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Best Sustainable Marketing Agencies in 2026 (UK & Europe)

Best Sustainable Marketing Agencies in 2026 (UK & Europe)

by | Oct 20, 2026 | Green Business, Sustainability Society, Sustainable Marketing

Best Sustainable Marketing Agencies in 2026 (UK & Europe)

Choosing a sustainable marketing agency matters more in 2026 than ever. Customers want brands they can trust, and regulators in the UK and EU now have real powers to penalise vague green claims. The right agency helps you grow and keeps your claims honest.

Below are 8 sustainable marketing agencies across the UK and Europe, what each one specialises in, and how to choose the right one for you.

What is a sustainable marketing agency?

A sustainable marketing agency helps organisations grow in a way that is honest about environmental and social impact. It typically works with purpose-driven clients, backs every claim with evidence, avoids greenwashing, and considers the footprint of its own work, from website energy use to the clients it chooses to take on. Read more in our guide to what a sustainable marketing agency is.

Why work with a sustainable marketing agency in 2026?

  • Customers say they want sustainable choices. In PwC’s 2024 Voice of the Consumer survey of more than 20,000 people in 31 countries and territories, 80% said they were willing to pay more for sustainably produced or sourced goods, with some willing to pay an average of 9.7% more (PwC, May 2024). PwC notes this may not always translate into actual spending, which is exactly why clear, credible communication matters.
  • Vague green claims now carry real penalties in the UK. Since 6 April 2025, the Competition and Markets Authority can enforce consumer law directly and fine businesses up to 10% of global turnover, including for misleading environmental claims (Fieldfisher).
  • New EU rules apply from 27 September 2026. They ban generic claims such as “eco-friendly” unless backed by recognised excellent environmental performance, sustainability labels not based on a recognised certification scheme (COSLAW), and claims that a product is climate neutral based on offsetting (Bird & Bird).

A specialist agency helps you make the most of the opportunity while staying on the right side of these rules.

How we chose these agencies

We included agencies that focus on sustainable, ethical or climate-positive work, describe that focus clearly on their own website, and show evidence of it, such as certifications, memberships, published policies or named clients in the sector. All details were checked on each agency’s own site in October 2026.

The best sustainable marketing agencies in 2026

Agency Based Best for
Akepa (The Sustainable Agency) Barcelona, Spain (remote-first) Growth marketing, paid search and ethical AI for sustainable brands and nonprofits
Wholegrain Digital London, UK Low-carbon websites and digital sustainability
Futerra London, New York and Mexico City Large organisations wanting sustainability strategy, storytelling and training
4Change Marketing London, UK Start-ups and SMEs wanting full-service conscious marketing
Growroom Shrewsbury, UK SEO, paid search and paid social for progressive brands and charities
Creative Wilderness Manchester, UK Small ethical businesses wanting nature-inspired branding
MTC | The Content Agency Remote Thought leadership and B2B content for climate tech
Growfish UK & Europe Sustainability comunications, content and branding for SMEs, nature-positive organisations and conservation charities.

Agency details are taken from each agency’s own website, checked on 20 October 2026.

How to choose a sustainable marketing agency

Use this checklist on any agency you’re considering, including us:

  1. Check their credentials. Look for verifiable certifications such as B Corp, and memberships such as 1% for the Planet or Clean Creatives. Confirm them in the organisation’s own directory.
  2. Ask who they won’t work with. A clear exclusion policy, for example declining fossil fuel clients, shows the values are real.
  3. Look for sector experience. Named clients and case studies in your field matter more than general marketing awards.
  4. Test their approach to claims. Ask how they would evidence an environmental claim. They should know the UK and EU rules described above.
  5. Ask about their own footprint. From website hosting to travel, a sustainable agency should be able to tell you how it reduces its own impact.
  6. Match the specialism to your need. Some agencies in the table focus on video, some on content, some on PPC. Choose for the job you need doing.

Looking for a sustainable marketing agency?

Growfish is a sustainable marketing studio working exclusively with purpose-driven organisations. If you’re looking for help with your brand, website or content, we’d love to hear from you

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FAQs

What does a sustainable marketing agency do? It helps purpose-driven organisations grow through branding, websites, content and campaigns, while making sure every environmental or social claim is honest and evidenced.

Are sustainable marketing agencies more expensive? Not necessarily. Pricing depends on the agency’s size and services. Some list minimum retainers on their sites, so ask for a clear quote early.

