1 Comentário Publicado em Accommodation Establishments, Certification, Sustainable Tourism

Certification of sustainable tourism

 

Farol

Certification of sustainable tourism is very popular nowadays, but what does it means? Certification is a mechanism to ensure that particular company, product or service comply with specified requirements. In the case of sustainable tourism, certification means that a company adopt sustainable practices or has a sustainability management system.

In the last 15 years a lot of certifications schemes about sustainable tourism has been developed. Today is easy to find more than a 100, but most of them fall into two groups: the first focused on attesting that the company has certain sustainable practices and the second that the company has a sustainability management system implemented and effective. The main difference between this two groups is about sustainable practices where the first take in consideration specific and predeterminate sustainable practices and the second looks for the business management and results.

To achieve certification, the company must demonstrate that it meets the requirements. Obviously, to begin this process, the company needs to do its homework, initially knowing the requirements that base the certification desired, going through a self-assessment of its business and, mainly, implementing measures to meet these requirements. Thus, the company will increase the chance of being certified and may use certification as a marketing and communication tool with the market in which it operates or intends to act.

The certification is performed by an independent organization, called certification body, whose business is assessment and attest to the market that the company is sustainable.

However, it is important to note that certification should not be an end in itself, but rather the natural consequence for the company that meets the requirements and therefore can be called sustainable. In fact, meeting sustainability requirements has the power to transform the company and bring benefits far beyond the certificate itself.

Examples of certification benefits:

  • Improved image
  • Brand Strengthening
  • Improved business management
  • Strengthening partnership with stakeholders
  • Spontaneous media
  • Increased customer satisfaction
  • Increased employee engagement
  • Reduction of operating costs
  • Improved results

Another relevant aspect of sustainability certification is that invariably the company has a very positive influence on the territory in which it is operating. Thus, sustainability ends up creating a network, where all stakeholders gain, be they collaborators, local community, suppliers, tourists, NGOs, local public power, among others.

A business certification process involves, in general, the following steps:

  • Request for certification
  • Sending company documentation
  • Technical analysis of documentation
  • Conducting an audit
  • Analysis of results
  • Grant of Certificate
  • Maintenance audits (during the period of validity of the certificate)

There are many types of certification in sustainable tourism and the company must evaluate which certification adds value to your business and helps in communication with the market and clients.

Certification of Accommodations

The certification of accommodations has the function of ensuring that the accommodation has a sustainability management system implemented and effective. This certification is valid for any type, size and geographic location of hosting medium and is based on an international standard, ISO 21401: 2018 – Sustainability Management System for Hosting.

By implementing the requirements of this standard, the accommodation will have the benefits of strengthening its business and improving the decision-making process, which will be done in a more modern and complete way, simultaneously looking at the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, socio-cultural and economic).

A sustainability management system assumes the development of sustainability policy and objectives, based on the internal and external contexts of the enterprise, stakeholder needs, risks and opportunities and based on the negative and positive aspects and impacts of the business. Obviously, this should be led by the top management of the accommodation, which should demonstrate its commitment, provide resources, define responsibility and authorities, and plan sustainability actions in an environmentally responsible, socially just and economically viable way.

In addition, the Sustainability Management System must include the competencies of employees, the implementation of work process controls, communication methods and the development and evaluation of suppliers. It is essential for it to be used effectively, documented and has classic monitoring, analysis and continuous improvement elements in management systems: performance evaluation, internal audit, critical review, non-compliance and corrective actions.

An accommodation managed through a Sustainability Management System will allow the development of a truly sustainable business and adapted to the current challenges of tourism.

After the implementation of this standard, the accommodation that wishes to be certified will pass an audit process planned by the certification body, which will send auditors to assess the compliance of the management and the practices adopted in relation to the sustainability requirements.

Certification of adventure tourism providers

For adventure tourism companies it is possible to be certified based on the international standard ISO 20611: 2018 – Good practices of sustainability. In this case it is not necessary to implement a complete management system, but rather to demonstrate that it adopts sustainable practices in its operation for the three dimensions: environmental, social and economic.

