Photo: Alila Shanghai
You’re here because Booking.com has matched your property with EarthCheck, the leading sustainability certification program for the tourism and hospitality industry. If you’re looking to show guests your commitment to sustainability through credible, independent verification, you’re in the right place.
Let’s walk you through what EarthCheck is, how the certification works, and whether it’s the right fit for your business.
EarthCheck Certified is a science-backed sustainability certification program built specifically for the travel and tourism industry. For over 30 years, it’s helped accommodation providers like yours measure, manage and improve their sustainability performance.
It’s more than a logo or a checklist. EarthCheck gives you the tools, data and support to drive meaningful improvements and build guest trust.
Photos: Casa Lum
Plenty of certifications exist, but EarthCheck is built for those who want to stand out with credibility and practical impact.
Here’s what sets it apart:
Photo: Crystalbrook Albion
– Geoff York, CEO, Crystalbrook Collection
EarthCheck has helped tourism businesses in over 70 countries save energy, reduce emissions, conserve water and eliminate waste, all while improving performance.
From 2015 to 2025, EarthCheck members have collectively achieved:
This is what happens when sustainability is measured and managed properly.
Video: fink Restaurant & Suites
Because it’s built to deliver real results, not just a badge.
EarthCheck is a full sustainability management and certification system. The cost reflects the depth, independence and hands-on support that comes with it. Here’s what you’re paying for:
Some programs offer lower-cost, surface-level options. That’s not what EarthCheck Certified is about. It’s built for operators who want to lead – and be seen leading – with credibility that guests, partners, and regulators can trust.
You won’t be left to figure it out on your own. EarthCheck provides hands-on support every step of the way.
You’ll get access to ready-to-use templates, toolkits, and expert advice to help you build your sustainability policy, enter your data, understand your benchmarking results, and prepare for your audit.
Support is available in English, Chinese, Spanish, German, French and Italian, so you and your team can work in the language that suits you best.
Not at all. EarthCheck works with accommodation providers of all sizes, from boutique hotels and eco-lodges to major resort groups. The platform is scalable, and support is tailored to suit your operations, goals and location.
fink Restaurant & Suites, an EarthCheck Certified property in Brixen, Italy, has just nine rooms – proof that even the most intimate operators can lead on sustainability with the right tools and support.
That depends on your current practices and resources. Many properties achieve Bronze Benchmarked status within a few months, and full certification within 6-8 months. You’ll receive guidance and support every step of the way.
Whether you’re just starting out or ready to certify, we’re here to help.
There are more than 476 million Indigenous Peoples, found in all regions of the world, from the Arctic to the tropical forests. They make up more than 6 per cent of our global population.
In the spirit of reconciliation, EarthCheck acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout the world and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Indigenous Peoples today.
EarthCheck acknowledges that Indigenous Peoples are guardians of the forests and biodiversity hotspots we all depend on. Research shows that lands managed by Indigenous Peoples, with secure rights, experience lower deforestation rates, store more carbon, hold more biodiversity, and benefit more people than other lands — including protected areas.
We recognise and support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the most comprehensive international instrument on the rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration is a positive document that maps out a path for Indigenous Peoples to be free from discrimination and secure in their identities and life choices.
EarthCheck science and products were developed by the Australian Government Sustainable Tourism Co-operative Research Centre (STCRC) over ten years. Our science is reviewed annually to ensure that it meets international standards relative to greenhouse gas protocols, responsible tourism, and certification.
EarthCheck products and services are built on the Agenda 21 principles for Sustainable Development endorsed by 182 Heads of State at the United Nations Rio De Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992 and aligned to the SDGs.
EarthCheck Certified provides a framework for organisations to achieve the desired outcomes for sustainable development as set out in the final report of the World Summit for Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002.
EarthCheck Certified complies with the Mohonk Agreement (2000), which outlines the guidelines and principles for an international sustainable tourism certification program. It is also a Recognised program of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).
EarthCheck Certified is a verification standard accepted by CDP. It is also an approved program of the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA), London & Partners, the Mexican Secretary of Tourism (SECTUR) and the City of Sydney.
EarthCheck Certified is an approved program for meeting the EU Energy Directive for the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle – BAFA) in Germany and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy) in the Netherlands.
EarthCheck partners with international research organisations to maintain the currency of EarthCheck science and our benchmarking systems.
The EarthCheck brand signifies scientific excellence, better environmental, economic, and social performance, improved community interactions, and savings through more efficient use of resources. It provides recognition and promotional support to a global consumer market.