What is a B Corp agency? A business certified by the non-profit B Lab for meeting its standards on social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.

Can a sustainable agency help me avoid greenwashing? Yes. A good one will check your claims against the evidence and current rules before anything is published. See our guide to how to avoid greenwashing.

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Pollyanna Durbin

For more info about growing your business with a sustainable marketing strategy, get in touch with us at growfish.co

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Sustainable Tourism in Bali: The Challenges and What Marketers Can Learn

Sustainable Tourism in Bali: The Challenges and What Marketers Can Learn

by | Oct 19, 2026 | Sustainability Society, Sustainable Marketing, Sustainable Tourism

Sustainable Tourism in Bali: The Challenges and What Marketers Can Learn

Bali is one of the world’s best-loved islands, and it is working hard to stay that way. Tourism brings jobs, investment and global attention, and Bali is putting that money and attention to work: a tourist levy that funds the protection of culture and nature, some of the boldest plastic rules in the region, and a strong network of local businesses and campaigners leading the way.

Here’s how tourism shapes Bali, what the island is doing to make it sustainable, and what hospitality brands everywhere can learn.

What are the positive impacts of tourism in Bali?

Economic benefits

Tourism is one of the pillars of Bali’s economy. The island welcomed 6,333,360 international visitors in 2024, up 20.10% on 2023 and slightly above its pre-pandemic 2019 level, according to Bali’s Central Bureau of Statistics (Bali Hotels Association). Members of the Bali Hotels Association alone represent more than 25,860 hotel rooms and almost 31,000 tourism-sector employees (same source).

Positive environmental impacts

Tourism also funds environmental protection directly. Since 14 February 2024, international visitors have paid a one-off levy of IDR 150,000, about USD 10 (Philippine Embassy in Jakarta). The money is used to conserve, preserve and revitalise Bali’s nature and culture, and to improve services for visitors (Love Bali). Visitor demand for responsible travel also rewards businesses that invest in sustainability, from organic farming to waste management, as you’ll see in the examples below.

Cultural benefits

International interest helps protect Bali’s living heritage. In 2012, UNESCO inscribed the Cultural Landscape of Bali Province on its World Heritage List. It recognises the subak, a cooperative system of canals, weirs and water temples dating back to the 9th century, and the Tri Hita Karana philosophy behind it, which brings together the spiritual realm, the human world and nature (UNESCO). Tri Hita Karana is, in many ways, a centuries-old sustainability framework, and it gives Bali a story about balance that few destinations can match.

What are the negative impacts of tourism in Bali?

Like every popular destination, Bali faces pressure from visitor numbers: on waste, water, land, roads and the authenticity of cultural life. The island’s leaders are tackling these head on, which is why the levy explicitly exists to protect Balinese culture and the natural environment.

Plastic waste has been a particular focus. In 2019, Bali banned single-use plastics including bags, straws and Styrofoam (World Economic Forum). On 2 April 2025, Governor I Wayan Koster went further with Circular Letter No. 9 of 2025, which bans the production of single-use plastic bottled water under one litre and applies to businesses including hotels, restaurants and cafes (SSEK).

Sustainable tourism initiatives in Bali

Love Bali: the tourist levy – Run by the Bali Provincial Government, Love Bali lets visitors pay the levy online before they travel. It turns every international arrival into a direct contribution to the island’s nature and culture (Love Bali).

Bye Bye Plastic Bags – Sisters Melati and Isabel Wijsen founded Bye Bye Plastic Bags in 2013, when they were 12 and 10, campaigning against plastic bags in Bali (World Economic Forum). It is a powerful example of young local changemakers shaping their island’s future.

Sungai Watch – Sungai Watch installs trash barriers in Bali’s rivers to stop plastic reaching the ocean. Its first barrier went in in October 2020. By early 2023 it had placed 180 barriers and collected more than 982,000 kilograms of plastic, sorting and analysing what it finds to push for better solutions (Plastic Soup Foundation).

Munduk Moding Plantation – In the hills of North Bali, Munduk Moding Plantation offers guests a sustainability tour covering organic farming, waste management, renewable energy and community engagement. The resort also runs free English and Balinese dance classes for local children (Munduk Moding Plantation).

The industry bodies leading change

  • The Bali Tourism Board, the island’s tourism industry body, which describes its role as driving quality, sustainable tourism.
  • Bali Hotels Association, representing star-rated hotels and resorts, which has run initiatives including a Sustainable Food Festival.

