Integration of biodiversity into CSR processes in tourism - Baseline Study

The tourism industry is one of the least regulated economic sectors. Apart from a few legal provisions regulating the compliance with social and environmental minimum standards – which again are subject to greatly varying degrees of implementation – most of the existing instruments and guidelines are non-binding. Surveys suggest, however, that tourists are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their holidays. In this context, CSR processes play a significant role. The baseline study from adelphi, ECOTRANS e.V. and the Global Nature Fund included a review of the international, European and German policies covering biodiversity, tourism and CSR. Standards and awards were then screened to see whether their policy documents included relevant terminology and if they included criteria related to biodiversity. The study found that standard organisations, awards and tourism operators now take certain aspects of biodiversity into account. However, there is room for improvement in terms of information provision and the uptake of new concepts in CSR processes.