Since our recently gained accreditation, we proudly announce that Control Union Certifications issued the first accredited GSTC certificate worldwide to one of our first GSTC clients in Greece.
The certification audit was conducted at the end of April 2017 in Greece, reviewing the hotel’s practices against a diverse set of criteria including environmental impacts, working environment, and respect for local cultural heritage. Based on the outcome of the audit, a positive certification decision was taken.
The GSTC standard is a unique standard for sustainable tourism. The criteria for Hotels and Tour operators are based on the 4 pillar principles to achieve sustainable tourism for now and in the future:
• Sustainable management
• Socioeconomic impacts
• Cultural impacts
• Environmental impacts
In 2016, GSTC accredited international inspection and certification body, Control Union Certifications (CUC) to certify businesses to its criteria. “The GSTC criteria go a step beyond the other sustainability certifications on the market,” said Socrates Antsos, Certification Manager at Control Union Greece. “While most certifications focus only on environmental impact, GSTC is more holistic, also measuring the business’ relationship with the community, respect of traditional cultural heritage, and opportunities for local employment.”