What marketers can learn from Bali

At Growfish, we work on sustainability communications for purpose-driven organisations, and Bali offers some of the clearest lessons we know.

  1. Lead with your values, not your amenities. Tri Hita Karana gives Bali a story about harmony that runs deeper than beaches. Brands with a genuine purpose should tell it.
  2. Make visitors part of the solution. The Love Bali levy turns tourists into contributors. Give your customers a clear, tangible role in your impact.
  3. Back bold claims with bold action. Bali’s plastic rules are credible because they’re enforceable and specific. Specific action is far more persuasive than vague promises.
  4. Champion the grassroots. Bye Bye Plastic Bags and Sungai Watch carry more authority than any advert. Partnering with genuine local changemakers builds trust.
  5. Be honest about the challenges. Acknowledging pressure from mass tourism, while showing what you’re doing about it, makes the positive story more believable.

What hospitality businesses can learn from Bali

For hotels, resorts and tour operators, in Bali or anywhere else, the island points to a few clear priorities:

  • Get ahead of regulation. Bali’s 2025 rules on plastic bottled water apply directly to hotels, restaurants and cafes. Switching early to refill stations and reusables turns compliance into a guest-facing story.
  • Show guests the impact. Tours like Munduk Moding’s let visitors see sustainability in action, which is far more memorable than a sign about reusing towels.
  • Invest in the community. Free classes for local children, local hiring and local sourcing are the details guests remember and share.
  • Keep claims specific. From 27 September 2026, EU rules ban generic environmental claims that can’t be backed by recognised excellent environmental performance, which matters for anyone marketing to European travellers. Our guide to sustainable vs traditional marketing explains more.

If you run a hotel or travel business and want your sustainability story to reach the right guests, get in touch.

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FAQs

What are the positive environmental impacts of tourism in Bali?

Tourism funds conservation directly through the Love Bali levy, and visitor demand rewards businesses that invest in organic farming, waste management and renewable energy.

What are the negative impacts of tourism in Bali?

Pressure on waste, water, land, roads and cultural life. Bali is responding with its tourist levy, its 2019 ban on single-use plastics and its 2025 rules on plastic bottled water.

How much is the Bali tourist tax?

IDR 150,000 per international visitor, about USD 10, paid once. It has applied since 14 February 2024 and can be paid in advance through Love Bali.

Is Bali a sustainable destination?

It is working hard to become one. Its levy, plastic rules, UNESCO-recognised subak landscape and active local campaigners make it one of the most interesting sustainable tourism stories in Asia.

Sources

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Written by
Pollyanna Durbin

For more info about growing your business with a sustainable marketing strategy, get in touch with us at growfish.co

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Sustainability in Copenhagen: Why It’s a Green City (2026)

Sustainability in Copenhagen: Why It’s a Green City (2026)

by | Aug 9, 2026 | Sustainability Society, Sustainable Marketing, Sustainable Tourism

Sustainability in Copenhagen: Why It’s a Green City (2026)

Copenhagen is a sustainable city because it makes the green choice the easy choice. Cycling is quicker than driving for many journeys, almost every home is warmed by a shared district heating network, waste becomes energy, and even visitors are rewarded for travelling responsibly.

For anyone working in sustainability, marketing or hospitality, Copenhagen is more than a pleasant city break. It shows how good design, consistent policy and clear communication can change everyday behaviour at scale. Here’s what makes it work, and what the rest of us can learn from it.

Why is Copenhagen a sustainable city?

Copenhagen’s sustainability rests on four things working together:

  • Transport built around bikes. Cycling is the obvious way to get around, not a lifestyle statement.
  • Shared, low-carbon heating. District heating covers 98% of the city’s heating demand (HOFOR).
  • Waste treated as a resource. The CopenHill plant turns waste into energy and doubles as a public ski slope.
  • A whole-city approach to tourism. Wonderful Copenhagen, the city’s tourism organisation, rewards visitors for green actions through CopenPay.

What ties them together is that none of them relies on people being heroic. The infrastructure does the work, and the sustainable option is usually the most convenient one.

How is Copenhagen sustainable? The key initiatives

A city built for cycling

According to VisitCopenhagen, 49% of trips to work or school in the city are made by bike, up from 35% ten years earlier, and 97% of Copenhageners are satisfied with cycling conditions (VisitCopenhagen). Dedicated bridges, wide cycle tracks and bike signals that give riders a head start at junctions make cycling feel safe and fast.

