About Sustainable Tourism Australia
The Climate Action Certification Program (CACP) is an initiative of, and it is owned and managed by Sustainable Tourism Australia, a wholly owned company of Ecotourism Australia (EA). EA is a Public Company (Limited by guarantee) and operates on a not for profit basis.
The costs of development have been met through a co-operative arrangement that has involved grants covering 50 per cent of the development costs from key agencies (including the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, South Australian Tourism Commission) and 50 percent by EA.
All fees and charges associated with the CCM will be directed to the operational costs, maintenance and the further development of the scheme and sustainable tourism.
EA will seek to actively involve government and industry partners in the further development and marketing of the scheme. The CACP operates under a governance standard approved by the Board of EA. There are four principal elements to the administration of the CACP to ensure a credible and transparent operating system.
The costs of development have been met through a co-operative arrangement that has involved grants covering 50 per cent of the development costs from key agencies (including the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, South Australian Tourism Commission) and 50 percent by EA.
All fees and charges associated with the CCM will be directed to the operational costs, maintenance and the further development of the scheme and sustainable tourism.
EA will seek to actively involve government and industry partners in the further development and marketing of the scheme. The CACP operates under a governance standard approved by the Board of EA. There are four principal elements to the administration of the CACP to ensure a credible and transparent operating system.
- 1. The EA Certification Program Management Committee is a subcommittee of the elected EA Board. The committee is established by the EA Board at its first meeting after the Annual General Meeting.
- 2. The CACP Assessment is undertaken by trained assessors. The CACP Assessors are trained in the specific requirements of CACP and are appointed by the Certification Program Management Committee. Assessors provide their recommendation to the CEO of EA. The CEO notifies the applicant of the outcome of the assessment. The CEO provides the Certification Program Management Committee with a report at each of its meetings, and to the full EA Board on the status of assessments and any operational issues that may arise in relation to the CACP.
- 3. An Independent Audit System is maintained over the CACP in order to verify on the ground the business practices and initiatives of certified businesses. The audit will be carried out by an independent, certified environmental auditor.
- 4. The Certification Program Appeals Tribunal is a committee of three eminent people selected to hear appeals by applicants against decisions of EA in relation to: certification; the level of certification; or removal from the program as a result of an audit or other reason.
