Top sustainability award for The Ecology Centre

The Ecology Centre has achieved a Silver Award from Green Tourism, the world’s leading sustainability standard, recognising the eco-friendly achievements of tourism and hospitality businesses.

The Ecology Centre has worked hard over the last six months to reduce the impact of the business on the environment by reducing our carbon footprint and improving links with the local community. Hence, it feels excellent that our efforts have been recognised on our first GreenCheck assessment.

A Green Tourism Award means that a business works responsibly, ethically, and sustainably, contributes to its community, reduces its impact on the environment and aims to be accessible and inclusive to all visitors and staff. Businesses that meet the required standard receive a bronze, silver or gold award based on their level of achievement.

To achieve accreditation, The Ecology Centre was graded by a qualified Assessor against a rigorous set of criteria, covering a range of areas such as Energy and water efficiency, waste management, biodiversity and social involvement and communication. The Ecology Centre has been particularly keen to improve its involvement with its local community and increase the available information to its customers. So these areas were scored particularly well by the Assessor.

Errin Anderson, The Ecology Centre, General Manager, said: “Being awarded this silver award is a great step forward for the ecology centre. Ensuring we continue to raise awareness of our carbon footprint and all the steps we have taken to ensure the Centre is environmentally friendly. The team is already looking at the action plan they have created to reduce our carbon footprint even more and raise awareness of the green standards we are working towards”

Lisa Wilson, Green tourism, Assessor said: "The Ecology Centre has excelled at achieving the Silver Award following on from their first Green Check. The Centre is an excellent support to the local community and this event with such a high score in this goal. They have also done well in Energy due to efficient building systems, onsite electricity generating, and using energy-efficient appliances. Protecting the environment is a key value for them. This has helped with their scores in Waste, chemicals, and biodiversity. For example, they ensure projects and planting do not affect wildlife, use natural methods for dealing with weeds and work hard to ensure. Waste is reduced, reused, and recycled, estimating that 80% of the waste is diverted from landfills. This is just the beginning, and I am sure the site will only continue to improve its score."

About The Ecology Centre

The Ecology Centre is a community-led charity working to inspire positive change through directly connecting people and the natural environment for the benefit of both.

The Centre is based in Fife, Scotland. Many members of our community experience poverty and trauma, unemployment, disability, poor mental health, dementia, and other challenges.

Our well-regarded environmental education programme works with local schools, providing education in the outdoors, using nature as therapy. We currently work with four primary schools on a weekly basis and attract many other schools for shorter contracts in nature therapy, outdoor education and continuing professional development for teachers and staff.

Our volunteering programme is multifaceted and includes weekly activities for un- and underemployed adults that seek to improve confidence, physical and mental well-being, access to the outdoors and job readiness.

Furthermore, we also run many auxiliary activities onsite, including nature and art workshops, children’s holiday clubs, a tool lending library, a large annual summer festival and local environmental advocacy.

About Green Tourism

Green Tourism awards recognise places to stay and visit that are taking action to support the local area and the wider environment. Green Tourism is the largest sustainable certification programme of its kind to operate globally. Businesses that meet the standard for a Green Tourism Award receive a Bronze, Silver, or Gold certificate, based on their level of achievement.