NOW Climate Positive Program & Award Offer
The NOW Climate Positive Program & Award is a project cooperation led by It Must Be NOW,
together with EarthCheck (the world’s leading certification for sustainable tourism organisations and destinations)
and with the owner of high integrity Carbon Offset Projects worldwide.
To champion a climate positive future, we offer:
A fully funded Integrated Sustainability Program for up to 10 years. EarthCheck Certified + training 30 persons/year + annual independent audit for accountability
NOW communication tools for transparency to all stakeholders.FUNDING VALUE: CHF 15,000.00/year
No repayment is required. Instead save this amount.
Commit to a sustainability pathway and take action. Benchmark and track performance (energy, water, waste, carbon and community + employee impacts) and maximize reduction. After an independent audit, start to purchase carbon credits to further reduce carbon emissions at the end of Year 2. MINIMUM PURCHASE: CHF 15,000.00/year
Exclusive access to high quality and high integrity Carbon Offset Projects
with pricing capped for up to 10 years to control the risk of rising prices.
2022 – 2023 SPECIAL OFFER
NO JOINING FEE
now membership fee Year 1: CHF 1,000.00 (50% Discount)Year 2 onwards: CHF 2,000.00/year
WHO Qualifies?
Hospitality companies, tourism facilities and education establishments that join the NOW Force for Good Alliance.
WHY the Urgency?
The time window is critical and based on our current carbon emissions worldwide, we have just over 6 years left to limit global warming to 1.5°C (34.7°F). Half a degree higher to 2°C (35.6°F) will be catastrophic, significantly worsening the risks of drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty for hundreds of millions of people. According to leading scientists, Net Zero by 2050 is now ‘too little too late’ and Climate Positive strategies are urgently required.
Sustainability has been at the heart of Soneva ever since we launched our first resort back in 1995. We are proud to partner with It Must Be NOW and the NOW Climate Positive Program. As a business, we strive to be an example of how luxury, profitability and an exceptional guest experience can co-exist with a deep care for the earth, its ecosystems and its people. As we face the increasing impacts of man-made climate change, our industry must take an active role in championing a climate positive future, to secure our precious planet and its resources for many generations to come.
Soneva. Sonu Shivdasani, Founder & CEO
Member of the NOW Force for Good Alliance since 2018
It Must Be NOW offers the scope to take action to make sure that we are doing the right thing. Net zero is not good enough, therefore climate positive is the new goal.
Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin. Stephan Stokkermans, Managing Director
Member of the NOW Force for Good Alliance since 2018
It Must Be NOW is an invitation for collective action. In the Now resides an endless stream of love among humans and their celestial, terrestrial, and marine environments. Beyond the Now, love is no longer in the air: it is everywhere.
Adrère Amellal. Dr. Mounir Neamatalla, Pioneering Enfironmentalist & Founder
Committed to becoming a NOW Member in early 2023
The Process
Registration
Register interest to join the NOW Force for Good Alliance. NOW will arrange a presentation and discussion. Receive password to access application.
APPLICATION
To join, submit Application with NOW Climate Positive Survey and Due Diligence Questionnaire.
AGREEMENTS
NOW Force for Good Alliance Agreement – initial pages, sign & return via email. Send original via courier.
Carbon Offset Provider – Offtake Agreement
EarthCheck – License for EarthCheck Certified and training, plus Independent Audit
INVOICE
Pay annual NOW Force for Good Alliance Membership Fee via bank transfer and email proof of payment to NOW.
TRAIN & CURATE
NOW training to curate worksheets for NOW Tools.
EarthCheck Certified training for Sustainability Coordinator and team (Up to 30 persons per year).
ACTIVATE ACCESS
Add NOW Sustainability Trust Icon +URL in digital communication material (website). Add QR codes in directories, magazines, meeting boards, menus and website, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Announce partnership in press release and coordinate marketing activities.
ACTION & COMMUNICATE
Action EarthCheck sustainability program.
Use NOW Tools to communicate with transparency and engage all stakeholders.
