ECOsmart sustainability certification enters Australian market

Greengage Solutions has formed a new partnership with travel specialist Discover the World to introduce its ECOsmart sustainability certification to the Australian market, targeting accommodation providers as well as the meetings and events sector.

The collaboration is designed to give hotels, venues and related travel businesses in Australia access to a recognised framework for benchmarking and improving their environmental performance. It also marks the latest step in ECOsmart’s geographic expansion, following uptake in other regions by corporate travel buyers and event organisers seeking comparable sustainability standards across portfolios.

Background and industry context

Pressure on the business events and hospitality sectors to reduce environmental impact has intensified over the past decade. Corporates increasingly request evidence of sustainability performance when selecting hotels and meeting locations, while destination management organisations and convention bureaux are aligning with national net-zero and climate targets.

Australia’s events and tourism industries have been investing in greener operations, from waste reduction and energy efficiency to carbon reporting and sustainable catering. However, the availability and consistency of certification schemes can vary by state and sector, making it harder for buyers to compare properties on like-for-like criteria.

Against this backdrop, independent certification programmes such as ECOsmart are emerging as tools to standardise measurement for hotels, conference centres and event venues. These schemes typically assess areas such as carbon footprint, resource usage, supply chain practices and community impact, and provide structured pathways for ongoing improvement rather than one-off audits.

Key developments in the collaboration

Under the new collaboration, Discover the World will support the rollout of ECOsmart certification across Australia’s accommodation, travel, meetings and events markets. The company, which already operates in the region through its network of travel and tourism partners, will assist in building awareness of the framework and engaging properties that wish to pursue accreditation.

ECOsmart is Greengage’s sustainability certification programme for hotels, meeting venues and related suppliers. Participants are evaluated against criteria that encompass environmental management, energy and water efficiency, waste reduction, responsible sourcing and support for sustainable travel options. Accredited properties are awarded a rating that reflects their current performance level, with guidance provided on how to progress further.

The extension of ECOsmart into Australia aims to provide a single, recognisable standard that can be referenced by event planners, travel management companies and corporate sustainability teams when sourcing accommodation and venues. As part of the collaboration, Australian properties will be able to undergo assessment and, if successful, display their ECOsmart status to clients and intermediaries seeking evidence of environmental credentials.

Details of implementation timelines, local support services and any regional adaptations to the criteria have not been fully disclosed, but both organisations are presenting the move as a structured expansion rather than a limited pilot. The focus is on integrating ECOsmart into existing procurement and venue selection processes used by business travel and event buyers with operations in Australia.

Industry impact for meetings, incentives and events

The introduction of ECOsmart certification to Australia has potential implications for hotels, convention centres, conference venues and destination partners that compete for international business events. As more corporates mandate sustainability reporting within their events programmes, venues with recognised certifications can gain a practical advantage during shortlisting.

For venue operators, participation in a structured framework can help organise disparate sustainability initiatives into a coherent strategy that is easier to communicate to clients. Rather than relying solely on individual metrics, they can present a third-party assessment that benchmark performance against peers. This may influence bid documentation, RFP responses and long-term framework agreements with global buyers.

On the buyer side, having a consistent framework across multiple markets can simplify the task of comparing properties, especially for multinational companies planning regional meetings or incentive programmes spanning Asia-Pacific. An Australian venue with ECOsmart certification can be evaluated using the same principles as a certified property in another region, reducing the need for bespoke due diligence with each supplier.

Travel intermediaries, including travel management companies and event agencies, may also integrate ECOsmart status into their recommendation tools, venue databases and reporting dashboards. This could help them respond to client requests for more transparent emissions and sustainability data linked to event locations and accommodation choices.

Why this matters for event professionals and technology providers

For event professionals, particularly those overseeing strategic meetings management or sustainability programmes, the arrival of ECOsmart in Australia broadens the pool of venues that can align with corporate environmental policies. As internal reporting obligations become more stringent, planners are seeking suppliers that can provide credible, standardised information on their operations.

ECOsmart and similar programmes can also feed into event technology ecosystems. Digital venue sourcing platforms, event management software and travel booking tools increasingly incorporate sustainability filters and scoring systems. Where certifications are available, these platforms can flag compliant properties, support automated RFP workflows that prioritise greener options, and enhance post-event reporting on environmental performance.

Technology providers serving the events sector may look to integrate ECOsmart data into their platforms if demand from buyers grows. This could include APIs or data feeds showing certified venues, enabling planners to search by accreditation level or sustainability criteria alongside traditional filters such as capacity, location and budget.

For Australian hotels and venues, adoption of certification frameworks may require closer tracking of resource usage, more systematic data collection and potentially the deployment of energy management, building automation or sustainability reporting tools. This in turn could spur additional investment in property-level technologies that support environmental objectives and provide verifiable data for audits.

Conclusion

The collaboration between Greengage Solutions and Discover the World brings the ECOsmart sustainability certification programme into the Australian accommodation, travel, meetings and events landscape at a time when demand for measurable, comparable environmental performance is growing. While the long-term uptake will depend on venue engagement and buyer recognition, the move adds another structured option for properties seeking to demonstrate progress on sustainability.

For event planners, travel managers and technology providers, the expansion offers a potential new data point in the broader shift toward more transparent, standardised sustainability metrics within the global business events ecosystem. As Australia continues to position itself as a destination for international conferences and incentives, the availability of recognised certifications could increasingly influence venue selection and procurement decisions.