By Joab Kinuthia, for Ethical Business
At Chumbe Island Coral Park, off the coast of Zanzibar, the morning tide laps gently against a reef protected by one of East Africa’s earliest marine reserves. The seven stilted bungalows, raised to protect fragile coral, run entirely on solar power. Rainwater is harvested, waste composted, and many of the staff, former fishermen, now serve as conservation rangers and educators. This is more than a lodge. It is a functioning marine sanctuary with beds.
Chumbe holds multiple eco-labels: EarthCheck, Green Key, and Fair Trade Tourism. These are among the most recognised certifications in African hospitality. Yet as sustainable travel gains traction across the continent, so does the question: what do these labels actually measure? And how meaningful are they for the people and ecosystems they claim to protect?
The labels and what they measure
Three major certifications now shape Africa’s responsible tourism landscape, each with distinct emphases.
EarthCheck is the most scientifically rigorous. It requires independent audits that track precise metrics—energy use per guest night, water consumption, carbon emissions, and waste diversion. Lodges must meet international benchmarks and recertify annually. Singita Sasakwa Lodge in Tanzania, for example, heats water with solar panels, composts organic waste, and runs a circular kitchen supply chain—all monitored in real time to meet EarthCheck’s standards. The programme aligns closely with SDG 13: Climate Action, demanding not only efficiency but demonstrable reductions in environmental impact.
Green Key, managed by the Foundation for Environmental Education, certifies over 8,000 properties in more than 90 countries. Its criteria include energy efficiency, chemical management, guest education, and reduction of single-use plastics. Certification requires staff training, on-site inspections, and policy documentation. At Amethyst Selene Suites in Zanzibar, solar provides a third of all electricity; greywater is recycled for garden irrigation; and plastic amenities have been phased out entirely. The certification is rooted in SDG 12: Responsible Consumption, promoting resource efficiency and behavioural change.
Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) takes a more people-focused route. Originally based in South Africa and now active regionally, it certifies properties that provide fair wages, source goods locally, share benefits with host communities, and respect cultural heritage. At Sabache Eco Camp in Kenya’s Samburu region, most staff are recruited from nearby villages. Tourism revenue funds school fees, boreholes, and emergency transport. FTT’s approach ties closely to SDG 8: Decent Work and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – ensuring tourism does not merely extract, but uplifts.
Who checks the checkers?
All three certifications rely on third-party audits, but the structure and rigour vary.
EarthCheck assessments are handled by trained professionals who benchmark performance against global standards. Members must publish annual reports and undergo randomised spot checks. In 2025, EarthCheck introduced a digital analytics platform, improving transparency and aligning with policy frameworks like the EU Green Claims Directive.
Green Key audits are managed at the national level, with oversight from the global office. While criteria are standardised, audit strength can vary based on local implementation. The organisation is currently seeking formal accreditation through Denmark’s national body and plans to revise its standards by 2027 in response to tightening EU consumer laws.
Fair Trade Tourism uses a hybrid model. Audits are conducted by its staff and in-country partners like the Endangered Wildlife Trust. These include unannounced visits, staff interviews, and financial reviews. Though highly participatory, the model is labour-intensive, limiting scalability.
The missing pieces
Despite their strengths, these systems have gaps, especially when it comes to equity and inclusion.
Cost is a primary hurdle. Certification, consultancy, and infrastructure upgrades can exceed £8,000—well beyond the reach of many community-run camps. In rural Tanzania, women’s cooperatives operate truly low-impact eco-camps using rainwater harvesting and efficient stoves. Their practices are sustainable by every measure, yet they remain uncertified and invisible to the global traveller.
Geographic disparities also persist. EarthCheck and Green Key dominate among high-end urban or coastal resorts; FTT is largely concentrated in Southern and East Africa. This leaves many small, remote lodges—often deeply connected to their landscapes—excluded from recognition.
Moreover, social justice remains inconsistently measured. While EarthCheck and Green Key assess environmental outcomes, they do not mandate living wages or community participation. As Dr Amina Hassan, a sustainability researcher at the University of Nairobi, puts it: “Certifications can measure carbon, but they don’t always measure justice.”
What travellers can do
For travellers seeking genuine sustainability, logos are only the starting point. Ask:
- Is the certification verified by a recognised third party?
- Does the lodge publish clear data on energy, water, and waste?
- Are staff hired locally, and are wages fair?
- Is any portion of revenue reinvested into the surrounding community?
These directories can help verify a lodge’s credentials:
- EarthCheck Certified Properties
- Green Key Global Listings
- Fair Trade Tourism Members
Beyond the badge
Certification has helped raise the bar. It has driven hotels to track impacts, reduce waste, and communicate goals. It gives travellers a framework for choosing wisely. Yet certification alone is not the destination.
Sustainability is as much about people as it is about carbon. It lives in the decisions to source food locally, to respect sacred landscapes, to pay fairly, and to protect the reef for generations to come.
At Chumbe Island, rangers record coral health each morning—not because an audit demands it, but because they have watched the reef recover. That sort of stewardship cannot be bottled into a badge. But it can be recognised—and supported.
And that starts with asking better questions.
Tags: SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 8 (Decent Work), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)
