Certification model for sustainable hospitality establishments

The challenge

Consumer demand for more sustainable business models is growing, yet doubts remain about the credibility of self-declared sustainability claims in the hospitality sector. In addition, investment in sustainability and certification represents a significant economic challenge for many establishments, while high staff turnover makes long-term commitment to sustainable practices more difficult.

With the aim of positioning the gastronomy of Euskadi and Bizkaia as a benchmark for sustainability, the challenge was to design a reliable and attractive system to assess and certify the sustainability performance of restaurants, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the expectations of the gastronomic sector.

The solution

The creation of a “Sustainable Gastronomy” certification, which includes:

• An operations and certification model with agreed criteria (sustainable sourcing, waste management, resource efficiency, sustainable construction, etc.).

• A tiered system of categories (Basic, Bronze, Silver, Gold) based on the level of compliance.

• A good practice guide and tools to support continuous improvement.

• A registered trademark and brand identity manual to build trust and differentiation.

• An implementation process in representative restaurants and a methodology to scale the model nationally and internationally.

The results

• Creation and registration of the Sustainable Gastronomy brand.

• Development of the brand identity manual and the good practice guide.

• Pilot implementation of the model in six restaurants.

• Validation of the certification system with four categories (Basic, Bronze, Silver and Gold).

• Sector-wide consensus on key sustainability criteria.

• Launch of a communication plan to position sustainable gastronomy in Bizkaia as a benchmark model, replicable in other territories.