Certifications

To obtain the certification, destinations must be committed to continuous improvement guided by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

The destination is benchmarked against sustainability indicators. A sustainability management system will be created. After implementation, EarthCheck auditors will visit the destination to evaluate its performance against the EarthCheck Certified Standard. The certification will be awarded if the requirements are met.

The index ranks global destinations based on their sustainability performance and works as a benchmarking and performance improvement program. EarthCheck facilitates the process via in-depth measurement and third-party verification of the destinations.

Destinations can become certified by one of the three GSTC accredited certification bodies:

• EarthCheck
• Green Destinations
• Vireo Srl

To obtain the certification, the destination must become a member and be assessed. They will receive a report and a sustainability action plan. If, in the follow-up call, they have met the minimum score required, they become a certified destination.

This certification is a GSTC-Accredited program for destinations that aim for full adherence to the Green Destinations Standard guidelines. The audit is rigorous involving broad stakeholder consultation to verify compliance, and all compliance should be fully supported by evidence.