Ecocert Greenlife, the French specialist of organic and ecological certifications, is launching Being, a new label aiming at promoting the Spa centres that have committed themselves in comprehensive environmental practices.
Indeed, the market for spas and wellness services was also hit by rising environmental concerns and many of them claim to be "green", "sustainable" or "organic." But in the absence of a comprehensive standard and of third party certification, consumers can hardly check these claims. "Green claims are mushrooming in this sector. But so far, there was no certification encompassing all the environmental issues that well-being venues have to address, considering they use large quantities of energy, water, personal products, as well as textiles and cleaning products,” says Valérie Lemaire, Executive Director of Ecocert.
The Being label is designed for urban spas (day spas) as well as for destination spas (hotel spas, thalassotherapy and balneotherapy centres) and beauty salons offering spa services.
Certified criteria focus on three fields:
– Products. A minimum organic and ecological offer is required for cosmetics proposed for sale as well as those used for treatments, for offered or sold meals, cleaning products, textiles, and home fragrances,
– Services. Staff’s competence, treatment protocols with a minimum of organic or ecological cosmetics, traceability, comfort and evaluation of the clients overall well-being,
– Site. Each venue should have set up an environmental management policy concerning water and energy uses, reduction and treatment of wastes and discharges.
In order to allow Spa venues to progressively adjust and increment their services, Ecocert has created two certification levels. The first level gathers a set of 50 mandatory basic criteria, including the use of a minimum 20% organic or ecological products during treatment protocols and a minimum of 20% organic or ecological products in the assortment of cosmetics offered for sale. The second level, called "Excellence", requires to comply with three additional criteria requirements, including a minimum offering for organic or ecological cosmetics upgraded from 20 to 50%.
Two venues, the Melvita spa, located rue de Rennes in Paris (France), and the Thalasso Carnac’s marine Spa are currently in the certification process and should be the first to claim compliance to the Being label. From 2013, Ecocert Greenlife will elect the best Organic & Ecological spa of the year to highlight the best environmental policy.
