Certification and Ecolabels

1. CHAPTER 11
CERTIFICATION AND ECOLABELS

2. CHAPTER OBJECTIVES:
• To define certification, ecolabels, accreditation, conformity assessment body and attestation
• To review the development of ecolabels
• To distinguish the different types of certifications, certification processes and labels
• To discuss the value of accreditation and third-party certification in hospitality
• To distinguish between process-based and performance-based certification
• To introduce the work by the global sustainable tourism council
• To review the three is labelling types and discuss those in relation to the hospitality industry
• To identify the aims of certification and ecolabels
• To present a step-by-step certification process for a hotel
• To discuss the development and value of micro-certification
• To explore the various types of environmental awards used in hospitality
• To discuss the challenges and opportunities in certification and ecolabelling

3. • Certification is a procedure by which a third party, the certifier, provides a
written insurance that a system, a process, a person, a product or a service
have conformed to the requirements specified in a standard or a reference
frame.
CONCEPT OF ECOLABEL
Certification schemes with a clear focus on environmental management and
sustainability issues are called ecolabels.
• Ecolabelling is a voluntary method of environmental performance
certification and labelling that is practiced around the world.
• Ecolabels are basically a brand placed on a product, service or
organization.

4. Accreditation differs from certification and ecolabelling in that it is a ‘third-
party attestation related to a conformity assessment body, conveying formal
demonstration of its competence, impartiality and consistent operation in
per-
forming specific conformity assessment activities.
• A conformity assessment body, as seen in the accreditation definition, is
the organization that performs the assessment activities.
• The attestation is ‘the issue of a statement, based on a decision, that
fulfilment of specified requirements has been demonstrated.

5. TYPES OF CERTIFICATIONS, PROCESSES AND LABELS CERTIFICATION
There are three generic forms of certification:
1.First-party certification some ecolabel schemes allow a company to self-audit
its activities and certify itself with an ecolabel.
2. Second-party certification also known as affiliate certification, allows a
corporation (e.g., a hotel chain) to have their own auditing schemes to certify
products, processes or services from an affiliate business or business-unit.
3. Third-party certification involves an independent certifier who is responsible
for the measurement, assessment and evaluation of results as
well as the decision on the attribution of the ecolabel.

6. Aims of Ecolabels
ecolabels have four aims:
1. Authentication the authentication of a product’s or service’s environmental
performance.
2. Information & promotion the promotion of information about a product’s or service’s
environmental performance, allowing consumers to make an informed purchasing
decision.
3. Competitive advantage the ability to gain a competitive advantage in the market
over other companies which are not certified.
4. Impact mitigation the assurance that environmental impacts have been mitigated.

7. Micro-certification
• Micro-certification has long existed within the
educational and corporate training sectors whereby an
individual, in the spirit of continuous learning, absorbs
bite-size information in a micro-learning setting. A
certificate is awarded or achieving certain set learning
objectives or other threshold in the form of assessment.

8. AWARDS IN HOSPITALITY
• Businesses and consumers have shown an increased interest in environmental awards. As
sustainable tourism and hospitality practices increasingly gain momentum around the world,
organisations and destinations are raising the bar on best practices. the basic concept behind an
award is to recognise the attempt by a company or organisation to find innovative solutions in
enhanced environmental management. The award schemes can be managed and awarded by
industry peers, trade associations, consumers, NGOs, governmental authorities or publishers.
WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS
• Established in 1993, the world travel awards acknowledge and recognise excellence in the global
travel and tourism industry with categories such as the world’s leading conservation company, the
world’s leading eco-lodge, the world’s leading green resort and the world’s leading sustainable
tourism destination. The judges are made up of international industry peers, including professionals
from travel agencies, hotel groups, tour and transport companies and tourism organisations (world
travel awards, 2021).

9. WORLDWIDE HOSPITALITY AWARDS
• The worldwide hospitality awards, created by MKG group in association with the hotel,
tourism and restaurant (htr) magazine, is an annual event where individual hotels and hotel
groups compete in various categories. one category is the best initiative in sustainable
development & social responsibility. This is awarded to an initiative that demonstrates active
involvement in the sustainable development of a hotel or hotel group based on three criteria.
ECOTROPHEA
• Another example of a third-party award is the ecotrophea, organised by the german travel
association (deutscher reise verband or drv). Established in 1987, the ecotrophea awards
exemplary international projects in tourism showing commitment to environmental protection
and social responsibility in destinations.

10. CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
• The trend towards certification and ecolabelling has increased greatly in the past decades primarily because
it is perceived as an important promotional tool for hospitality businesses.
Disadvantages:
• many ecolabels overlap, making it difficult to select the appropriate one
• general proliferation of ecolabels leaves consumers confused
• abuse of ecolabel claims by unscrupulous hoteliers
• cost of application, implementation and audits
Advantages:
• cost savings can be achieved through implementation of certification guidelines and standards
• ecolabels provide enhanced visibility and marketing opportunities
• ecolabels allow for industry benchmarking and recognition
• implementation of certification guidelines and standards boosts employees’ morale and motivation
• a hotel’s economic, environmental and social performance increases following the implementation of
certification guidelines and standards

11. CHAPTER 12
MARKETING AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
The objectives of this chapter are:
• To examine the evoking consumer behaviour in response to the concept of
sustainable development
• To explain the factors influencing a responsible consumption decision process
• To analyse behavioural variances towards consumption
• To identify the principles of responsible marketing for hotels and restaurants
• To grasp the competitive advantages in practising responsible marketing
• To reveal the concept of branding in relation to green operations

12. The Consumer and Sustainable Development
• It is important to differentiate between basic needs such as eating, drinking, dressing and the more
transitory, infinite, subjective and changing desires. According to the phenomenon of zero or
negative growth, to consume is not considered a pleasure in its current form, but rather an act of
despair. Indeed, in most developed countries, the basic needs may not be considered as
particularly important and the majority of consumption is based on compulsive wants.
Considerations on Motives for Responsible Consumption
• If an individual regards their potential contribution to the human and environmental balance as
effective, the relationship between their attitudes and their behaviour regarding green consumption
tends to be strong. If, on the contrary, the same individual does not recognize the effect of his own
behaviour, attitude and behaviour will diverge. The ratio contribution to remuneration is not
perceived similarly between individuals and justifies different behaviours.

13. RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION MODEL
• personal purchase choices can be structured around individual
determinants including physiological state, preferences, knowledge,
perceptions and other psychological factors. however, while
individual determinants are necessary, they are not sufficient to
explain a responsible purchasing behaviour. Collective
determinants refer to interpersonal influences on responsible
purchasing behaviour, the environmental, the physical, economic
and social environment as well as public policies

14. BEHAVIOURAL VARIANCES TOWARDS CONSUMPTION
• For consumers, a decision-making process regarding a purchase could be complicated and
perplexing, reflecting the influences of various psychological traits.
The following sections explain the significance of the above key psychological influences in relation
to product innovation and service delivery:
1. Motivation: this is a psychological construct coinciding with individuals’ needs and wants. From
managers’ perspectives, in the stage of product development, it is important to know what the
motive influencing consumer purchase intention is. In tourism settings, motivation can simply be
described as either escaping from daily routines or seeking something new.
2. Perception: in the decision-making process, individuals tend to form an evaluative platform
according to their perceptions of a particular product or service in relation to their perceptions
of other products or services under purchase consideration. the formation of product/service
perception is evoked via influences from various informational sources.

15. 3. Attitude: in icek ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour (1985), attitude is regarded as one of the
three determinants that have a direct impact on behavioural intention (e.g., motivation). As a
result, a positive attitude 553 toward products and services under consideration may further
encourage an individual’s purchasing decision for the product considered.
4. Decision-making: when individuals make a purchase decision, they may go through different
stages of evaluation and consider a host of standards for the evaluation. Information search is
considered a valuable factor in the decision process.
5. Satisfaction: a feeling towards a particular product or service may quickly emerge as soon as
consumers purchase the product/service. Such a feeling, in a positive or negative way, may only
last for a short time before it changes to a different emotional direction according to usage
experiences, product characteristics and some environmental factors.

16. GREEN MARKETING AND SUSTAINABILITY
• The origins of green marketing can be traced back to the brundtland commission’s
definition of sustainable development, found in the commission’s landmark report, our
common future. A company’s decision to adopt this course lies in its desire to establish,
maintain and enhance customer relationships.
FROM GREEN TO SUSTAINABLE MARKETING?
• Marketing has a tremendous influence on the environmental and social impacts of
businesses and their products, policies and production processes. Indeed, in most
businesses, marketers play an important part in developing a corporate strategy and
it is considered that the boundaries between ‘corporate’ and ‘marketing’ strategies
are often blurred.

17. THE MARKETING PS REVISITED
• The sustainable development paradigm, founded according to three axes of social
equity, environment and economy, provides the base for the augmentation of the
classic four PS of marketing (product, price, place and promotion) with the three PS of
sustainable development people, planet and profit.
Sustainable development is often represented as a triangle in order to emphasize the
three objectives to follow:
• The economy (creation of wealth for the shareholders and all stakeholders through
modes of production and consumption which are sustainable)
• The environment (the conservation and the management of resources)
• The social equity (equity and participation of all social groups)

18. THE FOUR PS OF RESPONSIBLE MARKETING
• The concept of responsible marketing (planet, people, profit, progress) is intimately
bound up with the three axes of sustainable development. Businesses do not
operate in bubbles. The activities of competitors, suppliers, distributors and
consumers all play a role in the impact a particular company will have whether it is
environmental, social or economic.
PRINCIPLES OF RESPONSIBLE MARKETING
• Responsible marketing ought to represent a shift in emphasis away from traditional
approaches focused on a certain aspect of a product towards an ethical
approach, which takes a holistic view of the product from cradle to grave and
considers the context in which it is produced.

