GSTC
Sustainability Certification in Travel and Tourism
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC) is an international non-governmental organization formed in 2007 with the support of UNEP, UNWTO, conservation groups, and key travel and tourism businesses.
It is the leading global authority in setting and managing global standards for sustainable travel & tourism, known as the GSTC Criteria.
It is the leading global authority in setting and managing global standards for sustainable travel & tourism, known as the GSTC Criteria.
GSTC Certification
GSTC Certification
GSTC Certification is a premier certification for the tourism industry, ensuring compliance with the highest global standards in hospitality. It can only be conducted by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body, providing the highest level of assurance and credibility available today.
Benefits of GSTC Certification
Global Standard and Compliance
Ensures adherence to top international sustainability standards and meets stringent EU and global regulations, including Green Claims Directive and anti-greenwashing efforts.
Accredited Third-Party Certification
Guarantees transparency and impartiality, aligning with international norms, addressing and mitigating greenwashing concerns.
Enhanced Visibility on Major OTAs
Ensures prominent visibility on major online travel agencies (OTAs), aligning with their evolving sustainability policies.
Ensured Operational Excellence and Responsibility
Ensures that your business operates with sound management practices that prioritize long-term sustainability.
Cost Savings
Improves efficiency and reduces costs through effective resource management and enhancement of sustainable practices.
Continuous Improvement
Fosters ongoing innovation and improvement in sustainable practices.
Quality Recognition Label
Offers a unique GSTC logo with a traceable code for quality recognition and marketing purposes, enhancing credibility and attracting eco-conscious guests.
Meaningful Contribution to Better Future of Nature and People
Ensures a significant positive impact on the conservation of nature, protection of cultural heritage, and improvement of livelihoods for local communities.
Pursuing GSTC certification drives operational excellence and enhances your reputation, all while significantly contributing to the well-being of people and our planet. This is why many organizations, even those already holding other sustainability certifications, choose GSTC certification to amplify their impact and deepen their commitment to a sustainable future.
Why Choose UCSL for GSTC Certification?
Our GSTC certification is independently verified by Travalyst, a coalition of major travel brands like Booking.com, Google, and Expedia Group.
Global Presence with a Network of Local Representatives & Auditors
We provide skilled auditors across various regions, ensuring you receive the highest quality GSTC Certification service tailored to your specific location. Operating globally, we focus on the following areas:
- All European Countries (including the UK, Balkans, and Eastern Europe): Representatives located in Cyprus, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Albania.
- Caucasus: Dedicated services available across the region with a special focus on Azerbaijan.
- Middle East: Comprehensive coverage throughout the entire region.
- Asia, Oceania & Australia: Services provided across the entire region, with a special focus on India and Japan, and a local auditor and representative based in India.
- North, South, and Central America, and the Caribbean: Comprehensive coverage across the Americas, supported by an auditor based in Mexico.
Unmatched Expertise
Our team of sustainable tourism experts, with over 90% holding PhDs, are recognized globally for their passion and professionalism by prestigious international sustainability awards. They possess extensive knowledge of various industry sectors, local regulations, markets, and languages. We provide tailored solutions to meet your specific needs, all with the meticulous attention to detail that defines premium service.
GSTC-Accredited Certification Body
We at UCSL are proud to be one of the first GSTC-Accredited Certification Bodies, providing GSTC Certification for Hotels and Tour Operators.
Partner Aligned with Your Values
At UCSL we transcend the traditional role of a certification body, emerging as pioneers in research and education, spearheading positive change within the tourism industry. Through leadership in research, conservation, and educational efforts, our team embodies our mission, collaborating closely with NGOs and governments worldwide to promote and implement sustainable practices.
We offer services in English, Spanish, Italian, French, Albanian, Russian, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and Chinese.
For assistance and more information about our services in your preferred language and region, please contact our Head Office Program Manager at: a.zavadskaya@UCSL.eu
How to Become GSTC-Certified with Us?
How to Become GSTC-Certified with Us?
