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.
Blessed with abundant natural environment, Sapporo has been making advanced efforts since announcing its Eco-Capital Declaration in 2008, with the aim of becoming a leading environmental city. Designated by the Government of Japan as the SDGs Future City for its active measures to combat climate change and achieve UN SDGs, Sapporo is also a member of Fair Trade Towns, and was the first city in Japan to obtain the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Cities and Communities Platinum certification in 2020.
Does Sapporo Convention Bureau have a Sustainability Strategy?
Does Sapporo have a sustainable destination certificate?
Does Sapporo Convention Bureau report on its sustainability performance?
With a population of 1.9 million and an area the size of Hong Kong, Sapporo is Japan’s fifth largest metropolis, over 60% of which is covered by greenery and 6 meters of snow for the period of 130 days a year. Apart from its compact structure, environmentally-friendly elements can be found all around Sapporo. There is a subway that boasts noise-reducing rubber tires, or Porocle, a bicycle sharing system. One of the landmarks of Sapporo, the Moerenuma Park for example, was built on a waste landfill, while the park’s signature and one of the city’s unique venues, the Glass Pyramid, uses snow for its air conditioning, another unique feature that has also been adopted by the New Chitose Airport. The host of Asia's first Winter Olympics has also been a longtime front-runner of local production - local consumption, with an overwhelming food sufficiency rate of 208%, which is five times more of Japan’s average, giving the destination its reputation and brand value as Japan’s gourmet capital, not to mention its namesake beer.
OF ELECTRICITY
FROM RENEWABLES
THE CITY’S
2030 CARBON
REDUCTION TARGET
HECTARES OF GREEN
AREA PER 100 000
POPULATION
As an environmentally-conscious destination, we are here to help our clients and stakeholders integrate a sustainability perspective in their events operations; e.g. recommend programs and efforts to help reduce the environmental impact of an event; offer pragmatic means to encourage action through services such as carbon offsetting; or help monitor change and communicate efficiently on the impact of an event in connection with the SDGs.
OF HOTEL ROOMS
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED
OF VENUES
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED
OF PCOS/DMCS
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED
The most special of Japanese cities maybe – its location on an island, which has 22 percent of the country’s landmass but only five percent of its population, has a lot to do with it - Sapporo has been the center of biodiversity and wildlife management. In recent years, the city has also been focusing on sustainable / adventure tourism, as well as preservation and promotion of the Ainu culture, the indigenous people of Hokkaido.
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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