Practices should be adopted with the objective of reducing the impacts generated by the company’s tourism operations, such as:

  • Environmental dimension – use of natural resources, water and energy consumption, protection of biodiversity and natural habitats;
  • Social dimension – respect for employees and the local community, promotion and respect of local culture, working conditions;
  • Economic dimension – adoption of fair trade practices, management of financial risks of the business, generation of work.
1 Comentário Publicado em Certificação, Hotel sustentável, ISO 21401, Turismo Sustentável

Certificação de turismo sustentável

Farol

A certificação de negócios sustentáveis no turismo

Muito popular hoje em dia, a certificação é um mecanismo para assegurar que determinada empresa, produto ou serviço está em conformidade com requisitos especificados. No caso do turismo sustentável, o que se pretende dizer por meio da certificação é que uma empresa é sustentável ou que tem um sistema de gestão da sustentabilidade.

A maioria das certificações existentes se dividem em 2 grupos: o primeiro com foco em atestar que a empresa tem determinadas práticas sustentáveis e o segundo que a empresa tem um sistema de gestão da sustentabilidade implementado e eficaz, neste caso, as práticas sustentáveis também são consideradas mas não há uma predeterminação de quais são as práticas que devem ser adotadas.

A certificação é realizada por uma organização independente, denominada de organismo de certificação, que tem como negócio avaliar a conformidade e atestar para o mercado que a empresa é sustentável.

Para conquistar à certificação a empresa precisa demonstrar que cumpre os requisitos. Obviamente que para dar início a este processo a empresa precisar fazer a sua lição de casa, conhecendo inicialmente os requisitos que dão base a certificação desejada, passando por uma auto-avaliação do seu negócio e, principalmente, implementando medidas para atendimento destes requisitos. Assim, a empresa aumentará a chance de ser certificada e poderá usar a certificação como instrumento de marketing e comunicação com mercado em que atua ou pretende atuar.

Contudo é importante destacar que a certificação não deve ser um fim em si mesmo, mas sim, a consequência natural para a empresa que cumpre os requisitos e, portanto, pode ser chamada de sustentável. Na verdade, o atendimento aos requisitos de sustentabilidade tem poder de transformar a empresa e trazer benefícios muito além do próprio certificado.

Exemplos de benefícios normalmente conquistados com a certificação são:

  • Melhoria da imagem
  • Fortalecimento da Marca
  • Melhoria da gestão do negócio
  • Fortalecimento da parceira com as partes interessadas
  • Mídia espontânea
  • Aumento da satisfação dos clientes
  • Aumento do engajamento dos colaboradores
  • Redução de custos operacionais
  • Melhoria nos resultados

Ter uma empresa sustentável, minimizando os impactos negativos e potencializando os impactos positivos gerados, é uma forma moderna e atual de ser fazer negócios.

Outro aspecto relevante da certificação da sustentabilidade é que invariavelmente a empresa acaba influenciando de forma bastante positiva o território em que está instalada ou operando. Assim, a sustentabilidade acaba criando uma rede, onde todas as partes interessadas ganham, sejam elas colaboradores, comunidade local, fornecedores, turistas, ONG’s, poder público local, entre outras.

Um processo de certificação de empresas envolve, de uma forma geral, as seguintes etapas:

  • Solicitação da certificação
  • Envio da documentação da empresa
  • Análise técnica da documentação
  • Realização de auditoria
  • Análise dos resultados
  • Concessão do Certificado
  • Auditorias de manutenção (durante o período de validade do certificado)

Existem muitos tipos de certificação em turismo sustentável e a empresa deve avaliar qual certificação agregar valor ao seu negócio e ajuda na comunicação com o mercado em que atua e com os seus clientes.

A certificação de Meios de Hospedagem

A certificação de meios de hospedagem tem a função de garantir que o meio de hospedagem tem um sistema de gestão da sustentabilidade implementado e eficaz. Esta certificação vale para qualquer tipo, tamanho e localização geográfica de meio de hospedagem e é baseada numa norma internacional, a norma ISO 21401:2018 – Sistema de Gestão da Sustentabilidade de Meios de Hospedagem.

