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Sydney, Australia

Contact: Chris Fitzpatrick

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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.

Performance Overview

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.

Total

0%

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.

Sustainability Journey

Summary
Environmental
Supplier
Social

Sydney, via a partnership between the city government and the convention bureau BESydney, was one of the first cities globally and the first in Australia to join the Global Destination Sustainability Index. Previously focusing on the business events sector and residents respectively, BESydney and the City of Sydney were this year joined by the State Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. Destination NSW is the lead agency, champion and voice for the visitor economy within NSW. Together these organisations are working to drive sustainable, and increasingly regenerative, custodianship of our beautiful harbour city.

Does City of Sydney / Business Events Sydney /Destination NSW have a Sustainability Strategy?

Does Sydney have a sustainable destination certificate?

Does City of Sydney / Business Events Sydney /Destination NSW report on its sustainability performance?

Consistently named in the top 10 of the world’s most liveable cities, Sydney is fast becoming one of the world’s, and APAC-region’s, leading ‘green cities’. Le-d by the Sustainable Sydney 2030-2050 vision, City of Sydney’s ultimate aim is to make Sydney Green, Global and Connected. City of Sydney has bold targets for Sydney that tackle key priorities including carbon emission reduction, energy efficiency, waste and water management and urban ecology. Sydney aims to source 50 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2035.The City of Sydney was Australia’s first carbon neutral local government. The "Making Sydney a Sustainable Destination Plan" is a subset of Sustainable Sydney 2030-2050. The plan sets out actions for both industry and government to work together on improving the environmental performance of the city's accommodation, entertainment and business event providers.

33%

OF ELECTRICITY
FROM RENEWABLES

51%

OF WASTE
RECYCLED

1518 ha

HECTARES OF GREEN
AREA PER 100 000
POPULATION

City of Sydney launched the Sustainable Destination Partnership in 2018. The partnership is a collaboration of leading hotels, cultural institutions, event venues and tourism bodies working together to improve the environmental performance of the City. The program directly supports the Sustainable Sydney 2030-2050 Vision and aims to work with the industry to improve energy, water and waste efficiency and the take up of renewable energy and engage with regulators on major environmental policy and regulatory issues. The City is actively working with accommodation providers to obtain a third party environmental certification rating in order to improve the environmental performance of buildings and event spaces. 100% of Sydney’s hotels room inventory is accessible by public transport and more than one third are within walking distance to the City’s 6 star green rated International Convention Centre Sydney . Both BESydney and Destination NSW are associate partners of the SDP.

4%

OF HOTEL ROOMS
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED

100%

OF VENUES
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED

11%

OF PCOS/DMCS
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED

Sydney strives to be a just and resilient city that understands that cities that make equality and social justice central to their growth are stronger and more resilient, creating opportunities for everyone to thrive. We believe that social sustainability is a framework that puts people at the heart of cities and recognises that our personal wellbeing impacts on, and is impacted by, our collective wellbeing. Improving our community’s wellbeing and resilience involves many aspects of our lives, such as our health, housing, education, work, income, transport, safety, relationships, creative expression, governance, and the quality of the environment. Building a strong inclusive society is a shared responsibility, not only for governments, but for business and the wider community and is integral to a strong economy and a healthy natural environment. In 2022, Sydney was voted among the 10 most accessible cities in the world by people with disability.

INCLUSION SCORE ON SOCIAL PROGESS INDEX

PERSONAL SAFETY SCORE ON SOCIAL PROGESS INDEX

SCORE ON CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX

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