We ensure a transparent and well-supported certification process from start to finish. Here are the key stages of GSTC Certification for hotels and tour operators with our team:
Application Submitting
Contact us to receive an Application Form in your preferred language, tailored to your specific case. This form gathers key details about your business (scope of certification) to determine the audit's duration and cost.
Contract Conclusion
Upon receiving your application, we promptly prepare a Commercial Offer outlining the costs and certification procedures. After agreeing on the terms and conditions, we sign the certification contract and begin planning the audit.
Pre-Audit Remote Documentation Review
As the first stage of the assessment process, we provide a detailed list of required documents for the audit – our ‘translation’ of the GSTC Criteria. Our thorough remote review helps identify any gaps or missing information in advance, and enable the onsite audit to focus more effectively on other critical aspects of your operations.
Preliminary Audit (Optional)
As part of the audit preparation, we can conduct a preliminary assessment (online, onsite or hybrid) to evaluate your property's compliance with GSTC Criteria. This audit results in a detailed report, highlighting any gaps and areas for improvement.
Initial Audit
The initial audit typically lasts for two full days and involves a comprehensive assessment against all GSTC Criteria. Our auditors visit your sites and conduct interviews with staff and suppliers. As a result, you receive a detailed report outlining all audit findings and your sustainability efforts in relation to the 42 GSTC Criteria.
Certificate issuance
If no nonconformities are identified, the GSTC certificate, valid for 3 years, is issued within several days after the initial audit.
GSTC Certificate is valid for 3 years, requiring re-certification thereafter
GSTC Certificate is valid for 3 years, requiring re-certification thereafter
Annual surveillance audits, typically lasting no longer than 1.5 days, affirm your continued compliance with GSTC Criteria.
At the end of the certification cycle, a full 2-day audit is conducted to evaluate compliance, and a new certificate is issued based on the results.
We Provide Single, Group and Multi-Site GSTC Certification
- Single CertificationDesigned for individual businesses to achieve certification for a single location. The organization receives an individual GSTC certificate.
- Multi-Site CertificationAllows a business with multiple locations to certify all its sites under one certification process, ensuring consistent sustainability standards across all operations. We audit the head office and a sample of the sites, issuing a single certificate for the entire multi-site organization.
- Group CertificationAllows a collection of independent businesses to achieve certification together, leveraging shared resources and streamlined auditing processes. It's especially advantageous for small and medium-sized enterprises. A single certificate is issued for the entire group.
Our Clients
What Our Clients Tell About Us
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
“Being GSTC-Certified is a testament to our dedication to not only offering luxury but also being responsible stewards of our environment and community. The process was certainly comprehensive and thorough. From initial evaluations to accommodating rigorous on-site audits, it took us several months to become certified by UCSL. Being situated in the heart of London, there were unique challenges related to space and urban dynamics. However, this certification makes us exceptionally proud as it signifies our commitment to sustainability, even within the urban and historically rich setting of London.”
Casale Panayiotis Hotel (Cyprus)
“As the first and only hotel in Cyprus to be GSTC-Certified, this recognition reinforces our unwavering commitment to sustainable practices and eco-friendly initiatives… We owe a huge thank you to UCSL United Certification Systems LTD for their relentless efforts in pushing us to achieve GSTC Certification. Their guidance has been instrumental in steering our sustainability journey towards success… We are proud to lead the way in Cyprus and inspire others to join us in creating a more sustainable and responsible tourism industry.”
S Paul Hotel (Cyprus)
“For us, GSTC Certification is very important. It’s not something we wanted for the marketing; it’s something we believe in and something we respect. Having that certificate means people can actually find the information and see the work we’ve done. If you’ve gone through an audit, it’s actual proof that every single detail is checked and that you’ve been awarded the certificate because you’ve done things in respect to the planet and sustainability. So, it was worth the time, the effort. It was amazing because we’ve learned so much, thanks to UCSL United Certification Systems LTD.”
