How Does the Certification Process Work?

The certification process has been designed to facilitate participation from the full variety of business types that serve travelers. Assistance will be provided to help businesses understand program requirements and become certified.

To be certified as a Travel Green Wisconsin business, the pilot businesses must complete the Checklist booklet which contains the following sections:

1. Registration
   The Registration Form asks for contact information, baseline environmental performance data, and a certification fee.
2. Checklist
   The checklist contains Basic Requirements and nine different sections entitled:

   A. Communication and Education (Customers, Employees, Public)
   B. Waste Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling
   C. Energy Efficiency, Conservation, and Management
   D. Water Conservation and Wastewater Management
   E. Air Quality
   F. Wildlife and Landscape Conservation and Management
   G. Transportation
   H. Purchasing
   I. Local Community Benefits

   To qualify for certification, each applicant must earn a minimum of 30 points from the Checklist. First, the applicant must fulfill the Basic Requirements and must meet the minimum point requirements in Section A, Communication (5 points). The remaining 25 points can be earned from any combination of additional Checklist Sections.

   To receive points, the business may check the examples listed in each category and/or describe an innovative best practice that is not listed. By checking the box, the business is either stating that they have already implemented the practice or are making a commitment to implement it. If they are committing to implement the practice, the business must write an Expected Date of Completion. This date must be within 6 months of submitting the Checklist. Applicants are encouraged to go above and beyond the minimum point total to achieve further recognition.

After the Registration and Checklist are completed, the applicant should make a copy for their own use and mail the originals along with the certification fee to:

Wisconsin Environmental Initiative
Attn: Travel Green Wisconsin
16 N. Carroll Street, Suite 840,
Madison, WI 53703
FAX: (608) 280-0361
travelgreen@travelwisconsin.com

The forms will be reviewed and the applicant will be notified about their certification status. Certified businesses will receive a Travel Green Wisconsin logo to use in promotional materials and Web site listings. Certification is valid for a one-year period from the date of issuance.

What is the Certification Fee?

Certification is valid for a one-year period from the date of issuance. The certification fee pays for the administration and marketing costs of certification. This fee will be paid annually to renew certification. It is based on the business’ number of full time equivalent employees. Tourism businesses with multiple sites may qualify for adjusted fees. Please contact WEI for more information. FTE = Full Time Equivalent Employees.

How Does a Business Renew Certification?

To renew certification, update the Registration form and Checklist with any changes from the previous year. In addition, an Annual Report must be completed which shows what the business has achieved over the year. The Annual Report must also state goals for the following year in order for the business to demonstrate continuous improvement.

Can a Business Be Removed From the Program?

Travel Green Wisconsin is a voluntary program. It is the responsibility of the business to assure all program requirements are met. In order to monitor compliance, the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative will solicit feedback from random spot checks and customer comments. In addition, certification documents will be posted on the Travel Green Wisconsin Web site. If deficiencies are reported, the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative (WEI) will offer follow-up assistance to correct them. Consistent failure to correct deficiencies will result in removal from the program. If a business is unable or unwilling to meet the responsibilities and program requirements, all Travel Green Wisconsin promotional materials must be returned to the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative and the business will refrain from further identification with Travel Green Wisconsin through name or use of the Travel Green Wisconsin logo.