Tanya Dohoney has worked on sustainability initiatives for decades. A retired lawyer from Texas who now lives in Paris even started a recycling program for her workplace. When it comes to travel, she also appreciates environmentally and socially responsible companies, which led her to choose Intrepid Travel, a certified B Corp company, for a tour of Morocco in 2019.
The sheer number of sustainability certifications for the travel and tourism industry is almost overwhelming and certainly confusing. Certified B Corp businesses must meet standards set by B Lab, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit organization founded in 2006 that awards for-profit companies with certifications for social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. It can take years – and thousands of dollars – to achieve this accreditation. Globally, there are only 62 certified B Corps in the travel industry and 76 in the accommodation and hospitality sector.
“When you see the B Corp logo, I know it’s at least semi-audited,” Ms. Dohoney, 64, said. “I worry about greenwashing, but you have to start somewhere.”
Other travelers, increasingly concerned about the environmental and social impact of planes, trains, food waste and more, feel the same way, and a growing number of travel companies are undergoing the B Corp certification process, joining multi-million dollar brands like Patagonia and Athleta, to differentiate themselves from competitors.
Aurora Expeditions, a small ship tour operator focusing on polar travel, has been certified in 2024, joining other travel companies such as accommodation company Sawday’s and tour companies Selective Asia and Byway. However, Hayley Peacock-Gower, Aurora’s head of marketing, said the company had focused on sustainable travel since its inception.
“A lot of that work we were already doing, but now we’ve committed to much more accountability and we’ve made a legal agreement on sustainability,” he said, adding that Aurora also amended the company’s bylaws and formalized internal policies as part of the process. B Corp. .
What is the certification process?
Companies are rated on five criteria — governance, worker rights, community impact, environmental impact and “their customers’ business” — and must achieve an evaluation score of 80 or above to pass B Lab’s “Impact Assessment.” Once approved, a company must pay an annual fee based on gross annual revenue and location. For US-based businesses, this ranges from $2,000 for companies with less than $500,000 in gross annual revenue to $50,000 for companies with $750,000 to $1 billion in revenue. (Some organizations, such as those owned by women or veterans, may also qualify for reduced fees.)
“B Corp certification gives tourists confidence that they are visiting and using providers that are responsible,” said Jorge Fontanez, managing director at B Lab for the United States and Canada.
With more than 2,909 employees, Intrepid Travel is the largest B Corp in the travel industry, earning its certification in 2018.
“When there’s so much green fatigue and so many certifications, it’s really hard to tell what’s best,” said Mikey Sadowski, Intrepid’s vice president of global communications. “We felt like B Corp really had that disproportionate advantage and disproportionate level of confidence.”
To meet B Corp standards, Intrepid, which offers travel to 120 countries on seven continents, focuses on initiatives such as hiring local drivers, sourcing local ingredients and materials, and reducing carbon emissions by designing itineraries by train — instead of to use air transport — when possible.
The Australia-based company recently completed its B Corp recertification, which in 2024 includes an annual fee of A$51,750 ($33,625) and another A$900 ($585) filing fee, Mr Sadowski said. For their initial certification in 2018, the company also paid a one-time verification fee of A$14,500 ($9,573).
Who is left out?
While this certification can provide insight into a company’s environmental and social initiatives—and perhaps maximize profits by winning the business of like-minded travelers—these tours and accommodations often target customers with deep pockets.
For travelers on a budget or those traveling on a less economical means, it can be difficult to find affordable travel companies with B Corp certifications.
“The reality is that B Corps generally leans towards the luxury side of the market. And the idea of having B Corp guesthouses, for example, is very rare,” said Nick Pinto, a 31-year-old Colorado-based marketing manager who spends several months of the year working and traveling abroad.
Mr. Pinto calls himself a “budget-savvy traveler” and found himself splurging on B Corp accommodations.
“It’s hard because you want programs like B Corp to include exclusions to create a broader movement,” he said. Mr. Pinto recently spent several weeks in Mexico, but noted that there were only two certified B Corp hotels in the country.
A third company, Hoteles BF, has since been certified.
What other certifications are out there?
Lots of it, along with guidelines, verifications and ‘eco stars’. The latter, a certification issued by the for-profit Ecostars, assesses the environmental impact of hotels per guest stay. This certification, free to download and apply for, is a fully digital process that takes an average of two days to obtain. Other certifications measure sustainability efforts for short-term lodging, tour groups, and other subsectors of the travel industry.
To be certified by 1% for the non-profit organization Planet, founded by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard and flyfishing company Craig Mathews of Blue Ribbon Flies, member companies must commit to donate 1% of their gross revenue. in environmental organizations. Annual fees start at $500.
The non-profit World Council for Sustainable Tourism, whose members include government tourism boards, travel companies, tour operators and NGOs, audits sustainability certificates.
Organizations also rely on guidelines and resolutions issued by the United Nations as part of the entity’s sustainable development agenda. The guidelines call for biodiversity and climate action initiatives, as well as energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy in accommodation. The courses and webinars, which are free to register and view, charge a per-course fee of 49 euros ($53) if a user wants to complete assignments and receive a certificate of completion.
Many tour operators and travel companies have additionally announced efforts to achieve net carbon neutrality, but carbon offsets have been shown to rarely capture or reduce actual emissions or reduce future emissions. Tour operator Run the Alps used to offset flight emissions for travelers who come on its tours, but the company is reconsidering the practice.
“Offset is not the panacea we hoped it was,” said Hillary Gerardi, director of sustainability at Run the Alps. “We’re trying to go from being good to doing good, which means beyond reducing our footprint, we’re trying to leave some positive impact on our community.”
The tour operator is a member of 1% for the Planet and works with local research center and citizen science organizer CREA Mont Blanc.
But even when a travel company is committed to sustainability, B Corp certification can be a big ask for smaller operations.
“We are fully compliant with B Corp status, but until this year we were a very small company. The certification and the process would be too burdensome,” said Doug Mayer, the company’s founder.
But with the company growing, Mayer is considering taking the plunge.
“I can see it coming for us,” he said.
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