Ecolabels
~ Code Of Conduct
VISIT BYLAW NO 1 CODE
OF CONDUCT
It should be accepted by all full members of VISIT that
other full members of VISIT are legitimate Ecolabels
with an expertise at least achieving a reasonable standard
in sustainable tourism accreditation. It should be recognised
by all members of VISIT of the enormity of the task in
achieving sustainability in Tourism and that only through
a spirit of genuine information exchange, mutual respect,
and collaboration will VISIT be able to be an effective
forum for change in the Sustainable Development movement.
In order to protect the interests of the member organisations
and encourage the sharing of expertise and experience
in a mutually beneficial way for all members the following
code of conduct has been prepared. Failure to adhere
to the code of conduct may lead to expulsion and this
will be decided at a general assembly as per the VISIT
constitution.
ANY VISIT MEMBER ECOLABEL WHETHER FULL OR ASSOCIATE
1. accepts all other ecolabels provided with full
member status as meeting the VISIT standards.
2. accepts
the VISIT standards as a reasonable standard for the
provision of a sustainable tourism award for
tourism services
3. is required to provide and update
the VISIT board (and the other Full members) with details
of i, the
existing geographical boundaries of the ecolabel, ii,
the existing product group range available for certification,
iii, the present and future plans of the label with
regard to the growth of the ecolabel and its development.
4.
respects the (sovereignity) role, reponsibilities and
activities of the other full members of VISIT and
the other full members right to exist.
5. will not
contact full member products (licencees) without the
express permission of that full member.
6. will not
undermine, create bad publicity, reduce standards,
or provide special offers to the labelled
products of other full members (or their market niche)
without their approval.
7. will seek to avoid competition
and will commit to resolve and avoid conflicts with
other full members.
8. the operating areas of the existing
full members will be outlined by VISIT and these areas
of activity
will be respected by all full members. Areas of overlap
will; i, form the basis of discussion between labels
for joint promotion and co-operation, ii, require that
full members resolve potential conflicts before they
are likely to occur.
9. should an invitation be received
by a full member to undertake a certification in another
full members
area of activity/geographical region, the full member
is required to inform the other member and discuss
mutually acceptable terms for their certification to
avoid conflict or the potential erosion of higher standard
ecolabels to lower ones.
10. in the event of a conflict
between full members both parties will be invited to
take part in a board
meeting or technical committee meeting to resolve differences
equitably.
11. in the event of a dispute remaining
between labels both parties will be required to present
their cases
to the general assembly where both or either parties
may be expelled.
12. should an ecolabel be observed
to maintain an approach of creating conflicts with
other ecolabels (full members),
creating a climate of lowering standards within the
VISIT organisation and otherwise fail to uphold the
principles of sustainable development in practice,
the label may be required to make a written account
of their development plans and these and their labelled
products may be scrutinised by a peer group for re-evaluation
as a full member.
13. full members are required to
disclose to VISIT their memberships of any other tourism
ecolabel associations,
their legal status and ownership and formal relations
or agreements with any other full members.
In future VISIT shall give a guarantee of minimum standard
for the operation of a type I Tourism Ecolabel to the
consumer and the licencee (business choosing a VISIT
accredited Ecolabel). The minimum standard is based
on the VISIT accreditation system.
Place, Date: Riccione,
12th November 2004
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