Ao implementar os requisitos desta norma o meio de hospedagem terá como benefícios, o fortalecimento do seu negócio e o aprimoramento do processo de tomada de decisão, o qual passará a ser feito de forma mais moderna e completa, olhando simultaneamente para as 3 dimensões da sustentabilidade (ambiental, sociocultural e econômica).

Um sistema de gestão da sustentabilidade pressupõe o desenvolvimento de política e objetivos de sustentabilidade, baseados nos contextos interno e externo do empreendimento, nas necessidades das partes interessadas, nos riscos e oportunidades existentes e fundamentado nos aspectos e impactos negativos e positivos do negócio. Obviamente que isto deve ser liderado pela alta direção do meio de hospedagem, que deverá demonstrar seu comprometimento, provendo recursos, definindo responsabilidade e autoridades e planejando as ações de sustentabilidade de forma ambientalmente responsável, socialmente justa e economicamente viável.

Além disto, o Sistema de Gestão da Sustentabilidade precisa contemplar as competências dos colaboradores, a implementação de controles dos processos de trabalho, métodos de comunicação e o desenvolvimento e a avaliação de fornecedores. É fundamental para que se possa usá-lo de forma eficaz, que seja documentado e tenha elementos de monitoramento, análise e melhoria contínua clássicos nos sistemas de gestão: avaliação do desempenho, auditoria interna, análise crítica, não conformidade e ações corretivas.

Um meio de hospedagem administrado por meio de um Sistema de Gestão da Sustentabilidade permitirá o desenvolvimento de um negócio realmente sustentável e apto para os desafios atuais do turismo.

Após a implementação desta norma o meio de hospedagem que desejar ser certificado irá passar por processo de auditoria planejada pelo organismo de certificação, que enviará auditores para avaliar à conformidade da gestão e das práticas adotadas em relação aos requisitos de sustentabilidade.

A certificação de empresas de turismo de aventura

Para as empresas de turismo de aventura é possível ser certificado com base na norma internacional ISO 20611:2018 – Boas práticas de sustentabilidade. Neste caso não é necessário implementar um sistema de gestão completo, mas sim, demonstrar que adota práticas sustentáveis na sua operação para as três dimensões: ambiental, social e econômica.

As práticas devem ser adotadas com o objetivo de reduzir os impactos gerados com as operações turísticas da empresa, como por exemplo:

  • Dimensão ambiental – uso de recursos naturais, consumo de água e energia, na proteção da biodiversidade e dos habitats naturais;
  • Dimensão social – respeito dos colaboradores e da comunidade local, promoção e respeito da cultura local, condições de trabalho;
  • Dimensão econômica – adoção de práticas justas de comércio, gestão dos riscos financeiros do negócio, geração de trabalho.
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Advances of the 14th annual meeting of the ISO Tourism Committee (ISO / TC 228 – Tourism and related services)

WG 13 Tunis

The 14th annual meeting of ISO/TC228 – Tourism and related services took place in Tunis, Tunisia from April 8-12, where we had the meeting of several working groups and at the end the plenary meeting of the entire Committee. Currently, projects for international standards are under discussion for themes such as: accessibility, restaurants, hotels, medical tourism, diving, yacht habours, competences of leaders in adventure tourism and, of course, sustainable tourism.

The work was well developed, and the documents were advanced with the input of hundreds of experts. During the WG 13 – Sustainable Tourism meeting we had discussed a project about principles and terminology of sustainable tourism and the work was focused on analyzing of 81 comments received. The meeting was attended by experts from Argentina; Brazil; Cameroon; Costa Rica; Dominican Republic; Guyana; Mozambique; Panama; Bulgaria; Korea and Cyprus and the new version of the text is already circulating for a new round of comments.

WG 13 – Sustainable Tourism today has around 70 registered experts from 26 different countries and has recently produced ISO 21401: 2018 Sustainability Management System for Accommodation Establishments. The next meeting is scheduled to take place in Costa Rica in early September 2019.

