These ideas all involve collaborating with other businesses or organisations.
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Create a sustainability plan
6 minute read • Last published: 25 February 2025
There many other opportunities for Scottish tourism businesses to enhance the sustainability of every aspect of their operations, laying the groundwork for long-term benefits. By implementing practical changes like partnering with responsible suppliers, publishing transparent reports, and connecting with like-minded organisations, you’ll reduce your environmental impact, strengthen community ties, and secure a brighter future for your business.
Ideas for long-term changes
These solutions are more complex, labour-intensive, and expensive but offer substantial long-term benefits.
Transition to electric vehicles (EVs) for business travel
Transport is one of the largest contributors to emissions in Scotland, so transitioning to electric or hybrid vehicles is crucial for helping Scotland achieve its Net Zero emissions target by 2045.
- Impact – it can take at least a few years to fully transition and see cost savings from reduced fuel consumption.
- Cost – initial investment is expensive, but savings on fuel and government incentives can reduce the overall spend.
- Specialist Support – EV suppliers, local government incentives, and charging infrastructure providers can help.
Install renewable energy systems (solar, panels, wind)
Install renewable energy systems like solar panels or small wind turbines to generate your own energy.
- Impact – renewable energy generation is essential to reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Depending on the scope, transition to renewable systems can take six months to a year.
- Cost – high initial investment, but long-term savings and environmental benefits make it a worthwhile investment.
- Specialist Support – renewable energy consultants or companies like Energy Saving Trust can guide you through the process.
Green building certifications and retrofitting
Retrofit existing buildings with energy-efficient systems (eg, geothermal heating, water recycling) and pursue green certifications such as BREEAM or LEED. These assess a building's environmental performance, focusing on energy efficiency, resource conservation, and occupant health.
- Impact – retrofitting makes buildings more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, while certifications enhance your business’s sustainability credentials. This supports Scotland’s need to decarbonize the built environment. Expect to dedicate 1-3 years (depending on the business) for retrofitting and the certification process.
- Cost – high, but the long-term savings on utilities and improved business sustainability can make it a wise investment.
- Specialist Support – green building consultants or architects can guide you through the certification process.
Work with sustainable suppliers
Choosing sustainable suppliers is crucial to reducing your business's environmental footprint and satisfying eco-conscious customers.
Steps to take
- Assess supplier practices – research and select suppliers who implement eco-friendly practices such as renewable resource use, waste reduction, and ethical labour standards.
- Local sourcing – source locally where possible to reduce carbon emissions associated with transportation. This not only lowers environmental impact but supports the local economies.
- Certified suppliers – work with suppliers that hold sustainability certifications, such as Green Tourism, ISO 14001, or other recognised standards. The Green Tourism scheme is a widely recognised accreditation programme that helps businesses minimise their environmental impact.
- Other ideas – develop partnerships with other local businesses, such as those in the food or transportation, to ensure that all elements of your supply chain are working towards sustainability goals. You can also explore VisitScotland’s Sustainable Business Programmes for further collaboration opportunities.
Overcome supply challenges
Cairnie Fruit Farm
Switching to sustainable practices may present logistical challenges, particularly when sourcing eco-friendly products and services. Understanding how to overcome these barriers is crucial for long-term success and creating longer term supply chain resilience in the face of climate change.
Steps to take
- Build strong supplier relationships – cultivate partnerships with suppliers who are committed to sustainability. Work together to support each other’s climate action plans and align your supply chain with your sustainability goals.
- Source locally – use local suppliers to reduce carbon emissions from transportation and strengthen the local business community.
- Diversify – work with a range of sustainable suppliers to ensure flexibility and resilience in your business operations.
- Other ideas – explore the possibility of joining industry consortia or coalition to collaborate with suppliers, increase economies of scale – allowing businesses to grow while reducing production costs, saving money and improving supply chain efficiency.
Consult with sustainability experts
Expert consultancies such as Ecollective provides guidance on how to integrate sustainability into every facet of your business and offers solutions for overcoming challenges.
