Eco Travel Foundation

Verified Impact

Measure what matters. Understand what it means. Improve what comes next.

Verified Impact helps tourism properties measure their operational carbon footprint, understand the strength of the evidence behind it, compare performance in context and track change over time.

The result is not simply a badge. It is a visible record of what was measured, how the result compares and where performance is heading.

Explore verified propertiesView the methodology

The process

From operational data to a clear public record

Six stages take a property from first measurement to a public Verified Impact strip.

  1. Stage 01

    Measure

    The property records the operational information needed to calculate its greenhouse-gas footprint, including energy, fuels, transport, waste and relevant supply-chain activities.

  2. Stage 02

    Evidence

    The information is supported by the best available evidence—from meter readings and invoices to documented calculations and operational estimates.

  3. Stage 03

    Assess

    ETC Africa reviews the reporting boundary, evidence and emissions calculations to establish the property’s gross carbon footprint and emissions intensity per bed night.

  4. Stage 04

    Benchmark

    The result is placed in context against the relevant peer dataset. This shows whether measured carbon intensity is above or below the peer median.

  5. Stage 05

    Improve

    The baseline reveals where emissions arise and where practical changes can make the greatest difference. Comparable reporting years then show whether intensity is moving up or down.

  6. Stage 06

    Communicate

    Verified Impact turns the assessment into a clear public strip that guests, partners and tourism buyers can understand without wading through a technical inventory.

What is measured

A practical footprint of tourism operations

Verified Impact assesses operational greenhouse-gas emissions relevant to the property’s activities, operating model and reporting boundary.

  • Energy

    Purchased electricity, generators, solar generation and other energy sources.

  • Fuels

    Diesel, petrol, LPG, firewood and other fuels used in property operations.

  • Transport

    Guest activities, transfers, operational vehicles, staff travel and relevant third-party transport.

  • Waste

    Landfill, recycling, composting and other documented waste pathways.

  • Supply chain

    Relevant purchased goods, deliveries and operational activities where sufficient information is available.

  • The exact inventory reflects the property’s operating model, reporting boundary and available evidence.

The primary measurement

kg CO2e per bed night

A property’s gross operational emissions are divided by its recorded bed nights for the reporting period. This creates an intensity figure that helps place differently sized tourism businesses into a more useful operational context.

The intensity figure does not erase context. Grid access, remoteness, property type, activities and operating conditions all influence the result and must be considered when interpreting comparisons.

Gross operational emissions

Bed nights

kg CO2e per bed night

Gross operational emissions divided by bed nights equals kilograms of CO2e per bed night.

The three VI pillars

Three signals. One clearer picture.

A carbon number alone cannot explain whether the evidence is strong, how performance compares or whether it is changing. Every VI strip therefore reports three supporting signals.

Data quality

How strong is the evidence?

Data Quality communicates the overall strength of the evidence supporting the inventory.

  • High
  • Medium
  • Low
  • High indicates a stronger evidence trail across the assessment.
  • Medium reflects a mixture of robust evidence and documented estimates or allocations.
  • Low signals that important parts of the inventory still rely on limited or uncertain evidence.

A lower Data Quality classification does not automatically mean poor environmental performance. It means the result should be interpreted with greater awareness of the supporting evidence.

Benchmark

How does measured intensity compare?

Benchmark places the property’s measured carbon intensity against the relevant peer median.

  • Below peer median
  • Above peer median
  • Below Peer Median means the property’s measured kg CO₂e per bed night is lower than the peer median.
  • Above Peer Median means the property’s measured kg CO₂e per bed night is higher than the peer median.

This is context, not a pass/fail judgement. Different operating conditions influence performance, and comparison should always be read alongside Data Quality and Trajectory.

Trajectory

Which direction is performance moving?

Trajectory shows how measured carbon intensity has moved between comparable reporting periods.

  • Baseline
  • Down
  • Up
  • Baseline means this is the first comparable reporting year, so no direction can yet be established.
  • Down means measured carbon intensity decreased against the previous comparable reporting period.
  • Up means measured carbon intensity increased against the previous comparable reporting period.

For an emissions-intensity metric, Down is favourable—but Trajectory exists to show direction transparently, not to hide or punish an unfavourable year.

Reading the strip

How to read the VI strip

Every published property carries the same five-part strip. The example below is instructional and does not represent an additional property.

Example VI strip

Verified
Impact

2025 / 26

Data quality

High

Benchmark

Below peer median

Trajectory

Down

21.98

kg CO2e
per bed night

Read the strip from left to right: what was assessed, how strong the evidence is, how intensity compares, which direction it is moving and the property’s measured result.

After the baseline

The baseline is the beginning

The first assessment establishes the property’s measured starting point. It reveals where emissions arise, which evidence needs strengthening and which operational changes may have the greatest effect.

  1. 01

    Baseline

    Understand the current footprint.

  2. 02

    Priorities

    Identify major emissions sources and evidence gaps.

  3. 03

    Action

    Implement practical operational improvements.

  4. 04

    Re-measure

    Complete the next comparable reporting period.

  5. 05

    Trajectory

    Show whether carbon intensity moved down or up.

Improvement is not limited to one intervention. Energy systems, generator use, transport, waste, procurement, staff practices and data collection can all influence what comes next.

Where it began

Catalysed by the kimkim Climate Action Pilot Programme

Verified Impact grew from the kimkim Climate Action Pilot Programme. kimkim provided the founding catalyst and funding that brought participating tourism properties, technical carbon assessment, industry capacity-building and conservation thinking into one practical initiative.

The initial pilot created the opportunity to establish property baselines, strengthen carbon-reporting skills and test how credible sustainability information could be communicated to travellers and the tourism trade.

Read the project storyVisit kimkim

Clear roles, shared beginning

Clear roles build credible results

Verified Impact brings together funding, conservation experience, technical assessment and tourism-market access. Each founding partner has played a distinct role in turning the original pilot into a practical programme.

  • kimkim

    kimkim

    Founding Catalyst & Funding Partner

    kimkim provided the founding catalyst and funding for the Climate Action Pilot Programme, creating the opportunity to bring participating tourism properties, technical carbon assessment, industry learning and conservation thinking into one initiative.

    Visit website
  • Wilderness Leadership School

    Wilderness Leadership School

    Conservation & Impact Partner

    The Wilderness Leadership School brought more than six decades of conservation leadership and a deep commitment to reconnecting people with the natural world to the founding pilot.

    Visit website
  • ETC Africa — environment, tourism, carbon

    ETC Africa

    Technical Assessment & Benchmarking Partner

    ETC Africa provides the technical carbon-footprint methodology, property assessment, evidence review, emissions calculations and benchmark context behind Verified Impact.

    Visit website
  • The Eco-Travel Boutique — Travel Better

    Eco Travel Boutique

    Founding Project Partner

    Eco Travel Boutique works closely with participating tourism properties and helps bring verified information into responsible travel choices, industry relationships and market visibility.

    Visit website

Programme home

Verified Impact is a programme of the Eco Travel Foundation

The Eco Travel Foundation provides the long-term public and institutional home for Verified Impact, carrying its commitment to measurable, transparent tourism impact forward.

Verified Impact began with the support of kimkim as Founding Catalyst & Funding Partner, working with the Wilderness Leadership School, ETC Africa and Eco Travel Boutique.