The lesson is in the bridges. When the Bryggebroen cycle and pedestrian bridge opened in 2006, experts expected about 3,300 crossings a day. Within months, more than 9,000 people were using it, a third of them former car drivers (same source). Build the route and people use it.

Green heating for almost every home

Copenhagen’s district heating network, run by the utility HOFOR, covers 98% of the city’s heating demand. HOFOR has converted the Amagerværket power station from fossil fuels to biomass and replaced the last steam-based section of the network with more efficient water-based heating (HOFOR).

Shared heat networks like this are far easier to decarbonise than millions of individual boilers, which is a big part of why the city’s emissions have fallen so far.

CopenHill: waste-to-energy with a ski slope

CopenHill, also known as Amager Bakke, is a waste-to-energy plant designed by Bjarke Ingels Group that opened in 2019. It converts around 440,000 tonnes of waste into energy each year, and its roof carries a ski slope of about 400 metres, along with hiking trails and a climbing wall (Dezeen).

It is a brilliant piece of communication as much as engineering. A power plant that people choose to visit for fun makes the city’s energy system visible and something to be proud of.

CopenPay: rewarding tourists for green choices

CopenPay, created by Wonderful Copenhagen, rewards visitors for actions such as cycling, picking up litter, arriving by train or joining biodiversity workshops. In return they get free experiences, meals and discounts.

The results are impressive. Participation grew from 5,000 people in the 2024 pilot to 25,000 in 2025, partners grew from 26 to 100, and 7 in 10 participants said they left motivated to change everyday habits such as cycling more and sorting waste. Bike rentals rose 59% on the same period the year before, and 98% of users were satisfied or very satisfied (Wonderful Copenhagen).

TIME named CopenPay one of its Best Inventions of 2025. In June 2026, Wonderful Copenhagen announced it would relaunch on 22 June as a permanent, year-round scheme, and it now offers the model free to other destinations as DestinationPay (Wonderful Copenhagen).

A city designed for living well

Sustainability in Copenhagen is not only about energy and emissions. The city encourages visitors to swim in the harbour at spots such as Islands Brygge Harbour Bath, eat at organic and plant-based restaurants, and visit urban farms such as the rooftop restaurant Gro Spiseri. VisitCopenhagen has also worked with the City of Copenhagen on simple guidance for visitors on helping to look after the city (VisitCopenhagen).

Is Copenhagen carbon neutral?

Not yet, but its progress is still remarkable. Copenhagen set out to become the world’s first carbon-neutral capital by 2025. In August 2022 the city said that goal was no longer realistic, because the CopenHill operator ARC could not secure the funding it needed to build full-scale carbon capture at the plant. By then the city had already cut its CO2 emissions by 80%, beating its own target, and it now aims to make a positive contribution to the climate by 2035 at the latest (The Copenhagen Post).

That honesty is part of what makes Copenhagen credible. It set a bold target, reported openly when one part of the plan stalled, and kept going.

The organisations driving Copenhagen’s green transition

Copenhagen’s success is not just the work of the city council. A wider network of organisations shares Danish expertise with the world:

  • Wonderful Copenhagen, the city’s official tourism organisation, behind CopenPay and DestinationPay.
  • State of Green, a not-for-profit public-private partnership between the Danish government and Danish Industry, Green Power Denmark and the Danish Agriculture and Food Council. It connects more than 600 Danish organisations with international partners working on the green transition.
  • CONCITO, Denmark’s independent green think tank, which turns research and data into practical climate action across energy, food, cities and the economy.
  • HOFOR, the city’s utility, running the district heating network.

What marketers can learn from Copenhagen

At Growfish, we work on sustainability communications every day, and Copenhagen is one of the examples we return to most. Here’s why.

  1. Make the sustainable choice the easy one. Copenhagen doesn’t lecture people into cycling. It makes cycling faster and safer. Good sustainable marketing removes friction rather than adding guilt.
  2. Reward, don’t shame. CopenPay offers a free lunch for picking up litter. Positive incentives create goodwill and stories people want to share.
  3. Make the invisible visible. A ski slope on a power plant turns energy infrastructure into a talking point. Find the tangible, surprising side of your sustainability work.
  4. Be honest about setbacks. Copenhagen’s openness about its 2025 target makes its other claims more believable. Admitting what’s still in progress builds trust.
  5. Back every claim with evidence. Every result Wonderful Copenhagen publishes about CopenPay comes with a number. Specific, measurable claims are more persuasive and, under new UK and EU rules, far safer than vague green language.

