Madrid, 29 October 2024. The region of Valencia is the first in Spain to have its tourism sustainability strategy certified by AENOR. The President of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, received on Tuesday, from the hands of AENOR CEO Rafael García Meiro, the Sustainable Development Goals Strategy certificate, which recognizes the strategy promoted by the Generalitat in terms of sustainable tourism. The certification was awarded to Turisme Comunitat Valenciana, a public entity of the regional government responsible for implementing tourism policy in the region, operating under the Department of Innovation, Commerce, and Tourism.
"The Comunitat Valenciana is the first autonomous community in Spain with a sustainable tourism strategy certified by AENOR that will allow us to make a qualitative leap and ensure the future of an essential industry for our economy", stated the head of the Consell during the certification ceremony, which was also attended by the Minister of Innovation, Industry, Commerce, and Tourism, Nuria Montes.
The president noted that this plan is part of a "great pact" with the sector, provincial councils, and the municipalities of the three capitals. The strategy has been designed with a "comprehensive, cross-cutting, and realistic plan to enhance competitiveness through increased sustainability". It includes 13 operational lines developed across 51 programmes aimed at promoting "environmental, socio-economic, and territorial" development.
Mazón explained that this roadmap ensures "respect for the territory, preservation of natural environments, cultural heritage, and coexistence", while also supporting an "economic activity that creates prosperity and employment". He noted that the strategy was developed "with balance and sensibility, without giving up anything, but without marginalizing anyone in the face of tourismphobia and hostility toward a sector that is an economic and social engine".
For his part, AENOR CEO Rafael García Meiro stated that "this certification proves to stakeholders the consistent effort made over the past ten years to align tourism development strategies and processes with sustainability criteria. One key point noted by AENOR's auditors is Turisme's materiality exercise, placing sustainability goals as part of strategic and operational objectives, and clearly marking the SDGs to focus its efforts on".
AENOR certificate
This certificate recognizes the Generalitat's sustainable tourism strategy and sets out a roadmap for the next four years, allowing the Comunitat Valenciana to maintain long-term tourism development. It should be noted that the tourism sustainability strategy is based on the six principles of the tourism sustainability policy: responsibility, co-governance, integration, adaptability, communication and innovation. The Strategy further involves the three aspects that comprise the concept of sustainability: economic aspect, social aspect and environmental aspect.
Across these three dimensions, 13 strategic goals are set, each with its own operational line, encompassing a total of 51 programmes to be implemented over four years. To ensure its execution, the Strategy is structured into annual plans so that the strategy can be adapted to potential changes.
There are nine SDGs on which Turisme CV bases its sustainability strategy for 2024-2028: number 4, on Quality education; 6, on Clean water and sanitation; 8, on Decent work and economic growth; 9, on Industry, innovation and infrastructure; 11, on Sustainable cities and communities; 12, on Responsible consumption and production; 13, on Climate action; 16, on Peace, justice and strong institutions; and 17, on Partnerships for the goals.
The AENOR Model to certify the contribution to the SDGs has already recognized 31 organizations. It confirms that an organization’s strategy integrates sustainability and aligns with the SDGs relevant to its core business. The development of this model produces three important benefits: To have a global certification scheme for sustainability management aligned with a commonly accepted international reference. transferring this commitment to the interested parties; and allowing compatibility with other reporting frameworks, whether voluntary or regulatory. For example, with the non-financial reporting or Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), among others.
AENOR's objective is to develop a certification model that encourages contributions to the SDGs, applicable to all types of organizations and sectors, the purpose of which is to respond to the needs of different stakeholders. This model strengthens its commitment to Agenda 2030, under the United Nations guidelines.
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