On the changes, it is worth mentioning that the 7 sustainable tourism principles of the original project were reordered, expanded and rewritten with the inclusion of important aspects that were not being addressed yet. The current version it could be check in the table below:

Principles of sustainable tourism
1      Effective sustainable tourism management
Tourism interested parties shall set up ethical business procedures that seek to engage the corporate responsibility (social, economic and environmental) of those involved in the activity, increasing the commitment of their personnel, suppliers and tourists, in matters of sustainability, from the elaboration of the mission, objectives, strategies, goals, plans and processes of management.
2      Guarantee the rights of local population
Tourism interested parties shall seek and promote mechanisms and actions of social and environmental responsibility and economic equality, including the defense of human rights, responsible use of land, resources, consumption of materials and services, maintaining or increasing the dignity of the employees and the well-being of communities involved.
Note Local population can include native population
3      Conserve the natural environment and its biodiversity
In all stages of implementation and operation, tourism interested parties shall adopt practices of carrying capacity and minimal impact on the natural environment, including wildlife protection, monitoring and effectively mitigating any negative impact, and thus contribute towards maintaining the natural dynamics and processes of their physical, biological and landscape aspects, taking into account the existing social and economic context. This could include measures related to climate change adaptation.
4      Consider the cultural heritage and local values
Tourism interested parties shall recognize and respect the historical-cultural heritage of the tourism destinations. Tourism activities shall be planned, implemented and managed in harmony with the cultural traditions and values, collaborating towards their development.
5      Stimulate the social and economic development of tourism destinations
Tourism interested parties shall contribute towards strengthening the local economy, raising skill-levels, increasing economic impacts, generating jobs, work and income, and fomenting the local capacity to develop tourist enterprises stimulating, at the same time, the local responsible supply chains.
6      Guarantee the quality of the products, processes and attitudes
Tourism interested parties shall provide reliable information, promote tourism destinations awareness, evaluate tourist satisfaction and encourage the implementation of recognized service standards related, but not limited to sustainability, quality, accessibility and food safety.
7      Stimulate the safety and security destinations
Tourism interested parties should contribute to enhance destinations safety and security, increasing levels of safety and security and comfort of local population and tourists.
8      Take legal compliance into consideration
Tourism interested parties shall identify and be aware of applicable legal requirements.

Soon I will present more news about it.

If you want to know more details about the ISO/TC 228 visit the site (https://committee.iso.org/home/tc228)

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Avanços da 14ª reunião anual do Comitê de turismo da ISO (ISO/TC 228 – Tourism and related services)

WG 13 Tunis

Na semana de 8 a 12/04 ocorreu em Tunis, Tunisía a 14ª reunião do Comitê de turismo da ISO, onde tivemos o encontro de diversos grupos de trabalho e no final a reunião plenária de todo o Comitê. Atualmente estão em discussão projetos de normas internacionais para os temas: acessibilidade, restaurantes, hotéis, turismo médico, mergulho, marinas para iates, competências de líderes em turismo de aventura e, lógico, turismo sustentável.

Os trabalhos se desenvolveram bem e os documentos avançaram com a contribuição de centenas de especialistas. No tema turismo sustentável, tratado no grupo de trabalho WG 13 – Sustainable Tourism, onde está em construção um projeto sobre princípios e terminologia de turismo sustentável, o trabalho se concentrou em analisar os 81 comentários recebidos. A reunião contou com a participação de especialistas da Argentina; Brazil; Cameroon; Costa Rica; Dominican Republic; Guyana; Mozambique; Panama; Bulgaria; Korea e Cyprus e a nova versão do texto já está em circulação para nova rodada de comentários.

O WG 13 – Sustainable Tourism hoje em cerca de 70 especialistas registrados de 26 diferentes países e recentemente produziu a norma ISO 21401: 2018 Sustainability Management System for Accommodation Establishments. A próxima reunião está programada para acontecer na Costa Rica no início de setembro de 2019.

