There are over 200 eco labels in the tourism industry alone. How many can your customers name?
This is the question I pondered when I worked at a tour operator.
Tourism has more than 200 eco labels worldwide. Your customers can't tell them apart, and most can't name one.
Why I stopped chasing certification badges
I wanted the travel company I worked for to be better for the planet. I knew there was lots of room for improvement, but I had no idea where to start.
Getting certified as a sustainable business seemed like a good place to start.
But certification felt wrong. Their business model was essentially:
"Tick 70% of our boxes (on our 20-page PDF), pay us £5,000 per year and you can put our badge on your website."
That badge wouldn't generate more sales, and in my case, it would not have improved the company as we could already tick 70% of the boxes.
I thought there must be a better way.
Sustainability is a performance metric, not a tick-box
By its very definition, holidays are not currently "sustainable". We could not do them again and again. Each trip damages the environment (primarily through carbon emissions which heat up the planet).
But I want a future of adventures, seeing beautiful places, and meeting fascinating people.
So I made it my mission to design sustainable adventures. Here is how I do that:
Step 1 was to work out how we scored today.
For us, the biggest impact we were having was on climate change.
So I measured the carbon footprint of all the trips that departed in the last year, and divided that number by the total number of customers in that year.
This gave me the average carbon footprint per customer: 1,456 kg of CO2e.
This was the starting point.
All future trips must have a smaller carbon footprint than this.
And we would keep doing this, each year, until our carbon footprint wasn't an issue any more.
Saying you are "sustainable" on its own no longer cuts it
Since 2026, you can no longer say:
- Generic environmental claims are banned in the EU. Terms like "eco-friendly", "green" or "climate friendly" are considered greenwashing for being too vague and potentially misleading to your customer. You can be fined up to 10% of global turnover.
- Not all Sustainability labels are ok. They must be based on a certification scheme with independent third-party monitoring.
- Offset-based "carbon neutral" claims are banned. You can't call a trip "carbon neutral" or "reduced impact" because you bought carbon offsets.
- Future pledges need a plan. "Net zero by 2040" needs a realistic plan with measurable targets, checked by an independent expert.
What you can say:
- Say what you have done, what you plan to do and what you never had time to do.
- Avoid labels, stick to the facts. For example: "Last year our carbon footprint was 1,456 kg of CO2e per customer. This year we are aiming for it to be 5% smaller. We aim to do this by working with Ecollective, who will teach us how!"
Certification vs measuring sustainability performance: an honest comparison
Certification isn't the villain here. A certified business is likely better than one with no certification. The question is whether it's the best use of your time and money.
| Certification / eco label | Measuring sustainability performance | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | A badge to put on your website | A number to improve, whatever stage your business is at |
| Acceptable under the new rules? | Some are, some aren't | Yes, they love specific claims based on fact |
| Shows progress? | Once passed, businesses often stay stagnant | Yes, Year-on-year trend you can track and improve |
| Will it increase sales? | Not really | Not really, but it could save you money |
How to treat carbon like a performance metric
You don't look at your revenue once and forget about it. You track it, set targets and ask why it moved. Sustainability deserves the same treatment.
- Pick an intensity metric that fits your product: kg CO2e "per guest night", "per customer" or "per £1 of revenue".
- Set a baseline year and measure the whole carbon footprint of your business for that year. (Or get some carbon geeks like us to do it for you in a fraction of the time.)
- Set a target. Typically, businesses aim to improve by around 5–10% each year.
- Improve, improve, improve. The results, if done right, will show you the smartest way to reduce your carbon.
- Talk about it. Like you would to a friend. No labels, just the results and the plan ahead.
Want to know your starting number? Book a free call with Charlie and we'll show you how to measure it.
FAQs: eco labels and green claims for travel companies
Are eco labels banned for travel companies?
No. Labels are still allowed in the EU if they're based on a certification scheme with independent third-party monitoring, or set up by a public authority.
Can I still describe my holidays as "sustainable" or "eco-friendly"?
Not as a standalone claim. You need proof to back up that statement, which is difficult. You can, though, show how your business takes sustainability more seriously than others and how that positively impacts the experience.
Can we still offset our emissions?
Yes. You can fund carbon projects and say so factually. What you can't do is use offsets to claim a trip is carbon neutral or has a reduced or positive climate impact. There are smarter ways to spend your money. Such as insetting!.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Based on Directive (EU) 2024/825 and the CMA Green Claims Code. This article is general guidance, not legal advice.
