A change was made in the existing Green Globe system criteria in the summer of 2010: Instead of the original 125 criteria the system was modified to 36 criteria and 320 indicators. The big change had become necessary due to suggestions from among the Green Globe members and changing framework conditions, e.g. climate change:
Clarity and logic: the criteria are now better explained by their respective indicators.
Transparent decision-making: while the 36 mandatory criteria must be met, it is only necessary to achieve a certain, but always elucidated number of indicators (e.g. 6 out of 11). If the target is met, a “pass” will be given in the headline.
Safety: While it was previously necessary to upload all documents to Green Globe and make them available they now do not have to be externally uploaded any more. Only the name of the document, the date of creation, the location where it can be found in the company and who is responsible must be noted. All documents remain in the company and will only be examined once by the auditor on-site and, when the member has made the necessary changes, sent to the auditor in CD format.
Practicability: The members usually make a folder according to the criteria/indicators marked A.1 to D.3 in their own intranet, for example, calling it “EVVC/Green Globe Müller” and save all necessary data there.
EVVC compatibility: Due to their special situation EVVC members do not have to set the targets for water, energy or waste. This exceptional rule has been agreed with Green Globe.
Audit team: Since the summer of 2010 a Green Globe accredited and trained team of auditors has been established in Germany and Austria. Thus, almost every EVVC member now has an auditor in the vicinity. Advantage: Approx. 10% cost savings through elimination of travel and accommodation costs and general short distances.
Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria: For the last two and a half years, around 40 international organizations, including the environmental agency of the United Nations UNEP and the World Tourism Organization UNWTO, have been working on a uniform minimum standard for sustainability label. Also with regard to this upcoming international GSTC standard, which is designed to guarantee the examined sustainability of appropriate signs and labels, similar to FSC for wood or MSC for fish, it was necessary to make changes. With the new method the EVVC/Green Globe Certification is up-to-date and thus prepared for the future.
All EVVC members will receive direct help from the auditors during the transition. There is no time pressure; the transition can be made in the course of a year. The annual improvement of 3% will also be determined. No member will have less percentage than before.