What hospitality businesses can learn from Copenhagen

Copenhagen shows that sustainability and a great guest experience go together. According to Wonderful Copenhagen, a majority of the hotel rooms around the city are eco-certified (Wonderful Copenhagen). For hotels, tour operators and venues anywhere, a few lessons stand out:

  • Get independently certified, and explain in plain language what the certification means for guests.
  • Reward guests for green choices, as CopenPay does, rather than only asking them to reuse towels. DestinationPay now makes this model available to other destinations free of charge.
  • Tell specific stories. Local suppliers, real energy savings and named initiatives are far more convincing than “eco-friendly”.
  • Check your claims. From 27 September 2026, EU rules ban generic environmental claims that can’t be backed by recognised excellent environmental performance, which affects how hospitality brands can describe themselves. Our guide to sustainable vs traditional marketing explains the new rules.

We help travel and hospitality brands communicate sustainability with confidence. We’ve spoken to Select Green Hotels about what makes green hospitality work. If you run a hotel, venue or travel business and want your sustainability story to reach the right guests, explore our travel and hospitality copywriting and services, or get in touch.

FAQs

Why is Copenhagen considered a green city? Because sustainable choices are built into everyday life: around half of trips to work or school are by bike, district heating covers 98% of heating demand, waste is turned into energy, and visitors are rewarded for green actions.

Is Copenhagen carbon neutral? Not yet. The city dropped its 2025 carbon-neutral goal in 2022 after funding for carbon capture fell through, but it had already cut CO2 emissions by 80% and is working towards a new 2035 aim.

What is CopenPay? A scheme run by Wonderful Copenhagen that rewards tourists with free experiences and discounts for actions such as cycling, collecting litter or arriving by train. It became a permanent, year-round scheme in June 2026.

What can other cities learn from Copenhagen? That infrastructure and incentives change behaviour more reliably than messaging alone, and that honest, evidence-based communication builds lasting trust.

Sources

For more information about growing your business, get in touch with a member of the team at growfish.co. We’d love to hear from you.

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Sustainability in Amsterdam: A Model for Doughnut Economics

Sustainability in Amsterdam: A Model for Doughnut Economics

by | Jul 30, 2026 | Green Business, Sustainability Society

Sustainability in Amsterdam: A Model for Doughnut Economics

Amsterdam is one of the world’s most inspiring sustainable cities. It was the first city to adopt doughnut economics, it topped the Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index in 2024, and it is turning bold ambitions into concrete rules, from how it buys materials to how it welcomes visitors.

Here’s how Amsterdam is putting doughnut economics into practice, what it means for tourism, and what businesses and marketers can learn.

What is doughnut economics?

Doughnut economics is a way of thinking about the economy developed by economist Kate Raworth. She first published the idea in a 2012 Oxfam report and expanded it in her 2017 book, Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist (Doughnut Economics Action Lab).

The model has two rings. The inner ring is a social foundation, so that no one falls short on life’s essentials. The outer ring is an ecological ceiling, so that humanity doesn’t overshoot the planet’s limits. The space between is where people and planet can thrive. In the words of the Doughnut Economics Action Lab, the goal is to “meet the needs of all people within the means of the living planet” (same source).

How is Amsterdam implementing doughnut economics?

Amsterdam was the first city to adopt Kate Raworth’s doughnut framework (I amsterdam). It put the idea to work through its Circular Strategy 2020–2025, approved by the city’s College of Mayor and Alderpersons on 8 April 2020 (European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform).

Clear targets

Target Deadline Source
Halve the use of new raw materials 2030 I amsterdam
Halve food waste 2030 NL Times
Cut the city’s own consumption by 20% 2030 NL Times
100% circular public procurement 2030 I amsterdam
Cut CO2 emissions by 60% 2030 Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance
Free of natural gas 2040 Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance
Become a fully circular city 2050 I amsterdam
Cut CO2 emissions by 95% compared with 1990 2050 Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance

Concrete measures

The targets come with practical policies. According to I amsterdam, the city uses its €2.8 billion procurement budget to drive circularity, with a “reuse, unless” policy and mandatory CO2 pricing on investments over €1 million. From 2025, new buildings must use at least 20% timber or bio-based materials, and a Circular Economy Monitor, launched in 2022, tracks material flows towards the 2030 and 2050 goals (I amsterdam). The circular economy already supports around 140,000 jobs in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area, about 11% of employment, compared with a national average of 8.1% (same source).

