Sustainability for businesses

The Coast & Country Project is a coming together of five East Devon towns. Working collaboratively, we want you to join us on a journey to make East Devon a “clean, green, sustainable and inclusive destination where tourism generates local benefits and wellbeing for residents and visitors – delivered through strong cross-sector connectivity and collaboration.”

How do we define sustainability? 

 “Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities." — The World Tourism Organisation

The Coast & Country project is dedicated to establishing a sustainable, inclusive and accessible tourist economy that benefits both residents and visitors while preserving our valuable natural environment. By collaborating, we aim to create a positive impact.

Why sustainability matters for your business

The expectations of customers, providers, and the local community for businesses to be sustainable and inclusive have never been higher. By implementing effective practices, you can help create a future of sustainable tourism and protect the region's natural beauty for generations to come.  By being part of the change, your business will benefit. 

Just some of the benefits include:

• Fulfilling the evolving requirements of customers.
• Entering new markets and creating new products to increase resilience.
• Reducing operating costs by making smart choices on energy, water and waste
• Contributing to wider climate action, enhancing your brand and your reputation in the local community.
• Future-proofing your business against regulatory requirements and increasing customer preferences for environmentally conscious and ethical brands
• Meeting tour operator and investor demands.
• Improving staff satisfaction, recruitment and retention.
• Being a positive part of the community by providing benefits for residents and improving the quality of life for everyone. 

How these pages work

We’ve pulled together the best of local, national and international resources that you can use to help make your business more sustainable.  We hope to inspire you to make positive change, empower you through hints, tips and online training and encourage you to share your experiences with us and others.  An important part of the project is our Changemaker Champions network; businesses that are showing innovation and leadership in one or more areas of sustainable tourism.   We hope that their first-hand experiences will be helpful to you. 

To find out how you can get started with sustainability, or take further bold steps on your sustainability journey, click on one of the tabs below.

The Coast & Country project is funded by the East Devon District Council Innovation & Resilience Fund, part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

These pages do not endorse or recommend any particular product, provider or course of action.  You should check any legal or regulatory requirements with your solicitor, accountant or financial advisor.