Kew Gardens is the First Attraction to get a Gold in the Green Tourism for London scheme

24th July 2008

Kew Gardens is the first London attraction to be awarded a prestigious Gold in the new Green Tourism for London scheme.  Other London attractions and hotels who have signed up to the scheme include the O2, London Zoo and The Ritz.

Kew scooped a Gold following a rigorous assessment process which evaluated water and energy efficiency, waste management, communication, transport, purchasing and biodiversity.  This builds on RBG Kew’s previous success in 2005 when the organisation became the first UNESCO world heritage site in the world to be awarded certification to ISO 14001.

John Proctor, technical director of Green Tourism for London said: “Through good maintenance, green designs, waste reduction and continuing commitment to greener options in the retail outlets and café, Kew is demonstrating that being green is attractive to the consumer as well as vital for the future.”

Green Tourism for London was launched by the London Development Agency in October 2007.  The assessment recognises Kew’s commitment to sustainability and educating visitors about the global need to adopt green ways of living and working for the sake of the planet.

Deborah Evans, senior tourism development manager at the London Development Agency said: “Green Tourism for London is the first independently audited green scheme for London’s tourism industry and we congratulate Kew on earning gold after a thorough assessment.”

Paul Buckley, head of visitor services at RBG Kew, who led as the environmental co-ordinator on the project said “We are thrilled that Kew has triumphed in another award which marks and celebrates our ongoing bid to be an exemplary sustainable attraction.  Following the hard work and commitment from all who work at Kew, this award not only compliments and endorses our ISO 14001 accreditation, but it is also an important step on the road towards obtaining a sustainable future for our local and global community.”

Click here to go back to news headlines