status.

Randy Durband, CEO of GSTC said: “This is a significant moment for GSTC as we expand our recognition programme to apply to not only standards but also management systems. Last year we welcomed Hilton LightStay becoming GSTC-Recognized for its own portfolio, and this helped pave the way for expanded use of GSTC. By using GSTC-Recognized systems, hotel and tourism companies will now be able to embed the GSTC Criteria, which includes the full range of environmental and social considerations specifically developed for the tourism sector, throughout their management processes and set them on the path of continuous improvement and towards certification. I am delighted that the Greenview Portal is the first such system to gain GSTC-Recognized status now that we have formally expanded into this category.”

The Greenview Portal is an industry-specific system developed by Singapore-based consultancy Greenview that allows hotel companies to track, measure and improve in areas of environmental sustainability and social responsibility at property or multi-site level. The online platform allows hotel owners, operators, and affiliations to track, benchmark, report and improve on various aspects of environmental and social performance.

Greenview Founder and CEO, Eric Ricaurte said: “Becoming a GSTC-Recognized System is an important milestone in the development of the Greenview Portal. The investor community’s interest in environmental, social and governance performance is growing and we are seeing governments proactively pursue solutions to destination management across the value chain. In addition, consumer demand for clearly identifiable sustainable products is increasing, and as a result so is OTA interest in providing relevant content. The GSTC provides the consistent framework under which results can be achieved. This recognition will enable our hotel and hotel company clients to ensure their sustainability programmes are fully aligned with the GSTC Criteria and address this stakeholder interest, while delivering tangible value with a practical system.”

Achieving the GSTC-Recognized status means that a sustainable tourism standard or system has been reviewed by GSTC technical experts and the GSTC Aussrance Panel and deemed equivalent to the GSTC Criteria for sustainable tourism.

Currently, 11 destination standards, 33 hotel standards, and 31 tour operator standards have achieved GSTC-Recognized status. The status offers the market a proof that these standards adhere to international norms. GSTC Recognition does not ensure that a certification process is reliable, only that the set of standards used to certify are equivalent to the GSTC Criteria. GSTC-Recognized standard owners are encouraged to complete the accreditation process, which assures that the certification process used to apply the standard meets international best practice, transparent, and rigor. List of GSTC-Accredited certification bodies is available here.

For more information on the Greenview Portal please visit www.greenview.sg

About the GSTC

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) establishes and manages global sustainable standards, known as the GSTC Criteria. There are two sets: Destination Criteria for public policy-makers and destination managers, and Industry Criteria for hotels and tour operators. These are the guiding principles and minimum requirements that any tourism business or destination should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources, while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for conservation and poverty alleviation.

The GSTC Criteria form the foundation for Accreditation of Certification Bodies that certify hotels/accommodations, tour operators, and destinations as having sustainable policies and practices in place. GSTC does not directly certify any products or services; but it accredits those that do. The GSTC is an independent and neutral USA-registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that represents a diverse and global membership, including UN agencies, NGO’s, national and provincial governments, leading travel companies, hotels, tour operators, individuals and communities – all striving to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism.

Information for media and the press: https://staging.gstcouncil.org/about/for-the-press/

About Greenview:

Greenview is the world’s leading provider of sustainability programs and data management for the hospitality and tourism sector. We support companies to design, implement, and monitor their corporate responsibility and sustainability platforms to drive profitability, streamline data, keep ahead of trends, and provide effective communication for stakeholders. Headquartered in Singapore with a global team of experts, we manage the hospitality sector’s largest collaborative sustainability initiatives and leverage the power of this network to synergize value to our clients across three pillars of activity: corporate consulting and advisory; Greenview Portal software; and collaborative industry initiatives. In addition to advising leading global organizations, Greenview has launched several innovative industry initiatives including the Green Lodging Trends Report, Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking Index, Hotel Footprinting Tool, and Hotel Owners for Tomorrow Coalition.

For more information please visit www.greenview.sg