Responsible bodies
Fishing in the Vaal Dam. Photo © GTA
Fishing in the Vaal Dam. Photo © GTA
Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa
Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) was originally launched in 2001 by the South African office of the World Conservation Union – the world’s oldest and largest environmental network – with the objective of finding practical solutions to local environmental and developmental challenges.
FTTSA is a registered non-profit organisation that promotes responsible tourism through awareness-raising, advocacy, capacity-building and community development initiatives and the facilitation of the world’s first, and still only, tourism “fair trade” certification scheme.
The FTTSA green rating system assesses tourist accommodation, attractions and activities, and enables green-thinking tourists to embark on holiday packages with a minimal carbon footprint. The system takes into account environmental management, low energy and water usage, waste avoidance and recycling, and encourages green building design and construction, minimal use of chemicals and a focus on biodiversity.
Tourists looking for a greener experience can now access an easy-to-use e-guide, available free on the FTTSA website, that provides an overview of all FTTSA-certified tourism businesses in South Africa. It includes backpacker lodges, guest houses, safari lodges and hotels. FTTSA-certified tour operators and adventure activity operators are also featured.
More than 110 hotels, bed and breakfast establishments and tourism companies in South Africa have already been FTTSA certified, as well as seven businesses in Gauteng.
FTTSA certification adds value to tourism businesses in two ways: firstly, by linking products to markets using FTTSA’s worldwide network of 50-plus tour operators that promote certified businesses and associated fair trade itineraries; and secondly, the rigorous certification process is deliberately developmental – feedback processes help businesses to improve the sustainability of their operations through, inter alia, improved skills development, community investment, procurement and prevention of HIV/Aids.
FTTSA certification directly and indirectly benefits staff, suppliers, communities, guests and certified businesses themselves.
FTTSA also provides leadership and technical assistance on responsible tourism development by working closely with the government, industry associations and local and international development agencies.
Food and Trees For Africa
Food and Trees for Africa (FTFA) is the first (and still only) South African social enterprise that develops, promotes and facilitates greening, climate-change action, food security and sustainable natural resource use and management. Instead of a corporate gift, FTFA enables a green gifting alternative. For large summits and conferences, each delegate has a tree planted in their name by FTFA that will offset the summit carbon emissions.
There are many good reasons why trees are the perfect gift. Trees are a symbol of life; a lasting gift that cleans our air, sinks carbon emissions, reduces erosion, provides shade, reduces noise, helps to keep our water clean, provides fruit, nuts and medicine, provides wildlife habitat and contributes to civic pride.
Heritage SA
Heritage South Africa is a responsible body that provides tourism-related businesses with an environmental management system. The Heritage Environmental Certification Programme is designed to reduce and limit the impact that operations have on their environment. Heritage incorporates the standards of seven international programmes in a three-tiered approach to sustainability certification.
Heritage is the preferred partner for sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands of Green Globe Certification and Green Globe International Inc.
Heritage and Green Globe Certification offer the only co-certification option in tourism-based eco-certification globally.
The Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI)
SASSI is an initiative of the World Wildlife Fund that aims to limit the effects of overfishing in southern Africa’s oceans. Aside from other interventions, SASSI’s fish food database for consumers indicates on the green list what fish are in plentiful supply, which are less in supply on the orange list and which are vulnerable (or on the red list). The graded list is available on SASSI`s mobi site. Alternatively, SASSI offers consumers an on-the- spot query and answer service via ‘FishMS’. Simply type the name of seafood species and SMS it to 079 499 8795 to find out whether you should tuck in, think twice, or try something else.
The Green Leaf Environmental Standard
The Green Leaf Environmental Standard is an international standard that measures green accommodation, green business, green products, green conferencing and green events.
Those organisations and products that have undergone a Green Leaf eco audit will bear the Green Leaf icon on their marketing material.