REVIEW, AUDIT & OFFSET
NOW annual review on maximized usage of NOW Tools. Prepare for EarthCheck arranged Independent Audit. Plan to purchase carbon credits before the end of Year 2.
Sustainability Certification
with Independent Audit
The world is scrutinising with increasing urgency the way the industry monitors and reports on its sustainability performance. Credible measurement and reporting are essential to be accountable and demonstrate year-on-year improvement. Using a science-based approach, EarthCheck help increase efficiencies, maximise guest experiences and minimise environmental footprints.
EarthCheck is the world’s leading certification, consulting and advisory group for sustainable destinations and tourism organisations.
View EarthCheck CertifiedEarthCheck Training to
Build Capacity
EarthCheck’s self-paced micro-credential courses are designed for busy professionals.
NOW Members will receive the EarthCheck Certified program with support from a Relationship Manager and vital training for up to 30 employees each year to build knowledge and enhance understanding of sustainable principles which embeds new processes and practices that can be replicated and sustained.
View EarthCheck CoursesFAQs
Introduction to Sustainable Tourism Leaders
The Introduction to Sustainable Tourism Leaders must be completed as a full set
to provide practical insight into what it means to deliver sustainable tourism and hospitality experiences.
Each course has 10 micro learning topics = 5 hours x 3 courses = 15 hours TOTAL
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Course 1
Introduction to sustainability in travel and tourism
Understand sustainability principles and sustainable models of practice. Overview all aspects of sustainability (economic, social, environmental and cultural) and explore the governance principles required for successful implementation.
- Introduction
- Defining Sustainability
- How Sustainable Tourism Evolved
- Environmental, Social, Economic & Cultural Sustainability
- Destination Case Study
- Consumer Trends
- Expectations in Travel
- Implications of Trends
- Mentoring Businesses for Change
- Conclusion
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Course 2
Principles of Sustainable Tourism, Goals & KPI's
Understand the key measurement areas for a destination and overview the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the role a destination has to play to deliver meaningful outcomes.
- Introduction
- Sustainable Development
- Sustainable Management
- Governance
- Case Study
- Sustainable Development Goals in tourism
- Implications for Policy & Marketing
- Case Study - Hawaii
- Sustainable Tourism Measures
- Conclusion
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Course 3
Role of Sustainability in Experience, Development & Marketing
Explore how sustainability fits across the customer journey and its importance across customer engagements. Learn how to share with potential customers and guests with authenticity and transparency.
- Introduction
- Consumer Journeys & Sustainability
- Experience Development Process
- Implications
- Case Study Slovenia
- Greenwashing
- Engaging Behavioural Change
- Developing a Communications Plan
- Case Study
- Conclusion
Three courses will cover Sustainable Events, Understanding Net Zero and Risk, and Resilience.
More detail will be available soon.
- Certification helps businesses to improve themselves: undertaking a certification process is educational. Many certified businesses have stated that one of the greatest benefits of the certification process was to teach them the elements ofsustainability (risk, resilience and hygiene included) in their operations and focus their attention on the changes theyneeded to make in their businesses. A better-operating business tends to be more efficient and to attract more clients andis reported to lead to more engaged and supportive employees.
- Certification tends to reduce operating costs. This has been found in almost every type of business certification. In tourism, it has been shown to dramatically reduce the costs of water, electricity, and fossil fuels, without reducing the quality of service. We have independent research from Griffith University, using our data, supporting this claim.
- The process of implementing certification of sustainable tourism is often accompanied by easier access to technical assistance and financing for businesses to implement new technology – the business is educated about these technologies, while donors and financial institutions are more likely to offer low-cost financing. We are doing a huge amount in sustainable finance and green bonds at the moment. Liquidity and confidence are key pillars here.
- Certification can provide a marketing advantage to certified businesses, as consumers learn to recognise credible certification brands. This has happened in other industries, such as organic foods, wood products, clothing, wine, etc...
