Self-assessment tool for digital sustainability communication
About this good practice
Sustainability communication means communicating a company’s values, actions and goals for ecological, social and economic sustainability. Communication is also required to make sustainability understandable, to organise the sustainability activities, and to involve stakeholders in the definition of sustainability. Customers, employees, financiers and authorities require sustainable actions and information on sustainability. In order for a company to communicate its sustainability convincingly, it must have evidence of its sustainability measures.
The self-assessment tool for digital Sustainability communication is a low threshold way for MSMEs to improve their online and offline communication on sustainability. The tool is a 20-point checklist on Sustainability communication in a tourism company's digital channels. The company can carry out a quick self-assessment of sustainability communication in company's social media channels and websites. The tool is easy to understand and in a Quiz like format, with step-by-step information on how to improve every aspect of a MSMEs sustainability communication online and offline, further, how to make these Improvements measurable, stimulating continuous development.
The tool is free of charge and can be applied in all tourism companies in Finland but also abroad as it is in English. The tool is particularly aimed at small and medium-sized tourism companies.
Resources needed
The tool was developed in a project VALUE - Growth and Value through Sustainability Communication. The project was implemented 5/2021-3/2023 by the Lapland University of Applied Sciences. The total budget of the project was 99 260 €, of which ERDF and state funding was 80%, and own funding 20%.
Evidence of success
The self-assessment tool has been developed in close cooperation with Lapland tourism companies: 2 piloting resort destinations and 23 companies participating actively in the process. In addition to the tool (in Finnish and in English), one guidebook, 3 webinars and 2 articles were published. The tool is free of charge and on open platform, so no user data is available. The tool is promoted actively by Lapland Tourism Ecosystem stakeholders together with national Business Finland/Visit Finland.
Potential for learning or transfer
Consumers and other stakeholders expect tourism companies to have sustainability in their core values. Companies are also expected to communicate of their sustainability actions. With sustainability communication, companies create and create trust in their business. It is also a way to meet growing reporting requirements. With the tool, tourism company can itself examine, evaluate and measure the sustainability communication related to its operations.
The tool is also in English, it is accessible on open platform, it is easy to use and free of charge. With the tool, it is possible to make a quick self-assessment of the company's sustainability communication on social media channels and websites. During the assessment process, the user will also learn about sustainability. On the same platform there is a webinar recording in English that opens the concept of digital sustainability and gives examples of what the other companies have included in their sustainability actions.
Further information
Introduction to Sustainability Communication in Tourism
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.