Sobre as mudanças vale ressaltar que os 7 princípios de turismo sustentável do projeto original foram, reordenados, ampliados e reescritos com a inclusão de aspectos importantes que não estavam sendo abordados ainda. A versão atual está assim:

Principles of sustainable tourism
1      Effective sustainable tourism management
Tourism interested parties shall set up ethical business procedures that seek to engage the corporate responsibility (social, economic and environmental) of those involved in the activity, increasing the commitment of their personnel, suppliers and tourists, in matters of sustainability, from the elaboration of the mission, objectives, strategies, goals, plans and processes of management.
2      Guarantee the rights of local population
Tourism interested parties shall seek and promote mechanisms and actions of social and environmental responsibility and economic equality, including the defense of human rights, responsible use of land, resources, consumption of materials and services, maintaining or increasing the dignity of the employees and the well-being of communities involved.
Note Local population can include native population
3      Conserve the natural environment and its biodiversity
In all stages of implementation and operation, tourism interested parties shall adopt practices of carrying capacity and minimal impact on the natural environment, including wildlife protection, monitoring and effectively mitigating any negative impact, and thus contribute towards maintaining the natural dynamics and processes of their physical, biological and landscape aspects, taking into account the existing social and economic context. This could include measures related to climate change adaptation.
4      Consider the cultural heritage and local values
Tourism interested parties shall recognize and respect the historical-cultural heritage of the tourism destinations. Tourism activities shall be planned, implemented and managed in harmony with the cultural traditions and values, collaborating towards their development.
5      Stimulate the social and economic development of tourism destinations
Tourism interested parties shall contribute towards strengthening the local economy, raising skill-levels, increasing economic impacts, generating jobs, work and income, and fomenting the local capacity to develop tourist enterprises stimulating, at the same time, the local responsible supply chains.
6      Guarantee the quality of the products, processes and attitudes
Tourism interested parties shall provide reliable information, promote tourism destinations awareness, evaluate tourist satisfaction and encourage the implementation of recognized service standards related, but not limited to sustainability, quality, accessibility and food safety.
7      Stimulate the safety and security destinations
Tourism interested parties should contribute to enhance destinations safety and security, increasing levels of safety and security and comfort of local population and tourists.
8      Take legal compliance into consideration
Tourism interested parties shall identify and be aware of applicable legal requirements.

Em breve mais apresentarei mais novidades sobre este assunto.

Se quiser conhecer mais detalhes sobre o Comitê de turismo da ISO acesse o site (https://committee.iso.org/home/tc228)

1 Comentário Publicado em Turismo Sustentável

Reunião Anual do Comitê de Turismo da ISO (ISO/TC 228 – Tourism and related services), em Tunis!

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A road map to Sustainability Management System for accommodation establishments: Part II

Road map Diagrama para ISO 21401.002

How to implement a Sustainability Management System based on ISO 21401?

(continuing Part I)

  1. Operation control

This step is totally connect with step 2 (aspect and impacts) and step 6 (sustainability objectives). As consequence of aspect and impacts identified, specially which was classified as significant and to guarantee that sustainability objectives will be achieve as well is important to select and implement measures that would be eliminate or reduce those negative impacts. Those measures are called sustainable practices and needs be apply for impacts that will be controlled.

  1. Monitoring and measurement

Following implementation of operation control is necessary to know if that measures took are being effectives. So for that a process of monitoring and measurement shall be implement as a tool to assure that sustainable impacts are under control. Besides that this process will be helpfully to visualize if sustainability objectives are being achieves.

  1. Resources

Based on their needs and expectations, operation and management processes, including sustainability objectives, impacts identified, controls established the accommodation will use resources, such as, human, infrastructure, financial, etc. So it is important to assure availability of resources to implement and maintain a sustainability management system.

  1. Role, responsibilities and authority

Establish and ensure that the role, responsibilities and authority for implement and maintain an sustainability management system are assigned and communicated.

  1. Leadership

For an sustainability management system works the top management of accommodation establishment shall demonstrate leadership and commitment, which would be ensuring that sustainability policies and objectives are established and are compatible with the strategic direction or that resources needed for sustainability management system are available, for example.

(soon part III)

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A roadmap to Sustainability Management System for accommodation establishments: Part I

Road map Diagrama para ISO 21401.002

How to implement a Sustainability Management System based on ISO 21401?

First of all it is important to say that a road map present here is not the only way to implement an Sustainability Management System, but this logical structure could be a path to align and transform sustainable practices to improvement competitiveness in your business.