Is Amsterdam a sustainable city?

Yes. Amsterdam topped the Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index 2024, which ranks cities on planet, people and profit, plus a new progress pillar that tracks how sustainability initiatives have changed cities over the past decade (Arcadis). What sets Amsterdam apart is that it treats sustainability as a question of wellbeing as well as emissions. The doughnut asks whether residents’ needs are met, not just whether the economy is growing.

Sustainable tourism in Amsterdam

Amsterdam applies the same thinking to tourism. amsterdam&partners, the public-private foundation behind the I amsterdam brand, works with more than 750 partners and names a sustainable visitor economy as one of its four focus areas.

Its approach centres on welcoming “visitors of value”: people who add to residents’ quality of life, support local businesses and explore beyond the busiest areas. It also encourages train travel within Europe and urges tourism partners to adopt practices such as electric canal boats and green energy (Destination Think, 2023).

The city is backing this with policy. In June 2024 it decided to cut ocean cruise calls at the city-centre terminal to about 100 a year from 2026, close that terminal by 2035, require docked ships to use shore power from 2027, and halve river cruise moorings to 1,150 a year by 2028 (DutchNews).

The organisations driving Amsterdam’s transition

  • Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL), Kate Raworth’s organisation, which runs workshops with businesses and city departments and hosts a global community of practitioners.
  • The Amsterdam Donut Coalition, a grassroots network co-created in 2019 that brings together more than 1,000 people applying doughnut principles in the city.
  • Circle Economy, an Amsterdam-based non-profit founded in 2011, which publishes the Circularity Gap Report.
  • AMS Institute, which researches and designs solutions to urban challenges and educates future engineers.
  • amsterdam&partners, leading the city’s work on a sustainable visitor economy.

What marketers can learn from Amsterdam

At Growfish, we work on sustainability communications for purpose-driven organisations, and Amsterdam’s approach has a lot to teach marketers.

  1. Redefine success. The doughnut measures thriving, not just growth. Ask whether your marketing serves customers’ real needs, not just sales volume.
  2. Market repair, reuse and longevity. A circular economy needs marketing that celebrates products that last, spare parts and second-hand options.
  3. Choose your audience, not just your reach. Amsterdam’s “visitors of value” idea is a brilliant brief for any brand: attract the people who add to what you’re building.
  4. Publish targets and track them. Amsterdam’s monitor and dated goals make its claims credible. Measurable commitments are far more persuasive than aspirations.
  5. Build coalitions. From DEAL to the Donut Coalition, Amsterdam’s progress is shared. Partnerships give sustainability stories credibility no advert can buy.

What hospitality businesses can learn from Amsterdam

Hotels, venues and tour operators everywhere can borrow from Amsterdam’s playbook:

  • Attract guests who fit your values. Like Amsterdam’s visitors of value, focus your marketing on guests who respect the place and support local businesses.
  • Make low-carbon travel part of the offer. Promote rail connections, bikes and electric transport, as Amsterdam does.
  • Design for circularity. Refillable amenities, repair over replacement and local suppliers are all doughnut thinking in practice.
  • Get certified and say what it means. By 2020, more than 50 Amsterdam hotels held Green Key certification (CoStar, 2020). Explain to guests what your certification covers.
  • Keep claims specific. From 27 September 2026, EU rules ban generic environmental claims that can’t be backed by recognised excellent environmental performance. Our guide to sustainable vs traditional marketing explains more.

If you run a hotel, venue or travel business and want your sustainability story to reach the right guests, explore our travel and hospitality copywriting and services, or get in touch.

Frequently asked questions

What is doughnut economics in simple terms? An economic model that aims to meet everyone’s essential needs without overshooting the planet’s ecological limits.

Which city adopted doughnut economics first? Amsterdam, through its Circular Strategy 2020–2025, approved in April 2020.

How is Amsterdam sustainable? It has dated targets to halve new raw material use by 2030 and become fully circular by 2050, circular rules for procurement and construction, and policies to make tourism more sustainable, including limits on cruise ships.

Sources

    For more information about growing your business, get in touch with a member of the team at growfish.co. We’d love to hear from you.

