Increased emphasis on sustainability can bring various opportunities and benefits to businesses, both in terms of image and finances
The checklist below is an ideal tool to use for companies who want to put more emphasis on sustainability. It is intended to give a good picture of the company's performance in the field of sustainability and facilitate goal setting to become even better.
It contains numerous ideas and proposals for actions in the following sections:
- Management and Operating Practices
- Procurement and Resources
- Energy
- Waste
- Food
- Environment and Nature Conservation
- Community
- Suppliers and Market
- Customer Information
- Culture
The checklist is completed by ticking the appropriate box. By ticking in the box "Add to action plan" the plan will emerge at the bottom of the list.
Companies seeking certification need to fill the checklist thoroughly out. There must be at least four actions in the action plan and both the checklist and action plan are sent to the relevant certification body along with other documentation.
Please note the following:
- All fields must be filled in.
- Write down explanations and comments.
- Explain how a specific action will be carried out.
- Record the planned completion of the project and who is responsible.
- Review the sustainability action plan annually and set new goals.
.
1.
Management and Operating Practices
|
Requires attention |
Done / completed |
N/A |
Add to action plan |
Explanations/Comments |
1.1.
Develop a sustainability policy for the company.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.2.
Present the vision of sustainable tourism and company strategy to the employees.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.3.
Re-examine this vision and strategy regularly.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.4.
Organize regular meetings with employees and encourage them to express their opinions and ideas about environmental issues, sustainability, and opportunities for improvement within the company in these areas.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.5.
Provide training to staff on their roles and responsibilities concerning human rights issues.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.6.
Integrate the United Nations' Global Goals to the company's strategy and operations through employee involvement.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.7.
Assess and improve accessibility for people with disability and/or any kind of special needs.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.8.
Evaluate customer satisfaction regularly (customer surveys).
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.9.
Assess the financial performance of the company regularly.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.10.
Assess the company’s environmental performance regularly.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.11.
Assess the company’s social performance regularly.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.12.
Prepare an annual report on the company's performance in the field of sustainability.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.13.
Implement green accounting and set measurable goals.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.14.
Calculate the company's carbon footprint annually.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.15.
Set goals to reduce the company's carbon footprint.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.16.
Offset the company´s carbon footprint.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.17.
Assess the pollution caused by the operation/activities of the company e.g. air pollution, soil pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, light pollution, visual pollution.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.18.
Compile an action plan to reduce pollution resulting from the company's operations.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.19.
Gather information about laws and regulations regarding nature, environment, culture and history that apply to the company's operations.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.20.
Develop and implement a human rights policy that includes a focus on, i.a., respect for local communities, labor rights and fair employment practices, non-discrimination and harassment prevention, accessibility, transparency, employee training, and stakeholder engagement.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.21.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
1.22.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.
Environment and Nature Conservation
|
Requires attention |
Done / completed |
N/A |
Add to action plan |
Explanations/Comments |
6.1.
Support land revegetation.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.2.
Work with other parties against the spread of invasive plant species.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.3.
Learn about laws and regulations on protected areas e.g. natural resources, national parks, nature reserves, protected areas, public parks, etc. Communicate relevant information to staff and customers.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.4.
Follow instructions on sewage management.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.5.
Monitor what is being put down drains.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.6.
Review procedures for the storage, use and disposal of various materials, e.g. hazardous materials etc.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.7.
Work on improving road and area signposting (thus helping to control traffic in ecologically sensitive areas).
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.8.
Support or participate in environmental research.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.9.
Support nature preservation organizations.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.10.
Implement measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.11.
Support education on nature conservation.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.12.
Consider measures to reduce the negative effects resulting from the company´s activities.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.13.
Establish clear rules on the idling of vehicle engines.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.14.
Use other types of winter tires for company cars than studded tires, if possible.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.15.
Support the improvement of access and pathways to the near and/or distant environment.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.16.
Use locally appropriate, environmentally friendly sustainable materials when renovating existing structures, making additions to present buildings, or constructing new buildings.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.17.
Use native species for landscaping and restoration as much as possible.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.18.
Introduce the area's biodiversity to staff and customers and how the company supports it.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.19.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
6.20.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.
Community
|
Requires attention |
Done / completed |
N/A |
Add to action plan |
Explanations/Comments |
7.1.
Form long-term relationships and support community groups (e.g. cultural activities, sports clubs, nature conservation associations, charity organizations etc).
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.2.
Support individual local causes short-term, e.g. cultural,-art,- and sports activites, entrepreneurial activity etc.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.3.
Donate products or services to community projects.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.4.
Donate used equipment to schools or community groups.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.5.
Participate in a committee or the board of a local organisations.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.6.
Share knowledge and offer advice and guidance to local companies or community groups, focusing on the development of sustainable tourism services and products.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.7.
Collaborate with other tourism businesses in the area.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.8.
Only sell souvenirs made in the vicinity and / or in Iceland.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.9.
Offer vocational training courses in tourism.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.10.
Enhance the company's support of local community suppliers for procurement whenever possible.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.11.
Incorporate local expertise and engage the local workforce.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.12.
Hold an open house event for the local community.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.13.
Work with local government on community strategy according to the United Nations' global goals.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.14.
Work with the local council to assess the positive and negative impacts of tourism, including those of the company, on the surrounding community.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.15.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|
7.16.
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
☐
|
|