Elegant Resorts and If Only earn Travelife sustainability certification

Luxury tour operators Elegant Resorts and If Only have earned The Travelife certification in recognition of the operators’ “long-term commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR)”.

Designed for the travel sector, the Travelife Certified award is based on a three-step programme that aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 26000, which offers companies guidance on CSR.

There are also more than 200 independent criteria that businesses must meet to reach certification, including those across office operations, product development, partner relationships and customer communication.

The sister brands said that as “sustainability plays an increasingly influential role in client booking decisions, the certification provides travel agents and supplier partners with added confidence that Elegant Resorts and If Only are responsible luxury partners with robust, independently audited credentials”.

Managing director Gordon McCreadie said: “Travelife Certified is a highly respected accreditation, and achieving it has been a significant undertaking for our teams. Sustainability is a core pillar of our business strategy and central to how we operate, both at home and across our global partner network.

“As luxury specialists, we believe it is essential to protect the destinations we sell and contribute positively to the communities within them.”

Sales and operations director at If Only, David Irving, who, along with the operators’ internal Travel Made Meaningful team, played a key role in securing the certification, added: “This was not an easy accreditation to achieve, which is exactly why it matters. It demonstrates to our travel agent partners that sustainability is embedded across our business.

“As responsible travel becomes a bigger factor in purchasing decisions, this certification enables agents to sell with confidence and credibility.”