By becoming a certified EarthCheck Certified business, you will join an established global network of like-minded organisations striving for excellence. Increasingly, visitors are demanding authentic, unique and environmentally sustainable experiences. In this new era of travel, people are now actively seeking local experiences that enrich, awaken, and transform them. They want to ignite something new within themselves by consciously connecting with and appreciating the stories and activities that make a destination a special place to visit and live.
EarthCheck certification is about much more than the tourism sector: real, tangible environmental sustainability is demonstrated by how the community operates. We, therefore, encourage you to consider engaging with neighbouring businesses and residents throughout this process.
At its core, certification is a way of ensuring that an activity or a product meets certain standards. Certification sets standards and helps distinguish genuine sustainable tourism organisations from others that make claims that cannot be substantiated, or merely indicate a desire to act in a specific way. This helps to protect the integrity of these concepts.
The EarthCheck Certified program will require you to provide leadership, and an integrated and inclusive approach to support sustainable outcomes. An overarching sustainability committee can assist in helping to achieve organisational wide participation in delivering the required outcomes through facilitation and communication.
It is recommended that one representative from the organisation is the main lead and contact for this program. This person is required to liaise with multiple departments, the local tourism organisation, community groups and other stakeholder levels. EarthCheck’s Relationship Management team works closely with the representative to assist with the integration of the management system, performance measures and submission.
The assessment process starts with an online engagement session with your team. This will be facilitated by your allocated Relationship Manager and is equivalent to a half day of technical support. We have Relationship Managers located in offices across the world including Canada, Spain, Italy, China and Australia.
You’ll work through the online process with support from EarthCheck via phone, email or face to face. The process of certification allows you to proceed at your own pace, however the average application period is 10-14 months. Engagement with cross departmental colleagues and community stakeholders is crucial throughout the process.
You’ll work through the online process with support from EarthCheck via phone, email or face to face. The process of certification allows you to proceed at your own pace, however the average application period is 10-14 months. Engagement with cross departmental colleagues and community stakeholders is crucial throughout the process.
Once ready for certification, an independent third-party auditor is appointed. The audit is undertaken onsite to verify the documentation and data submitted online and to offer opportunities to deliver site specific information. An audit normally takes two to three days (depending on the scope of the operation and level of impact).
Following completion of an onsite certification audit, you’ll receive an onsite certification audit report. The report is a qualitative evaluation of the organisation’s performance against the criteria of the EarthCheck Certified Standard highlighting areas of best practice and non-conformance.
If you successfully meet the requirements of the Standard, you’ll be awarded Certification and use of the Certified logo to promote your achievement. Marketing and communication tools are provided to assist you and the team in spreading the news of your certification.
For those organisations deemed low impact, an onsite audit will only be required every alternate year. In the year they do not have a visit, the member is required to submit an Annual Return. For those organisations deemed high impact, an onsite audit will only be required every year.
EarthCheck Certified includes the following:
Relationship Managers act as the key point of contact for members for technical support and program information. They also assist with the coordination and administration of benchmarking assessments and certification services for defined regions. Members will have a minimum of 30 hours access to a dedicated Relationship Manager.
Access to the MyEarthCheck technologyplatform which will deliver practical tools, data templates, management reporting and a dedicated business software program. The software platform provides an easy-to-use, secure reporting framework to centralise the collection of sustainability data. It will enable destinations to measure, monitor and report their environmental, social and financial performance.
MyEarthCheck carbon reporting of Scope 1, 2 and 3 aligns with:
- Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories;
- World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Greenhouse Gas Protocol;
- International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) 14064 range of standards for greenhouse gas accounting.
- It is also a verified standard accepted by the CDP. Further details on EarthCheck greenhouse gas methodology is available here.
Members will be provided access to online tools such as the EarthCheck Company Standard, EventCheck, EarthSafe, Sector Benchmarking Indicators, FAQs, Benchmarking Software, Self- Assessment Checklist, Templates, Guides, Case Studies and other resources will also be made available for the site to download.
IMPACT is determined by:
- Size: Over 500 guest rooms is deemed as High iImpact.
