Steps to a sound sustainable strategy
Below is a summary of the components of a sound strategy. When you are ready, download our template and use it write your own sustainability strategy. Make sure to include your strategy in your accreditation, certification or awards submissions!
Your ambition or purpose
The first step in developing your strategy will be outlining your sustainability ambition or purpose.
Is sustainability a key part of your operations? Do you want to follow in the footsteps of your peers? Maybe you want to become a leader?
“Our purpose is to actively contribute to environmental, cultural, and social good within our operating region, and have the sustainable management practices to ensure success.”
“Our purpose is to reduce our negative social, cultural, and environmental impacts.”
Your vision
Your sustainability vision is an inspirational, future focused statement regarding your sustainability aspirations. Your ambition and vision will guide the high level direction of your Sustainability Strategy.
“Our vision is to operate responsibly as we commence our journey towards achieving net zero, and contribute positively to the environmental and cultural landscape in which we operate.”
“We want to become a sustainability leader in the Territory’s tourism industry.”
Your strategic priorities
Determine 3 to 5 focus areas.
You may wish to use the 4 pillars of sustainability as your strategic pillars, or you may wish to be more specific to your operations.
- Sustainable management
- Socio-economic impacts
- Cultural impacts
- Environmental impacts
- Policy development
- Local community
- Aboriginal engagement
- Natural environment and climate
Your strategic objectives
This is where things get more detailed. Set measurable targets or goals that will demonstrate your progress towards your strategic priorities. You may set multiple objectives under each priority, separated by whether they are long, medium, or short term goals.
- Measuring our impact and aiming for continual improvement
- Increasing local procurement and employment levels
- Increasing our Aboriginal engagement and opportunities
- Increasing our water and energy efficiency
Your outcomes
Your outcomes should clearly articulate what successful achievement of your strategic objectives will look like. You may wish to set 2-3 outcomes for each objective.
- Measuring sustainability performance annually and noting comparative improvements, year on year.
- A supply chain that supports local suppliers.
- An increase in the number of Aboriginal guides.
- Decreasing energy and water consumption.
Your initiatives and projects
These are your actionable initiatives that will enable your business to achieve your strategic objectives. Draw on the action items identified in the Become sustainable section. These initiatives and projects should be broken down into short, mid and long term to keep you on track and accountable.
- Install a rainwater harvesting system.
- Create a sustainability page on website.
- Implement a training schedule for staff, focused on their career development.
Create your own sustainability strategy
Use our template to help you identify and manage your targets, actions and outcomes, in line with your wider business strategy.
Your sustainable travel toolkit
Save your own toolkit with all the information, tips and tools to become a sustainable travel provider.