The GDS-Index is a destination-level programme that measures, benchmarks, and improves the sustainability strategy and performance of tourism and events destinations.
The GDS-Index is aligned with international standards; UN SDGs, GSTC Destination Criteria, UNWTO.
Click here to read more about the benchmarking methodology including data collection and verification, the four benchmarking categories, governance and criteria development and performance scoring methods.
This page highlights each destinations sustainability journey and will showcase their journey.
The 2024 GDS-Index comprises 77 indicators across four categories. Here is the total score and the score for the four categories for this destination.
Environmental
Social
Supplier
Destination Management Organisation
Environmental
Includes a city's performance pertaining to its policies and infrastructure, such as climate change commitment, carbon emissions, renewable energies, resource and water management, public transport, and air pollution levels.
Social
Indicates the performance of the city against indicators of SDG integration, Corruption, Personal Safety, Access to Information and Communications, Health and Wellness, and Inclusivity, using external sources such as the Social Progress Imperative Index, and Corruption Perceptions Index.
Supplier
Addresses the sustainability commitment and performance of the local meetings' industry supply chain, including airports, events agencies, hotels, venues, and restaurants.
Destination Management Organisation
Indicates the sustainability commitment, including questions pertaining to maturity of a destination's sustainability and regeneration strategy, leadership, communication of sustainability initiatives (to support client planners), and the accuracy of their reporting on sustainability operations.
Does Visit Espoo have a Sustainability Strategy?
Does Espoo have a sustainable destination certificate?
Does Visit Espoo report on its sustainability performance?
Espoo is part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and is committed together with other metropolitan cities to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions per capita by almost 40 % by year 2030. A major step towards more sustainable future is the opening of West Metro in 2016. According to a recent study prepared for the Dutch presidency of the EU, Espoo is the most sustainable city in Europe. The study showed that measured by the economic, sociocultural and ecological sustainability scores, growth city of Espoo has managed to maintain its sustainable development. Knowledge, safety and nature were highlighted as Espoo's particular strengths. Espoo was classified as a green city with 18 000 hectares of green areas. Sustainability isn't just a city thing, Espoo based companies are in the forefront of sustainability: off all energy produced by local energy company Fortum almost 78 % is renewable energy. Furthermore Espoo based company Outotec was listed as the world's 3rd most sustainable company on the global 100 list.
OF ELECTRICITY
FROM RENEWABLES
THE CITY’S
2030 CARBON
REDUCTION TARGET
HECTARES OF GREEN
AREA PER 100 000
POPULATION
Espoo has been a member of ICCA Scandinavian Chapter Sustainability Index since the early days of the project and over the years the attitude change within the events industry in the city has been a big one. Today, 70 % of all the hotels in Espoo are eco-certified and furthermore 63 % of all the conference venues are holding a certification. A few years back, the number was significantly lower. The Finnish Nature Centre Haltia is the highlight of all the venues when it comes to sustainability, the building made entirely of CLT wood elements is 75 % energy self-sufficient when it comes to heating and 100 % self-sufficient when talking about cooling. It's not just an events centre, it is also a museum and in 2015, Haltia received the special commendation for sustainability in the European Museum of the Year Award 2015 competition.
OF HOTEL ROOMS
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED
OF VENUES
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED
OF PCOS/DMCS
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED
Espoo is part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and part of a country listed in the top performers in country rankings like/ The most stable country in the world/ Safest country/ Least corrupted country/ Best country for women/ PISA Ranking.
The GDS-Movement is a pioneering, data-driven international change agency that acts to catalyse socio-economic and environmental transformation in cities and regions across the world. Our mission is to empower tourism and events professionals with the mindsets, skill sets, and toolsets to co-create more regenerative and resilient destinations to visit, meet, and live in.
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