- Location: Within an environmentally and/or culturally sensitive area is deemed as High Impact. Sensitive areas include but are not limited to world heritage listed areas, areas set aside for environmental and/or cultural protection, marine parks, beaches, rivers, lagoons, wetlands/swamps, alpine/artic areas, tropical islands/coral reefs, national/state parks, areas set aside for indigenous people or specific national and state or regional environmental, social and cultural legislation requirements.
- Staff levels: Over 500 full time equivalent staff is deemed as High Impact of an organisation.
INDEPENDENT AUDIT
For those organisations deemed Low Impact, an onsite independent audit will only be required every alternate year. In the year they do not have a visit, the member is required to submit annual reports.
For those organisations deemed High Impact, an onsite audit will be required every year. The number of days will be determined by the independent auditor.
Businesses exist to make a profit. A business that integrates environmental aspects into its vision and also into the operation of it saves costs and deepens the connection with customers / guests, for whom the environment is also important. This deeper connection requires efficient and credible communication.
A hotel company that makes a public document accessible to its guests and stakeholders is a good step ahead of non-certified hotels. For a hotel it is an extraordinary achievement to collect, calculate and published data based on correct facts and a solid method.
It is at this point, where an independent audit creates additional value. An independent audit strengthens the credibility of published data. When this verified data is used for targeted communication, the data can turn ordinary guests into brand ambassadors. Brand ambassadors are guests who become fans through a special or outstanding experience. The experienced business manager knows; it is cheaper to retain guests than to acquire new guests.
The EarthCheck Independent Audit will be arranged with a Relationship Manager when ready for certification. The audit is undertaken onsite to verify the documentation and data submitted online and to offer opportunities to deliver site specific information. Following completion, you’ll receive an onsite certification audit report. The report is a qualitative evaluation of the organisation’s performance against the criteria of the EarthCheck Certified Standard highlighting areas of best practice and non-conformance. If you successfully meet the requirements of the Standard, you’ll be awarded Certification and use of the Certified logo to promote your achievement.
EarthCheck provides the following additional services:
EarthCheck can support members efforts in reviewing key documentation requirements including:
- Policy
- Legal Register
- Action Plan
- Risk Assessment
- Environmental Management System
- Complaints Handling Policy & Procedure
- Waste Management Plan
- Communications Plan
EarthCheck provides a range of target setting services to support outcome-based strategies at a group or individual site level.
Data Mining and Mapping
Data mapping is the life blood of any data integration process. Without a proper data mapping strategy, data transformation and filtration errors can occur that can lead to poor quality data. This directly impacts business analysis, forecasting and business decision making. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain integrity throughout the EarthCheck data mapping process. EarthCheck can support your data mapping process to ensure it is used to integrate all the disparate data sources and helps your team make sense of them. Data mapping helps you establish the relationships between separate data models from disparate sources or systems. Examples include:
- Full export and analysis of 3 years' data.
- Full export of 3 years' data and analysis by Client
Action Plan Review for Targets
EarthCheck can develop action plans for key tactical initiatives. We have clustered initiatives into categories including:
- Change of (operational) Practices
- Equipment Maintenance
- Equipment Replacement
- Equipment Upgrades (incl. Retrofitting)
- New Purchases
- Community Engagement
Target Webinar
Can be delivered at the halfway point in the certification cycle to remind a member of their targets and provide them with ideas to develop initiatives.
CDP Reporting
EarthCheck is CDP Approved and have functionality and capacity to support CDP reporting.
CSR and Science-based reporting
EarthCheck’s best practice methods, software solutions and diverse product portfolio enable us to now offer our clients integrated, tailored and effective reporting solutions.
EarthCheck have deployed custom Benchmarking indicators for corporate clients. This moves beyond optional indicators and can incorporate baseline and best practice mapping developed in conjunction with the client and the not-for-profit EarthCheck Research Institute. Examples include:
- Skills Building,
- Preservation of Arts & Crafts,
- Entrepreneurship,
- Conservation of Heritage Sites,
- Responsible Neighbourhoods,
- Educational Scholarships and
- Food Donations.
