Accommodation
Arakwal, Minjungbal and Widjabul of the Bundjalung Country / Byron Bay, New South
Completed the Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard
Created in the 1970s by an eclectic group of self-proclaimed hippies and artists, the Arts Factory Lodge is considered by some to be the birthplace of Byron Bay’s spirit and character.
Today, that original spirit lives on in their unique accommodation, renowned for its friendly atmosphere and interactive activities.
At Arts Factory Lodge, they recognise the value their guests place on sustainability.
Aimee Jeffrey, NZ Operations Manager for Tourism Adventure Group stated, “In a time where environmental concerns are at the forefront of our minds, Tourism Adventure Group recognises the importance of benchmarking our current sustainability progress and its impact on the environment. We understand that responsible travel and eco-conscious practices are not just trends, but part of our commitment to a better future.”
Their dream: to one day achieve one of Ecotourism Australia’s business certifications to ensure their operations comply with global best practice sustainability standards.
Before they took the leap toward certification, they wanted to gain an insight into where they are on their sustainability journey using the Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard.
Aimee said, “Adopting a scorecard to benchmark sustainability progress helps us by providing a structured framework for evaluating our sustainability initiatives. This approach offers clear representation of our sustainability performance, allowing us to easily identify strengths and pinpoint areas that require improvement.”
After receiving their comprehensive report from the knowledgeable Ecotourism Australia team, Arts Factory Lodge discovered they excelled in implementing environmental sustainability initiatives and had a specialty for getting their guests involved.
As part of their eco-commitment, a dollar contribution from guests at check-in goes toward reducing the business’ emissions and makes each stay a little greener. Guests are informed about how to respect the surrounding environment and wildlife, and providing seasonal vegetables from their eco-garden for accommodation volunteers are among their efforts to create a sustainable business.
Arts Factory Lodge value creating lasting connections with their local community, and even came to the aid of locals impacted by the devastating Northern River Floods of 2022.
Upholding their sustainability ethos has meant Booking.com awarded Arts Factory Lodge ‘Travel Sustainable Level 2’ for their investment in sustainable practices.
Aimee found Ecotourism Australia’s online portal made completing the Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard criteria incredibly simple.
“Navigating the Strive for Sustainability scorecard process was refreshingly straightforward, enabling us to assess our eco-friendly processes with ease.”
Among the sustainability wins, the company is looking forward to getting stuck into strengthening their sustainability journey using their scorecard results.
“Our next step once completing the Strive 4 Sustainability scorecard was to implement an energy monitoring process, which will allow us to track and manage our energy consumption more effectively. As Drucker said, ‘You can’t manage what you don’t measure.”
Aimee found the scorecard enhanced their sustainability knowledge, stating, “We now have a much better understanding of what our current impact is and the areas in which we need to work on to improve across the four pillars of sustainability.”
Discover Arts Factory Lodge’s subtropical paradise on your next getaway to Byron Bay!: https://www.booking.com/hotel/au/arts-factory-lodge.html
Arts Factory Lodge completed their Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard on 8 June 2023 and is a snapshot of their current sustainability practices. The scorecard is not a certification and is valid for 12 months upon completion.
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