Yet another year has almost passed and for some, 2009 brought more than its fair share of challenges. For others the months delivered opportunity in generous proportions and for all, the fact that we live in a globally-connected environment finally hit home.

During the latter half of 2009, the word “sustainability” became a catch-cry for public relations and marketing gurus. But for EC3 Global’s family of international clients, it has long been a guiding principle.

The speed with which science evolves means that EC3 global has had to keep its finger on the pulse. Legislative measures are transforming what was once considered “nice to do”, into actions that “must be done”.

Following are just a few 2009 highlights, as they relate to EC3 Global:

• We have enhanced programmes and member support through the launch of Version 3.3 of the Company Standard, and rolled out a worldwide certification schedule.
• New and improved tools and resources were introduced, to assist with benchmarking and certification. These included enhancements to the Earthcheck Benchmarking Software and release of an EMS Tool.
• Auditor and Coordinator training workshops were delivered across the globe, in places such as Hong Kong, London, Jamaica, Australia and Thailand.
• Representation was made at key industry events and forums, in Korea, Hong Kong, USA and Japan.
• The DeStIno Conference and Sustainability Forum for tourism business and communities, was held in Mexico.
• Sandals Negril was awarded the very first Platinum level of certification, recognising 10 years of continuous commitment to sustainable business.
• Earthcheck emission factors were reviewed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Centre for Cleaner Production, based at the University of Queensland.

All this activity gives our clients the peace of mind that they’ve selected a sustainability partner who is backed by the most rigorous science, credible benchmarking and a certification system that upholds the highest standards.

The journey with EC3 Global continues in 2010 with the launch of Earthcheck; the next generation of certification. Milestones throughout the year will include:

• Launch and delivery of Earthcheck in early 2010.
• Enhancements to existing benchmarking and reporting processes, in accordance with the International Green House Gas Protocol.
• Inclusion of Scopes One, Two and Three emissions breakdowns for benchmarking input and performance reporting.
• Inclusion of a dedicated CSR module, which is compliant with the Global Reporting Index (GRI) initiative.
• Company Standard meets the criteria of ISO 14001 .Translation of the Company Standard into multiple languages.
• Introduction of a pre-assessment model.
• Four auditor specific workshops delivered in international locations.
• Establishment of the Earthcheck Research Institute.

The new Earthcheck brand will be progressively released to market over the next three months. For more information, please register a request through the Contact Us page in this website.