EarthCheck offer a service to support the development and delivery of sustainability contests e.g. EarthCheck assisted Taj Hotels with a “Smart Water” contest.
- EarthCheck reviewed the initiatives based on scoring criteria (innovative, low cost, sustainability, and replicability) and:
- Calculated the percentage improvement over baseline for participating members.
- EarthCheck, Taj HQ and Water Specialist also formed part of the jury and provided their scoring results.
Sustainability Webinars
These engaging webinars are aimed at GMs and Department heads. Webinar contents can include:
- What is sustainability? / Why does sustainability matter?
- Why does sustainability matter in tourism?
- Sustainable operations & how EarthCheck fits in?
- What role can the different departments play?
- How to get buy in from owners?
Engineering Forums
EarthCheck have developed a one-hour interactive webinar, facilitated by one of our lead auditors. The topics for discussion can be based on the most requested topics identified by client. The webinar discussions can be recorded and made available for subsequent download by the members. Ongoing exchange of issues is facilitated via an on-line portal.
Non-conformance Analysis
EarthCheck offer a corporate summary of all corporate non-conformances raised during audits to assist group coordinators identify areas of key focus.
EnergyCheck
The EnergyCheck program enables a member to map and compare its operational performance against their plant and equipment to identify optimal performance opportunities. This allows targeted CAPEX expenditures to be identified and presented to owners and management companies.
Supply Chain Tool
EarthCheck offers an online Supply Chain Tool (Developed in conjunction with Banyan Tree) to assist in:
- Monitoring vendors’ commitments to sustainability
- Identifying heroes to celebrate
- Ensuring sustainability is core to the supply chain of a corporate group
EarthCheck’s Sustainable Supply Chain program ultimately aims to provide a long-term online solution to ensure that suppliers working with EarthCheck members maintain high standards in regard to areas such as:
- International Standards
- Human Rights
- Labour
- Governance
Communication of an organisation’s environmental and social commitment, goals and objectives are required as per the EarthCheck Company Standard:
The organisation shall implement a comprehensive Communications Strategy to inform all stakeholders on the:
- Environmental, Energy and Social Sustainability Policy, Programs and Initiatives
- Sustainability & Energy performance based on its EarthCheck Benchmarking Performance Report
- Related activities as a result of participating in the EarthCheck Program
The organisation’s public information (including promotional materials) must be accurate and complete and not promise more than can be delivered. All promotional tools should provide an honest representation of what services an organisation provide and should reflect the responsible and sustainable strategies that the organisation undertakes. All public materials must be maintained and updated regularly.
It is important that all stakeholders including management, employees, customers and the local community understand the organisations goals and objectives, why they’re important, and how they can positively contribute to the organisation’s efforts in each of their individual roles.
The organisation shall encourage customers and suppliers to engage in the organisation’s environmental, energy and social programs.
The organisation shall inform customers in an accurate manner about:
- Local culture, customs and ways of life;
- Natural areas and environmental issues;
- Appropriate behaviour from guests whilst visiting natural, cultural and heritage sites; and
- How best to contribute to the local economy.
The organisation shall be proactive in raising awareness of local and global environmental issues with key stakeholders and interested parties.
NOW Communication Tools
NOW Tools makes it easier for NOW Members to communicate environmental and social commitment and accountable actions with transparency to engage all stakeholders.
NOW Sustainability Tool
Raise the bar on sustainability reporting and elevate your organization’s communications to build trust, engage the support of all stakeholders and avoid accusations of greenwashing.
DiscoverNOW Offset Carbon Tool
Available in mid 2023.
NOW Resources
NOW Think-to-Action Tank
An internal network exclusive to NOW Members to collaborate, cross promote and share ideas, innovative actions, concerns
Carbon Offset Projects
Exclusive access to a global portfolio of high-quality certified Carbon Offset Projects
that support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
NOW Award
Members of the NOW Force for Good Alliance that achieve Climate Positive will receive a NOW Climate Positive Award plaque and extensive PR support.
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