Code of Conduct

This Code of Conduct outlines the principles, guidelines, specific behaviours, and actions that are expected of all businesses that are working with the Green Tourism programme to achieve certification.

As a business working with the Green Tourism Programme, you are committing to the following principles:

Meeting all Minimum Standard requirements.
Appointing a green co-ordinator, who is responsible for maintenance of the sustainable management system, is the point of contact for the Green Tourism Programme / Assessment and further customer services communication.
Continuous improvement when planning, implementing, installing, and maintaining sustainability good practice as guided by but not limited to the Green Tourism Criteria.
Integrity, honesty, and transparency in completing the assessment process and in the provision of evidence to support claims and statements made about any sustainability actions undertaken by your business.
Integrity, honesty, and transparency in any claims and statements made internally or externally regarding your certification, award level and achievements of your business. This includes not making any excessive or misleading claims in relation to the products and services offered including sustainability claims.
Maintaining a professional, open and transparent relationship with the Green Tourism Programme with regard to the assessment process, provision of any requested additional evidence, prompt payment of annual fees and any communications about your involvement with Green Tourism that could negatively impact on the reputation of the programme.

The Code of Conduct must be signed by a senior manager / owner of the business and failure to maintain the standards and requirements of this Code of Conduct will result in the business being removed from the Green Tourism Programme.

The code of conduct is mandatory for GT certification and all measures below must be adhered to before any award can be confirmed.

MINIMUM STANDARDS

The Minimum Standards cover issues relating to your business and its legal and operational compliance as well as how it impacts on your local area, local community. These requirements do not need to be in place prior to joining the Green Tourism Programme but you will need to confirm that they have been implemented before your assessment can be completed.

You may consider that due to your business type, location, building style, local regulations etc that some of the Minimum Standards are not applicable to you. This should be noted against the appropriate standard with any supporting evidence or information as to why it is not applicable, and this will be reviewed as part of your assessment. Only if the evidence is corroborated and agreed by the Green Tourism Programme will any of the Minimum Standards be confirmed as not applicable to your business.

NOS	STANDARD
MS1	Commitment to Sustainable Management System (SMS)
	The business has signed the Code of Conduct and is committed to implementing a long-term sustainability management system that drives continuous improvement, is suitable to its size and scope and guided by but not limited to the Green Tourism Criteria.
MS2	Legal Requirements, Risk & Crisis Management
	The business ensures that the legal requirements considered include health, safety, labour and environmental aspects and that their SMS considers risk and crisis management issues
MS3	Legal and regulation compliance
	The organization is in compliance with all applicable local, national and international legislation and regulations.
MS4	Sustainability claims
	This business and this site agree not to make any excessive or misleading claims in relation to the products and services offered including sustainability claims. Marketing activities should be non-discriminatory in terms of gender, age, race etc.
MS5	Marketing communications
	Marketing communications are accurate with regard to the organization and its products and services, including sustainability claims.
MS6	Zoning / local plan requirements
	Land use is in compliance with zoning / local plan requirements with regard to permitted development. This business and this site ensure compliance with all local, national, and international planning legislation and regulations which are relevant to the destination.
MS7	Heritage consideration
	The business ensures that land use is in compliance with all legislation which are relevant to protected and sensitive areas and to heritage considerations.
MS8	Natural and cultural surroundings capacity
	The business ensures that planning, siting, design, construction, renovation, operation, and demolition of buildings and infrastructure take account of the capacity of the natural and cultural surroundings.
MS9	Natural and cultural surroundings integrity
	The business ensures that planning, siting, design, construction, renovation, operation, and demolition of buildings and infrastructure take account of the integrity of the natural and cultural surroundings.
MS10	Locally appropriate building and infrastructure
	The business ensures that planning, siting, design, construction, renovation, operation, and demolition of buildings and infrastructure are based where possible on locally appropriate practices and materials.
MS11	Sustainable Buildings
	The business ensures that planning, siting, design, construction, renovation, operation, and demolition of buildings and infrastructure are based where possible on sustainable practices and materials.
MS12	Land / water rights and property acquisition
	Land and water rights and property have been acquired in a legal manner and in compliance with local, communal, and indigenous rights, including their free, prior and informed consent and does not require involuntary resettlement of inhabitants.
MS13	Community services
	The activities of the business do not jeopardize the provision of basic services, such as food, water, energy, healthcare or sanitation to neighbouring communities.
MS14	Local livelihoods
	The activities of the business do not adversely affect local access to livelihoods, including land and aquatic resource use, rights-of-way, transport and housing.
MS15	Artefacts
	Historical and archaeological artefacts are not sold, traded or displayed, except as permitted by local and international law.
MS16	Wastewater
	Wastewater, including grey water, is effectively treated and is only reused or released safely, with no adverse effects to the local population and the environment.
MS17	Water sourcing
	Water sourcing is sustainable and does not adversely affect environmental flows.
MS18	Waste Disposal
	After all other waste reduction measures have been taken any residual waste disposal has no adverse effect on the local population or the environment.
MS19	Invasive species
	The business takes measures to avoid the introduction of invasive species.
M20	Wildlife Interactions
	Interactions with free roaming wildlife, taking into account cumulative impacts, are non-invasive and responsibly managed to avoid adverse effects on the animals concerned and on the viability and behaviour of populations in the wild.
MS21	Animal welfare
	No species of wild animal is acquired, bred or held captive, except by authorized and suitably equipped persons and for properly regulated activities in compliance with local and international law. Housing, care and handling of all wild and domestic animals meets the highest standards of animal welfare.
MS22	Minimize Pollution
	The business implements practices to minimize pollution from noise, light, runoff, erosion, ozone-depleting substances, and air, water, and soil contaminants.