FAQ

We have compiled answers to questions frequently submitted by users.

If you have other queries, please contact us via the Contact form below, or by email to contact@ecolabeltoolbox.com.

Who is entitled to use the Ecolabel Toolbox?

The Ecolabel Toolbox website is designed for several types of users:

  • The general public – Interested guests and customers can use the site to find environmentally friendly accommodations that have received the EU Ecolabel, and to find out what concrete action lies behind this label.
  • All types of tourist accommodations (hotel, holiday village, rental lodgings, bed-and-breakfast, camping facilities, etc.) can use this site to find out more about the EU Ecolabel and to conduct an initial self-audit according to EU Ecolabel criteria. Registration with the Ecolabel Toolbox does not commit you to continuing with the certification process.
  • Establishments that are already certified under the EU Ecolabel can use the site to place their establishment on the map of certified accommodations that is visible to the general public, and to manage their environmental action on a daily basis. The toolbox allows users to save their files online, and to prepare paperwork to renew their certification, using the self-audit tool, among others.
  • Accompanying bodies (chambers of commerce, tourism offices, consulting firms) can use the site to work with establishments on obtaining EU Ecolabel certification.
  • Territorial bodies, agencies and governments can use the site for reporting purposes, to compile statistics and environmental data published by certified accommodations.
  • Other interested parties are invited to contact the Ecolabel Toolbox team for more detailed information (see the Contact form below).

 

What do I need to know/do before using the Ecolabel Toolbox?

There are no preliminary requirements for using the Ecolabel Toolbox, assuming that the new user falls into one of the categories mentioned above.

 

What are the user profiles available in the Ecolabel Toolbox workspace, and how do they differ?

In the toolbox workspace each user is linked to one or more establishment via a role, either as person in charge, action manager, or accompanying body.

PERSON IN CHARGE

Who is the "Person in charge"?

The person in charge is the person who is authorised to sign the EU Ecolabel certification application. This may be the director of the establishment or the director of sustainable development, for example.

Only one person in charge can be entered per establishment. Other in-house participants will have a role of action manager.

What are the prerogatives of the person in charge? What information is available to the person in charge?

The person in charge of the application has full access to all sections of the establishment's workspace: general information, consumption records, self-audit, action plan, application file, establishment information sheet, etc.; S/he can add, modify and delete data and documents.

S/he is the only user who can contact the competent certification body to request a cost estimate or submit an application for certification via the website.

This person is also the only user who can request publication of the establishment information sheet on the website.

ACTION MANAGER

Who is the "Action manager"?

The action manager is often the person tasked with operational implementation of environmental action in the establishment, and with gathering information for the EU Ecolabel certification application file. This may be a receptionist, an intern, the housekeeping manager, or other.

There may be several action managers, especially if you want all department managers (lodgings, housekeeping, maintenance, food service, etc.) to have access to the website in order to stay informed of action plans for each department.

What can action managers do on the website? What information is available to them?

Action managers have access to all sections of the establishment's workspace: general information, consumption records, self-audit, action plan, establishment information sheet. They can add, modify and delete data and documents.

They can consult the certification application file, but they cannot contact the competent body, request a cost estimate or submit the certification application via the website. This action is reserved for the person in charge.

ACCOMPANYING BODY

What is an "Accompanying body"?

The accompanying body is an outside consultant or organisation that works with tourist accommodations to help them obtain EU Ecolabel certification. This may be, for example, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the regional tourism board, the local tourism office, a consulting firm, the sustainable development officer for a hotel chain, etc.

There may be several accompanying bodies for a given establishment.

What can accompanying bodies do on the website? What information is available to them?

Accompanying bodies have access to establishments' files only if they have been granted access by the person in charge.

Accompanying bodies have access to all sections of the establishment's workspace: general information, consumption records, self-audit, action plan, establishment information sheet. They can add, modify and delete data and documents, and make suggestions.

They can consult the certification application file, but they cannot contact the competent body, request a cost estimate or submit the certification application via the website. This action is reserved for the person in charge.

Likewise, they cannot publish the establishment information sheet on the website. Only the person in charge has this capability.

 

What does it cost to use the Ecolabel Toolbox? How much does EU Ecolabel certification cost?

The Ecolabel Toolbox tool is furnished free of charge* by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency, ADEME. There is no cost to the user, either for consulting the site, registration, or connection to the online workspace.

EU Ecolabel certification involves fees for review of the application, certification audit and renewal, and for use of the label. Contact the competent body in your country for an estimate of the cost. (Contact information for the competent bodies is found in the list of Partners below).

* The Ecolabel Toolbox will be accessible free of charge at least until 2022, under the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) that finances the ShMILe programme.

What are the respective roles of an energy/environment agency and the competent body for certification?

The EU Ecolabel is the official environmental certification of the European Commission. Competent bodies have been designated for each Member State.

In France, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (Agence de l'Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l'Energie, ADEME) works with other competent bodies to develop the EU Ecolabel, and to help potential users obtain certification, via financial aid, as the case may be, as well as collaborative efforts in certain territories, and tools such as the Ecolabel Toolbox.

The role of the competent body, the Certification department of the Agence Française de Normalisation (AFNOR), is to handle certification of tourist accommodations in France: review of applications, certification audits, audit reports sent to applicants, issuance of certification numbers, etc.

ADEME and AFNOR are both present at EU Commission meetings.

AFNOR is the dedicated contact for tourist accommodations and establishments that want to apply for EU Ecolabel certification (see the list of competent bodies below).