The French ski resort of Tignes has earned the world’s first ever Green Globe certification. Tignes won the awards based on categories including: social, economic, cultural, and environmental approach to tourism.
Press Release: Tignes is the world's first ski area to earn Green Globe certification thanks to efforts led by the area's lift company, the STGM (Société des téléphériques de la Grande Motte).
Green Globe is an international certification program to award efforts made by companies in the tourism industry for their social, economic, cultural, and environmental approach. As of today, it is the only existing system of common sustainable development and social responsibility standards for companies in the tourism industry. Green Globe certification relies on a partnership with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GTSC), Agenda 21, and the principles for sustainable development approved by 182 governments during the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio.
The program consists of a set of 40 criteria that include more than 300 compliance indicators. Covering such areas as management, sustainable development, support for local industries, and environmental protection, Green Globe certification requires companies to make a long-term commitment. Certified companies have to demonstrate significant improvement from one audit to the next – conducted every two years – to maintain their certification (greenglobe.com).
Tignes now ranks among the 450 tourism companies across the world with Green Globe certification, and is the only ski area on the list. The 3680 high resort offers skiers the chance to enjoy 74 runs 42 weeks out of the year, and is recognized worldwide for complying with strict international standards that encourage sustainable development in tourism.
Green Globe certification also places an emphasis local employment, an issue that STGM executives care deeply about. "Our role as a major local stakeholder pushed us to initiate the Green Globe certification process. We are developing purchasing and hiring policies that favor the local economy and local employment. Our goal is to continue to pursue this commitment, which is beneficial both environmentally and socially," explains Nicolas Provendie, CEO of the STGM.
The commitment to sustainable development is nothing new. Since 2008, the STGM has been ISO 14001 certified to reduce its environmental impact; more than 100 lift towers have been dismantled and removed from the ski area. Every year grass is planted to better integrate the ski runs into the landscape, to provide a more stable base for the snowpack, and to restore local biodiversity. The STGM regularly renews its bus fleet, offering an efficient and environmentally-friendly bus service to guests, who are encouraged to leave their cars in the parking lot when vacationing at the resort. In 2013, the STGM created an environmental monitoring committee to measure and evaluate the effect new projects will have on the local landscape and to inventory species of plants and animals within the ski area.
In February 2015, the STGM started the process to comply with Green Globe standards. The ski area received official certification this September, an achievement made possible thanks to the hard work and implication of the STGM's 290 employees.
The STGM, key figures:
Altitude: 1850 to 3300 meters – Surface area: 3680 hectares – Ski runs: 74 – Lifts: 40 – Skier days: 1,571,000. www.tignes.net
