1. Application
The organisation submits its application to the Ecoluxury Technical Secretariat by providing preliminary information on its sustainability activities and practices, and by completing the
Application Form, a document that is not legally binding for contractual purposes but ensures consistency in the collection of information.
The Technical Secretariat carries out an initial check of the eligibility criteria to determine whether the organisation meets the necessary conditions to proceed to the assessment process.
2. Document Review
Organisations eligible for the assessment phase must complete the Ecoluxury documentation package.
An independent, qualified assessor analyses policies, procedures, management systems and supporting documentation. Each candidate organisation undergoes a remote audit, conducted over three recorded sessions, lasting a total of up to 6 working hours.
During the audit, seven key areas are assessed:
- Environmental management
- Internal management and CSR
- Local community
- Supply chain
- Cultural heritage
- Authenticity and quality
- Communication
Each audit is identified by a unique code that ensures the traceability and recording of the entire process.
This stage may involve, on a random basis and if deemed necessary in light of risk parameters, the conduct of an on-site audit.
3. Independent review
At the end of the process, the audit report undergoes a further review to verify:
the correct conduct of the audit process, with particular reference to the Ecoluxury Programme;
the completeness of the information gathered;
the classification of any non-conformities and improvement plans.
Only after this stage can the final decision be taken to grant certification for entry into the Ecoluxury Programme.
4. Admission to the Collection
A property is admitted to the Ecoluxury Collection only if it meets the programme’s requirements. Should any non-conformities be identified, corrective action may be required prior to final approval.
Any significant non-conformities will prevent admission until they have been fully resolved, as they are considered fundamental and non-negotiable. These include aspects relating to regulatory compliance, environmental management, ethics and governance.
Failure to comply with any of the mandatory requirements will result in exclusion from the Collection, regardless of the overall score achieved. This ensures that every Ecoluxury Retreat meets a minimum standard of integrity before being recognised.