GSTC Criteria
The GSTC Industry Criteria for Hotels & Tour Operators
encompass 42 essential benchmarks distributed across four foundational pillars:
encompass 42 essential benchmarks distributed across four foundational pillars:
(A) Sustainability Management
demonstrating effective sustainable management
(B) Social & Economic Benefits
maximizing benefits to the host community and minimizing negative impacts
(C) Cultural Heritage
maximizing benefits to communities, visitors and culture, and minimizing negative impacts
(D) Environment
maximizing benefits to the environment and minimizing negative impacts
Our Partners
Our Partners
Certification Details, Rights and Duties
The GSTC certificate is issued to the Client if this Client:
- Conscientiously and in proper time fulfills all requirements of Contract, including covering payments of all types of audit and fees, including accreditation fees.
- Constantly fulfills (complies with) all provisions of certification standards and other applicable normative acts and the certification body's reports.
- If the scope of certification is to be changed, the Client shall inform the certification body about it and the CB shall take a decision.
To confirm the certificate's validity during its validity period the Client shall:
- Fulfil all requirements of certification system and certification body's applicable normative documents.
- Fulfil all certification system's and certification body's requirements regarding public and other statements, logos, certification marks and use of trademarks for the promotion
- Not to prevent the certification body and/or certification system and/or accreditation body from conducting all audits to confirm the Client's conformity with all requirements of the system's and CB's normative documents.
- Fulfil the procedure on responding and dealing with any complaints and appeals received by the Client, affecting the scope of its certification or potentially affecting it.
The Client shall inform the certification body in a written form directly before or at least within ten (10) calendar days since fulfillment of the following changes:
- changing of its management structure, in particular changes in top management, changes in staff who can make binding decisions affecting the certification, as well as changes in the composition of technical staff responsible for the processes included in the Client's certification scope;
- changes of its' status, in particular the legal, commercial, institutional or organizational changes in the legal form and / or ownership form;
- changes of contact information of the Client and / or its responsible staff and other similar changes;
- changes in the quality management system
GSTC has full rights on GSTC logos, trademarks, and trade names. Trademarks and trade names include GSTCouncil, Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Travel Forever, GSTC-Recognized и GSTC-Accredited. Prior to using any logos, trademarks, or trade names of GSTC, the Client concludes license agreement with GSTC that implies special fees (royalty) for its use; the amount of the royalty is fixed in the license agreement. The Client has to use the GSTC logo in accordance with GSTC Logo Terms of Use.
The certification body has the right to suspend or withdraw the certificate immediately in case if the Client ceases meeting the requirements imposed on him by the certification scheme. The certification body will conduct surveillance audits of the certified Client annually.
If due to the Client's fault it is impossible to carry out stipulated activities, the certificate shall be suspended, which will be immediately entered by the certification body in the certificate database; and the Client will be sent a notice about the reasons, suspension timeframes and conditions to renew the certificate.
If the Client does not fulfil conditions required to renew the certificate's validity within the timeframes stipulated by the certification body, then the certificate is withdrawn, information about which is reflected by the certification body in the GSTC database of issued certificates.
If due to the Client's fault it is impossible to carry out stipulated activities, the certificate shall be suspended, which will be immediately entered by the certification body in the certificate database; and the Client will be sent a notice about the reasons, suspension timeframes and conditions to renew the certificate.
If the Client does not fulfil conditions required to renew the certificate's validity within the timeframes stipulated by the certification body, then the certificate is withdrawn, information about which is reflected by the certification body in the GSTC database of issued certificates.
- The Client does not pay for certification services or has paid not in full.
- The Client directly or indirectly keeps the CB, certification system and/or accreditation body from conducting audits required.
- Based on the audit findings, 5 (five) and more Major nonconformities to the requirements of the standards applicable during the assessment have been identified.
- If the Client refuses to pay the annual fee for any reason.
- without additional notices by the СB, give back the certificate to the certification body or eliminate its original as well as make a commitment to eliminate any electronic and hard copies at its disposal with providing the certification body with evidence of the specified actions;
- cease using any certification system's and CB's trademarks;
- stop making claims implying that the Client comply with the certification system requirements;
- provide access and do not keep CB and certification system's representatives from conducting audits to confirm that the Client has fulfilled these obligations after withdrawal and/or suspension of the certificate.
- remove all variants of use certification system name, initials, logo, certification marks or trademarks from its products, documents, advertising or marketing materials at his own expense.
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