The GSTC Criteria and the UN SDGs

What are the UN Sustainable Development Goals?

In 2015, the UN set an ambitious 15-year plan to achieve by 2030, which addresses some of the most pressing issues the world is facing.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a universal call to action by all countries, regardless of their economic status, to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection.

What is the relationship between the GSTC Criteria and the Sustainable Development Goals?

There is a strong relationship between the GSTC Criteria and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By up taking the GSTC Criteria, you are helping to meet the UN SDGs. Economic, environmental, and societal dimensions are all addressed by the GSTC Criteria. Destinations and organizations looking to contribute to the SDGs will find that the GSTC Criteria and other GSTC-Recognized Standards provide effective tools to help them rise to the challenge.

Corresponding SDG to each criterion of the GSTC Destination Criteria

The GSTC Destination Criteria v2.0 and the GSTC Industry Criteria for Hotels and Tour Operators, include performance indicators designed to provide guidance in measuring compliance with the Criteria. Application of the Criteria will help destinations and organizations contribute towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Against each of the Criteria, one or more of the 17 SDGs is identified, to which it most closely relates.

B1 Measuring the economic contribution of tourism

B3 Supporting local entrepreneurs and fair trade

B4 Support for community

B7 Safety and security

B8 Access for all

D7 Water quality

D8 Wastewater

D12 Light and noise pollution

B2 Decent work and career opportunities

B4 Support for community

C7 Site interpretation

B2 Decent work and career opportunities

D6 Water stewardship

D7 Water quality

D5 Energy conservation

B1 Measuring the economic contribution of tourism

B2 Decent work and career opportunities

B3 Supporting local entrepreneurs and fair trade

A9 Planning regulations and development control

B1 Measuring the economic contribution of tourism

B2 Decent work and career opportunities

D11 Low-impact transportation

B5 Preventing exploitation and discrimination

B8 Access for all

A5 Resident engagement and feedback

A6 Visitor engagement and feedback

A7 Promotion and information

A8 Managing visitor volumes and activities

A9 Planning regulations and development control

A11 Risk and crisis management

B6 Property and user rights

C1 Protection of cultural assets

C2 Cultural artefacts

C3 Intangible heritage

C4 Traditional access

C6 Visitor management at cultural sites

C7 Site interpretation

D12 Light and noise pollution

A3 Monitoring and reporting

A4 Enterprise engagement and sustainability standards

A6 Visitor engagement and feedback

A7 Promotion and information

A8 Managing visitor volumes and activities

B3 Supporting local entrepreneurs and fair trade

C3 Intangible heritage

C6 Visitor management at cultural sites

D9 Solid waste

A10 Climate change adaptation

D10 GHG emissions and climate change mitigation

D11 Low-impact transportation

D1 Protection of sensitive environments

D2 Visitor management at natural sites

D3 Wildlife interaction

D4 Species exploitation and animal welfare

D8 Wastewater

D9 Solid waste

D1 Protection of sensitive environments

D2 Visitor management at natural sites

D3 Wildlife interaction

D4 Species exploitation and animal welfare

D9 Solid waste

A1 Destination management responsibility

A11 Risk and crisis management

B5 Preventing exploitation and discrimination

B6 Property and user rights

B7 Safety and security

C5 Intellectual property

A1 Destination management responsibility

A2 Destination management strategy and action plan

A4 Enterprise engagement and sustainability standards

A5 Resident engagement and feedback

A8 Land water and property rights

B7 Decent work

B3 Local purchasing

D2.4 Solid waste

B1 Community support

D2.3 Wastewater

D2.5 Harmful substances

D2.6 Minimize pollution

A4 Staff engagement

B1 Community support

B7 Decent work

C1 Cultural interactions

B5 Exploitation and harassment

B6 Equal opportunity

B8 Community services

D1.4 Water conservation

D2.3 Wastewater

D1.3 Energy conservation

B2 Local employment

B3 Local purchasing

B4 Local entrepreneurs

B7 Decent work

A7.3 Buildings and infrastructure – Sustainable practices and materials

A7.4 Buildings and infrastructure – Access for all

B1 Community support

A7.4 Buildings and infrastructure – Access for all

B2 Local employment

B5 Exploitation and harassment

B6 Equal opportunity

A7.1 Buildings and infrastructure – Compliance

A7.2 Buildings and infrastructure – Impact and integrity

A7.3 Buildings and infrastructure – Sustainable practices and materials

A8 Land water and property rights

A9 Information and interpretation

A10 Destination engagement

B8 Community services

B9 Local livelihoods

C1 Cultural interactions

C2 Protecting cultural heritage

C3 Presenting culture and heritage

C4 Artefacts

D2.2 Transport

A1 Sustainability management system

A3 Reporting and communication

A5 Customer experience

A6 Accurate promotion

A7.3 Buildings and infrastructure – Sustainable practices and materials

A9 Information and interpretation

B3 Local purchasing

B4 Local entrepreneurs

B8 Community services

B9 Local livelihoods

C1 Cultural interactions

C3 Presenting culture and heritage

D1.1 Environmentally preferable purchasing

D1.2 Efficient purchasing

D2.4 Solid waste

D2.5 Harmful substances

D2.6 Minimize pollution

D2.1 Greenhouse gas emissions

D2.2 Transport

D3.1 Biodiversity conservation

D3.2 Invasive species

D3.3 Visits to natural sites

D3.4 Wildlife interactions

D3.5 Animal welfare

D3.6 Wildlife harvesting and trade

A7.1 Buildings and infrastructure – Compliance

D3.1 Biodiversity conservation

D3.2 Invasive species

D3.3 Visits to natural sites

D3.4 Wildlife interactions

D3.5 Animal welfare

D3.6 Wildlife harvesting and trade

A2 Legal compliance

B5 Exploitation and harassment

A3 Reporting and communication

A4 Staff engagement

A10 Destination engagement