  1. Context internal and external

Start with analysis of the context considering need and expectations of interested parties, identifying key factors related with Marketing, legal, technological, cultural, social, environmental and economic aspects. It is important to understand the context, including how these key factors and interested parties influence your business.

  1. Aspect and impacts

According the type, size and geographical location an accommodation establishment has many aspects to be considering in a Sustainable Management System and each aspect produce one or more impacts in the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social and economic). So it is fundamental to analysis the works processes, identifying aspects and evaluate his impacts, specially the significant impacts which it will be control.

  1. Risks and opportunities

Based on the two topics above is possible identifying and understand what are the risk and opportunities for the business. The Sustainable Management System should be able to minimizing risks and maximizing opportunities and help to achieve the business objectives.

  1. Scope

Establish the Scope and define the boundaries and applicability of the sustainability management system.

Note: Besides the first four topics above has been organized in a logical sequence it is useful to understand that all issues are connect.

  1. Policy

A policy for sustainability management system is a kind of declaration made by the top management and needs to be appropriate to the purpose of accommodation establishment and provide a framework for setting sustainability objectives.

  1. Sustainability objectives

Considering all topics bellow now it is time to define objectives which shall be used to become the business more sustainable. Whenever it is possible the objectives should be measurable and it shall be establish plan about how the objectives will be achieve, including activities, responsibilities, resources and deadlines.

(soon part II)

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Sustainable Management of accommodation establishments according ISO 21401: 2018 – Sustainability management system for accommodation establishments

novo Infografico para norma ISO 21401.004

The client experience in an accommodation establishments is built through a series of events that begin with selecting the hotel, going through booking and hosting to the relationship with activities pos sales.

As shown in the diagram above part of the construction of this experience can be observed when the client accesses the reception to check in, using the infrastructure and the services available until the check out process. Thus the reception, accommodation, food and beverages and leisure processes are those where there is direct contact with the client. However, many other fundamental processes for the operation of accommodation establishments occur behind the scenes such as: commercial, cleaning services, maintenance, reservations, F & B, procurement, for example. This whole set must be managed with a focus on the business objectives and aligned with the strategy and in compliance with established policies.

The sustainable management of the business involves considering the sustainability aspects, represented in the diagram above, during the processes of take decisions. It is important taking actions to achieve the objectives, minimizing the negative impacts of sustainability for each one of these aspects.

ISO 21401: 2018 (Sustainability Management System for Hosting) describes the elements of a Management System focused on transforming the accommodation establishments into a truly sustainable business.

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Gestão Sustentável de Meios de hospedagem segundo a norma ISO 21401:2018 – Sistema de gestão da sustentabilidade de meios de hospedagem

novo Infografico para norma ISO 21401.002

A experiência do cliente em um meio de hospedagem é construída por uma série de eventos que se iniciam com a seleção e escolha do hotel, passando pela reserva e hospedagem até o relacionamento com o empreendimento nas atividades pós venda.

Conforme representado no diagrama acima parte da construção desta experiência pode ser observada quando o cliente acessa a recepção para check in, usufrui da hospedagem, incluindo a infra estrutura e os serviços disponíveis até o processo do check out. Assim os processos recepção, hospedagem, alimentação e lazer são aqueles onde há contato direto com o cliente. Contudo muitos outros processos fundamentais para o funcionamento de um meio de hospedagem ocorrem nos bastidores como: comercial, governança, manutenção, reservas, A&B, compras, por exemplo. Todo este conjunto deve ser gerenciado com foco nos objetivos do negócio e alinhado à estratégia e em cumprimento às políticas estabelecidas.

A gestão sustentável do negócio envolve considerar os aspectos de sustentabilidade, representados no diagrama acima, que estão presentes em todos estes processos internos tomando-se ações que aumentem chance de atendimento aos objetivos do meio de hospedagem, mas minimizando os impactos negativos de sustentabilidade para cada um dos aspectos.

A ISO 21401: 2018 (Sistema de Gestão de Sustentabilidade para Meios de Hospedagem) descreve então os elementos de um Sistema de Gestão com foco em transformar o meio de hospedagem em um negócio verdadeiramente sustentável.