easyJet holidays has joined forces with the United Nations’ World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the University of Oxford’s SDG Impact Lab to help develop the first environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework for tourism businesses.

Based on current UNWTO's leading work in advancing a new UN Statistical Framework on Measuring Sustainable Tourism, the ESG Framework for Tourism Business project brings together businesses to co-design a measurement tool that is meaningful and feasible for better monitoring how tourism businesses impact, and depend on, people, planet and prosperity.

UNWTO and the Oxford SDG Impact Lab will carry out a comprehensive mapping of current work, interview pioneering businesses in the accommodation and reservation services industries, and further research and development.

As the Oxford SDG Impact Lab’s founding partner, easyJet holidays will continue work started in 2022 to equip students with the transferable skills needed to lead transformative change in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. As the lab’s founding partner, easyJet holidays works alongside Oxford University students to identify and deliver solutions to help develop sustainable travel.

Matt Callaghan, easyJet holidays’ Director of Customer & Operations, said: “We have big ambitions when it comes to making sustainable holidays mainstream and we’re committed to playing our part in supporting better tourism governance. So, as the SDG Impact Lab’s founding partner we’re delighted to be supporting the Lab’s work with the UNWTO, to develop a first of its kind environmental, social and governance framework for sustainable tourism. Collaboration is key when it comes to making real world impact, so we look forward to helping develop a framework that can be a force for good for the entire travel and tourism industry.”

UNWTO Executive Director, Zoritsa Urosevic, said: “By drawing on the power of international consensus, an ESG Framework for Tourism Business that is comparable and relevant for a majority of companies will empower private and public sectors with more robust data to shape innovative policies, transform business models and promote better tourism governance”.

Professor Alexander Betts, University of Oxford's Local and Global Engagement Officer, said: "The ESG Framework brings together the University of Oxford's world class academic research with the international consensus-building ability and expertise of the UNWTO. Ensuring that this strategic approach is matched with real-world testing and consultation with industry experts, such as easyJet holidays, this project is uniquely placed to bring about meaningful impact in the sustainable tourism sector.”

Notes to editors:

For more information, interview requests or imagery, please contact the team on Holidays.pressoffice@easyjet.com / 01582 525374

About easyJet holidays:

easyJet holidays is the UK’s fastest growing tour operator, having carried 1.3 million people in first fully operational year and named Rising Brand of the Year by Travolution. It offers great-value beach, city and lakes holidays to over 5000 hotels, in more than 100 destinations across Europe, directly through its website and through over 5000 travel agent partners. The ATOL-protected holidays can be secured with a deposit of just £60 per person, including flights, hotel, 23kg luggage and transfers on beach holidays. easyJet holidays is a member of ABTA, and all packages are covered by its Ultimate Flexibility, offering freedom to change a booking, a refund guarantee, and best price guarantee.

Winners of the Sustainable Future Award at the Globe Travel Awards 2022, easyJet holidays has a sustainability strategy focusing on three key pillars – create better holiday choices which is about making sustainable travel affordable and accessible to everyone; keep our holidays special which is maximising the benefits and minimising the negative impacts of travel and tourism, and transform travel for everyone which means embedding sustainability into business decisions and behaviours and driving meaningful change in the industry. Through ongoing collaboration with the University of Oxford, and as a member of the GSTC, easyJet holidays is focused on building its research, partnerships and certifications, and taking action to make a positive impact on the people and places that make its destinations so special.

easyJet holidays has been named one of the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2023 – being called out as one of the most loved employers and highly commended as a great place to work for LGBTQIA+ employees, as well as being named one of the Best Workplaces in Travel 2022.