Scott Hayes | [email protected]
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Pursuit is putting GreenStep on its side as it works toward more sustainable tourism.
GreenStep is a certified B Corporation that has worked with thousands of organizations to improve their practices. Pursuit鈥檚 Banff Jasper Collection recently established an EcoFund with GreenStep. This will add an EcoFee to its hotel rooms, attractions and transportation offerings as a way of letting its guests in on the opportunity to help reduce their carbon consumption.
鈥淲hat we're doing with this latest step is formalizing our strategy for the next several years, trying to make sure that we really intentionally have a positive impact as tourism operators in the Rockies,鈥� said Stuart Back, chief operating officer with Pursuit鈥檚 Banff Jasper Collection.
鈥淚t's very important to us that we lead and demonstrate to our guests that their travel can have a really positive impact on the destination.鈥�
The partnership will help Pursuit in its work in reducing consumption of energy, waste and water, as well as lowering its overall carbon footprint by investing in more efficient technologies.
This measure is the latest feature in its , its corporate philosophy that guides its responsibilities to manage its environmental impact, foster respect for people and champion the communities it operates in.
Under this initiative, Pursuit also works to support a number of organizations. These include the Friends of Jasper National Park, the Jasper Food Bank, Jasper Victim Services and Jasper LIFE among others.
Back called it a 鈥減lanned approach鈥� to how Pursuit lives, works and operates in its communities. He said that the GreenStep partnership is a way of seeing where they are according to industry benchmarks in order to set their goals higher to ensure it continues to lead in sustainability measures.
鈥淭he work we're doing with GreenStep allows us to look at how we operate critically within the context of best practices globally,鈥� Back said.
鈥淏y using this external third party, first of all, we benefit from global best practices and standards that we can benchmark ourselves against. Then we can make our plans for the future that help us align with or exceed those best practices, and do it in a way that's measured and that we can accountably communicate to our guests and the communities we're in.鈥�
Pursuit offers an annual report on its Promise to Place work. Those reports track its waste and emissions reduction work, its recycling, and other measures.
The EcoFee began on May 1, adding $2 per room night to its hotel fees, $1 per product purchased per person for its attractions and $1 per leg per person for its Brewster Express and Brewster Sightseeing offerings.
This dedicated budget will be used in Banff, Jasper and Waterton in Alberta, along with Golden in British Columbia, to support sustainability projects and initiatives in Pursuit鈥檚 businesses and in its communities. The fees will help fund projects including high efficiency building improvements and carbon reduction action plans to fleet electrification.