Steps to take
- Carey Tourism – specialising in sustainable tourism, the Scottish-based Carey Tourism offers advice to businesses in the sector on how to reduce their environmental impact and enhance community engagement.
- Small99 – this small business consultancy offers insights into responsible offsetting practices.
- Green Business Consultancy – this organisation offers services to help businesses improve sustainability across a range of areas, including waste reduction and energy efficiency.
- The Climate Springboard – this programme offers tailored online workshops available to Scottish small and medium enterprises, covering topics related to net-zero strategies and supply chain requirements.
- Other ideas – engage with consultancies that focus on specific aspects of sustainability, such as carbon footprint calculation, waste management, or energy audits, to ensure that your strategies are comprehensive and targeted.
Engage in networking opportunities
Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery
© Barry Stuart
Certifications and awards confirm commitment to sustainability and can make your business stand out in a competitive market.
Steps to take
- Join industry networks – participate in group like SCOTO (Scottish Community Tourism) or other groups aimed at promoting sustainability within the tourism sector.
- Attend sustainable tourism events – conferences and workshops are excellent opportunities to learn, share insights, and collaborate on sustainability projects.
- Engage with VisitScotland’s Travel Trade Team – this team helps connect businesses that are committed to responsible tourism. Networking through VisitScotland's platform can enhance your visibility and open new business opportunities.
Share best practices in Scottish tourism
Share your experiences and success stories to build a community of responsible tourism businesses, driving collective action in the sector.
Steps to take
- Join knowledge sharing platforms – join forums, webinars, and industry events to exchange ideas, case studies, and strategies for promoting sustainability.
- Contribute to research – by contributing to sustainability research or case studies, you help to shape the future of responsible tourism in Scotland and beyond.
- Create a sustainability network – build or join local networks of tourism businesses committed to sustainability. Share resources, experiences, and advice to collectively raise standards across the sector.
- Other Ideas – host your own workshops or seminars on sustainable tourism to help other businesses implement best practices and raise awareness, and consider contacting your MP, SMP, or local councillor to lobby for greater support for policy initiatives that promote sustainability in the tourism sector.
Marketing ideas
Ideas
These ideas all involve sharing your sustainable story with customers and other interested partners.
Integrate sustainability into marketing materials and communication plans
Promoting your sustainability efforts in your marketing materials helps attract the growing segment of sustainable travellers.
Steps to take
- Promote sustainability across all channels – communicate sustainability efforts in all marketing materials, including brochures, websites, and social media platforms. Use storytelling to demonstrate how your business supports the environment and local community.
- Highlight certifications and awards – showcase sustainability certifications, such as Green Tourism, and share the recognition you’ve earned through awards like the Scottish Thistle Awards.
- Educational campaigns – Use your marketing platforms to educate customers on how they can travel more responsibly and what your business is doing to reduce environmental impact.
- Other ideas – contact your local DMO for opportunities to collaborate with others on sustainability themed campaigns You could also co-create sustainability-focused content with local tourism bodies and other businesses.
Apply for recognitions and awards
Certifications and awards confirm commitment to sustainability and can make your business stand out in a competitive market.
Steps to take
- Scottish Thistle Awards – this prestigious award recognises excellence in Scottish tourism, with categories specifically dedicated to responsible tourism practices.
- Green Tourism Accreditation – this UK-based certification provides a formal recognition of your efforts in sustainability and is widely respected by both the industry and customers.
- Green Key – this is another green certification programme, as well as an international ecolabel, for tourism establishments such as hotels, campsites, and attractions.
- EarthCheck – a global certification that helps the tourism industry boost its sustainability efforts by focusing on efficient resource use and environmental responsibility.
- Other Ideas – consider applying for environmental or innovation-based recognitions. For example, awards like the Eco Awards or Green Key Certification may broaden your reach.
Understand net zero
Understanding sustainability and its importance to your business, community, and country is key to making meaningful changes. Achieving net zero—balancing greenhouse gas emissions with removals—is crucial in tackling climate change. For Scottish tourism, this is both a challenge and an opportunity to build a sustainable future. Explore key FAQs, government targets, and resources to help you get started.
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