Tanya Dohoney has been committed to sustainability for decades. A former lawyer from Texas who now lives in Paris, she started a recycling program at her workplace. She also values environmentally and socially responsible companies when it comes to travel, so she chose Intrepid Travel, a B Corp certified company, for her 2019 Morocco tour.
The number of sustainability certifications in the travel and tourism industry is vast and certainly confusing. B Corp certified companies must meet standards set by B Lab, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit founded in 2006. B Lab awards certifications for social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability to commercial companies. Obtaining this certification can take years and thousands of dollars. There are only 62 certified B Corps in the travel industry and 76 in the lodging and hospitality industry worldwide.
“If you look at the B Corp logo, you know it's at least half vetted,” said Dohany, 64. “I’m concerned about greenwashing, but you have to start somewhere.”
Other travelers, increasingly concerned about the environmental and social impacts of planes, trains, food waste, and more, feel the same way, and have gone through the B Corp certification process to help companies such as multimillion-dollar companies like Patagonia and Athleta. More and more travel companies are joining the brand. , to differentiate ourselves from our competitors.
Aurora Expeditions, a small ship tour operator specializing in polar travel, joins other travel companies such as accommodation company Sordays and tour companies Selective Asia and Byway to receive the certification in 2024. But Hayley Peacock-Gower, Aurora's chief marketing officer, said the company has been focused on sustainable travel since its inception.
“Much of this work is what we were already doing, but we now have greater accountability and a legal agreement on sustainability,” she said, adding that Aurora also: It added that as part of the B Corp process, the company's articles of incorporation were revised and internal policies were formalized.
What is the certification process?
Companies are scored on five criteria: governance, worker rights, community impact, environmental impact, and 'customer stewardship', with a score of 80 or above required to pass B Lab's 'impact assessment'. You need to achieve a score. Once approved, businesses must pay an annual fee based on their annual gross revenue and location. For companies based in the United States, the amount is $2,000 for companies with annual gross revenues of less than $500,000 and $50,000 for companies with revenues from $750,000 to $1 billion. (Some organizations, such as those run by women and veterans, may also qualify for discounted rates.)
“B Corp certification gives tourists confidence that they are visiting and using a responsible provider,” said Jorge Fontanez, B Lab CEO, U.S. and Canada.
With more than 2,909 employees, Intrepid Travel is the travel industry's largest B Corp, achieving certification in 2018.
Mikey Sadowski, Vice President of Global Communications at Intrepid. “We felt that B Corp really had this disproportionate advantage and level of trust.”
To meet B Corp standards, Intrepid, which offers trips in 120 countries on seven continents, hires local guides, sources local ingredients and supplies, and creates rail-based itineraries instead of air transportation. It focuses on initiatives such as reducing carbon emissions through planning. Possible.
The Australian-based company recently completed its B Corp recertification. This includes an annual membership fee of A$51,750 ($33,625) in 2024 and a further A$900 ($585) in filing fees, Sadowski said. For his first certification in 2018, the company also paid his one-time certification fee of A$14,500 ($9,573).
Who will be left behind?
This certification provides insight into a company's environmental and social commitments and can potentially maximize profits by winning the business of like-minded travelers, but these tours and accommodations is often aimed at customers with deep pockets.
For travelers on a budget or those who can't afford it, finding an affordable B Corp-certified travel company can be difficult.
“The reality is that B Corp generally skews towards the luxury side of the market. And the idea of having a B Corp hostel, for example, is very rare,” says the Colorado-based marketing manager. Nick Pinto, 31, said.
Pinto calls himself a “budget traveler” and found B Corp accommodations to be overpriced.
“Programs like B Corp are difficult because they require a comprehensive program to create a broader movement,” he says. Mr. Pinto recently spent several weeks in Mexico, and he noticed that there were only two B Corp-certified hotels in the country.
A third company, Hoteles BF, was subsequently certified.
What other certifications are there?
There are also plenty of guidelines, validations, “eco-stars” and more. The final certification is issued by the commercial organization Ecostars, which assesses a hotel's environmental impact with each visitor stay. This certification is free to earn and apply for, is a fully digital process, and takes an average of two days to complete. Other certifications evaluate the sustainability efforts of short-term accommodation, tour groups, and other subsectors of the travel industry.
To receive certification from 1% for the Planet, a nonprofit organization co-founded by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard and Craig Matthews of fly-fishing outfitter Blue Ribbon Flies, member companies must You must commit to contributing 1%. To environmental organizations. Annual membership fees start at $500.
Non-profit organization of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Its members include sustainability certificates from tourism boards, travel agencies, tour operators, NGOs and veterans.
The organization also relies on guidelines and resolutions issued by the United Nations as part of its sustainable development agenda. In addition to addressing biodiversity and climate change, the guidelines call for energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy in accommodation properties. Courses and webinars are free to register and watch, but if a user wants to complete the assignments and receive a certificate of completion, each course will cost him 49 euros ($53).
Many tour operators and travel companies have announced additional initiatives to achieve net carbon neutrality, but carbon offsets do not capture or reduce actual emissions or reduce future emissions. It has been shown that this is unlikely. Tour operator Run the Alps offset emissions from planes for travelers on its tours, but the company is re-evaluating its practices.
“Offsetting is not the panacea we were hoping for,” said Hilary Gerardi, director of sustainability at Run the Alps. “We’re trying to move from doing good to doing good, which means not just reducing our footprint, but leaving a positive impact on our communities.”
The tour operator is a member of 1% for the Planet and collaborates with CREA Mont Blanc, a local research center and citizen science organizer.
But even if your travel company is committed to sustainability, B Corp certification can be a big ask for smaller operations.
“We are fully aligned with B Corp status, but until this year we were a really small company. The certifications and processes would have been too onerous,” said company founder Doug Mayer.
But as the company grows, Mayer is considering taking that step.
“I can see it happening to us,” he said.
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