To inform the development of the global ESG Framework for Tourism Businesses, there are 3 key phases foreseen:

• Phase 1 - Research and Development (January-June 2023) Significant desk-based research has been conducted by the Oxford SDG Impact Lab research team to inform the development of a first draft of the global ESG Framework for Tourism Businesses. This desk-based research has consisted of a review of relevant literature, existing ESG frameworks and standards, and case studies of current reporting mechanisms adopted by leading tourism businesses. The resulting draft Framework consists of a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) and proposed units of measurement.

• Phase 2 - Pilot Testing (June - July 2023) The next phase of this research is the pilot testing of the applicability, acceptability, and feasibility of the first draft of the ESG Framework by tourism companies, specifically those belonging to two key industries:

1. Hotels and other accommodations for visitors;
2.  Travel agencies and other reservation serving activities.
3. This testing will be performed by conducting semi-structured interviews with key representatives of tourism companies (e.g., Chief ESG Officers, Sustainability Managers, etc.) selected within the above tourism industries. Participants for the interviews will be drawn from a range of hotel companies and travel agencies, sampling according to maximum variation, for key selection criteria including size, turnover, geographic location, and current ESG engagement. The aim will be to obtain a sample as representative as possible.
4. On top of assessing participants’ views and overall ability to report on the draft ESG Framework, the interviews will also seek to:
   • Assess companies’ current ESG/sustainability reporting approaches.
   • Identify priority items for future action, data collection, and reporting based on companies’ current strategic objectives.
   • Undertake consultations and meetings with key internal stakeholders.

• Phase 3 – Framework Testing (2024) This phase will focus on conducting thorough testing of the ESG Framework, which will be based on the findings from the first and second phases. Additionally, the testing will be expanded to encompass various tourism industries, including food and beverage services, transportation, entertainment and attractions, among others.

Oxford SDG Impact Lab Research team

Research Leader 

Laura Ballerini, DPhil in International Development 
Oxford Department of International Development
Laura Ballerini is pursuing a PhD in International Development as a Clarendon Scholar. Her research investigates the ascendant place of social enterprises in health projects and settings in sub-Saharan Africa, with a specific focus on Kenya. Prior to the PhD, Laura completed the MPhil in Development Studies at the University of Oxford, where she was awarded the Eugene Havas Memorial Prize for best overall performance. Over the course of her studies, Laura worked for various organizations, covering roles of project manager, data analyst, business consultant, and reporter.

Researchers

Amy Booth, DPhil in Translational Health Sciences
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences 
Amy is a qualified medical doctor, currently doing a DPhil at Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship. Her research is focused on bringing industry and policy stakeholders together to reduce the climate change impact of the pharmaceutical supply chain. She has published peer-reviewed articles and been invited to present on her research at national and international platforms. 

Anvita Ramachandran, MPhil in Development Studies
Oxford Department of International Development
Anvita is an MPhil candidate in Development Studies at the Oxford Department of International Development. In her master’s research, she studies why migrant households might experience decreases in subjective well-being despite being materially better-off than non-migrants. She is funded by the ESRC Grand Union DTP and the Saven European Scholarship. 

Tyler Pugh, MSc in Evidence-Based Social Intervention & Policy Evaluation
Department of Social Policy and Intervention
Tyler is a current MPhil student in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation from the United States. His work has specifically centered around sexual violence survivors and policy optimization to ensure support in collegiate spaces. Previously, Tyler studied Industrial and Systems Engineering, working to understand how simulation modelling and data could impact systems that perpetuate racism, homophobia, and sexism in fields such as healthcare or engineering.

Zubin Deyal, MSc in Development Economics Oxford
Department of International Development

Zubin is interested in sustainability, especially in the tourism industry as it is the main economic driver of his small island developing home, Barbados. He has tried to facilitate sustainable development through his work as an economist at the IDB in Barbados, a data analyst at the Ministry of Tourism in Trinidad, and a consultant at the disruptive incubator, FUTUREBarbados.

Additional information

• Pilots - ESG Framework for Tourism Businesses