19. Competitive Advantages from Responsible Marketing
A responsible marketing strategy does the following:
• Differentiate the brand;
• Mitigate risks and identify opportunities;
• Increase customer retention and brand loyalty;
• Drive innovation and creativity;
• Protect reputation and build strong brands;
• Motivate employees;
• Retain the best staff;
• Delight customers;
• Save costs;
• Attract investment

20. Green Marketing versus Greenwashing: The Fine Line
The danger businesses always face is of being accused of greenwashing.
Greenwashing is described as:
the efforts by companies to portray themselves as environmentally responsible in order
to cover up environmental misdemeanours.
Greenwashing
• Greenwashing is the advertising campaign. For example, companies use pictures
of a green and pleasant countryside with a blue sky overhead to suggest
environmental compatibility and sustainability.
Green marketing(or environmental marketing)
• Is the promotion of environmentally friendly products, services, and initiatives.
More specifically refers a broad range of environmentally friendly practices and
strategies.

21. SUSTAINABLE CLAIMS AND COMMUNICATIONS
• Communications will be a key element in any marketing
process. accurate information should be communicated to all
stakeholders and particularly customers. The central message
should always be visible, understood, relevant and honest.
Companies that are promoting an environmentally friendly
image, products and services must be precise in the claims
they make.

22. In short, the claims must embody the following traits:
• Truthfulness and accuracy- Although there are not yet requirements to have
information independently verified, many hospitality companies work with various
agencies developing sustainable standards and certification programmes.
• Relevance- It is important to explicate the green products or services delivered and
the potential impacts associated with them.
• Clarity- The providers should clearly state which environmental issue or aspect of
the product the claim refers to.
• Explicitness- It is wise to add background information concerning any green-
related symbol used in the claim, unless the symbol is required by law, or is backed
up by regulations or standards, or is part of an independent certification scheme.

23. Factors Influencing Brand Values in Hospitality
In a highly competitive environment, it is imperative to comprehend the potential factors which could
directly impact the consumer’s perception of the value of brand.
• Visiting experiences- Prior service experiences often alter the perception of a brand in either a
more positive or negative fashion.
• Reputation- A positive perception of a brand in the mind of consumers shapes a brand value.
• Green Manifestations- To construct a brand associated with environmentally friendly practices
which are respectful to the host community, the evidences of service should be saliently unveiled.
• Service Innovation- Hospitality firms have long built an image as an industry constantly in search
of excellence in delivering optimal lodging, meal and service experiences via product innovation.
• Loyalty Programme- A loyalty programme for frequent visitors should not only centre on financial
incentives.

24. BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE HOSPITALITY BRAND
In the hospitality industry, the subject of branding is high on the agenda of many
marketing executives. In the field of green branding, hospitality businesses have
chosen either an expansion of their brand or a contraction. A green brand expands
by including a green product brand in an existing product line.
Image creation
• In the image formation process, consumers first evoke their perception of a brand
organically. In this stage, the consumers have no prior knowledge about the
brand. However, the image of brand may quickly change once the consumers
explore the information of the brand. Advertising is the typical method of
communication to enhance the consumer perception of products/services.

25. PRODUCT POSITIONING
• In a competitive market environment, understanding the strengths and
weaknesses of a particular brand help a firm vigorously position its
brand in the marketplace.
SEGMENTATION
• Hospitality firms in general attempt to serve the needs of diverse
groups of customers. In reality, a business establishment is not likely to
fulfil the needs of all its customers. in the hospitality business, the
concept of segmentation aims to attract demand from core groups of
customers who are likely to purchase hospitality services and products.
in deploying branding strategy, it is important to evaluate who the
potential customers are.

26. VALUE CO-CREATION
• In a fast-track economy, hospitality consumers are constantly confronted with new
ideas or services and may not be fully aware of the underlying benefits
connected with these services. As a result, customers may not appreciate those
services specifically catering to their needs and hesitate to use the service.
SERVICE EVALUATION
• Not all services or products are likely to meet customer expectations at every
point in time. Product designers and service providers should find out the
obstacles detrimental to the growth of the brand. to boost service quality in
response to customers’ needs and wants, various evaluative mechanisms on service
performance should be built up in a systematic way.

27. Submitted by: Gerald Sugaste
Coralyn Joy Silva
John Leonard Solis
Kyla Pillora
BSHM 4C
Submitted to: Jhenry Pearl M. Concepcion
Instructor