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    Sustainable Marketing Agencies in Mallorca: Amplifying the Sustainable Tourism Transformation

    Sustainable Marketing Agencies in Mallorca: Amplifying the Sustainable Tourism Transformation

    by | Sep 30, 2024 | Sustainability Society, Sustainable Marketing, Sustainable Tourism

    Sustainable Marketing Agencies in Mallorca: Amplifying the Sustainable Tourism Transformation

    Mallorca, with its stunning beaches, vibrant culture and awe-inspiring landscapes, has long been a sought-after summer travel destination with tourism numbers growing exponentially each year. Like many holiday destinations in Spain however, the island’s popularity comes at a cost, with the environmental and social implications of mass tourism becoming increasingly evident in recent years.

    In this guide, we look at what is happening in Mallorca and how the island is responding. We also share practical lessons for tourism businesses, including the new EU rules on green claims that now apply in Spain.

    What is happening with tourism in Mallorca?

    Tourism drives Mallorca’s economy, but many residents feel the island has reached its limit. In August 2024, for example, more than 100 members of the “Occupem Les Nostres Platges” (“Occupy Our Beaches”) movement gathered on S’Arenal beach in Palma. They called for stricter limits on tourism, citing housing costs and overstretched public services.

    The environmental pressure is also clear. The Mallorca Sustainability Observatory, set up by Banca March and the Mallorca Preservation Foundation, studied tourism’s impact in 2022. That year, Mallorca received 11.48 million visitors. The study found that the average tourist’s carbon footprint was almost double the average resident’s. Tourists averaged 11.2 tonnes of CO2, compared with 5.8 tonnes for residents. Transport made up 45% of the tourist figure.

    How is Mallorca responding?

    Local and regional authorities are taking several steps. First, the Balearic Government has charged a sustainable tourism tax on stays in tourist accommodation since July 2016. The money funds projects that help offset tourism’s impact on the islands’ land and environment.

    Meanwhile, the Mallorca Responsible Tourism Foundation, part of the Consell de Mallorca, runs a responsible tourism pledge. Residents, visitors, businesses and institutions can all sign it. Its eight principles cover practical behaviour, such as:

    • taking litter home and recycling correctly
    • sticking to marked paths and leaving wildlife alone
    • saving water and energy during your stay
    • buying local food and crafts
    • protecting seagrass meadows by not anchoring nearby
    • respecting residents’ rest hours

    Notably, the foundation’s current campaign, “I take care of you, you take care of me”, focuses on mutual respect rather than restrictions.

    Why sustainable tourism marketing matters in Mallorca

    Marketing helped make Mallorca famous, so it shares some responsibility for what happens next. In fact, the aim of sustainable tourism marketing here is not to attract more people. Instead, it is to change when people visit, where they go and how they behave once they arrive.

    This is a delicate balance. Promote the wrong thing and you add to the pressure residents are protesting about. Get it right, however, and your marketing can support the island’s own efforts.

    Five ways to market responsible tourism in Mallorca

    Spread visits across the year. Peak summer brings the most pressure. Therefore, give people good reasons to visit in spring, autumn and winter, such as hiking, cycling or quieter beaches.

    Promote lesser-known places with care. Encouraging visitors beyond the hotspots can ease crowding. However, it can also move the problem somewhere more fragile. So think about capacity, and talk to local communities before you promote a new spot.

    Champion local businesses. Feature local producers, guides and craftspeople in your content. This way, more of the money visitors spend stays on the island.

    Help guests behave well. Share practical guidance before and during each stay. For instance, you could link to the pledge in booking emails or explain what the tourist tax pays for.

    Be specific about your own impact. Tell guests exactly what you do, such as how you save water or source food. Above all, avoid vague words like “eco-friendly”, which now carry legal risk in the EU.

    Sustainable tourism marketing and the new EU rules

    Since 27 September 2026, new EU rules on environmental claims have applied in Spain. They come from Directive (EU) 2024/825, often called the Empowering Consumers Directive. As a result, several types of claim are now high risk:

    • generic claims such as “green” or “eco-friendly”, unless you can show recognised excellent environmental performance or state the specific benefit alongside them
    • claims about a whole business when the benefit only covers one part of it
    • promises about future performance without a clear, public plan

    If you market to EU customers, review your website, booking pages and social media now. For complex cases, take legal advice.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is sustainable tourism marketing?

    Sustainable tourism marketing promotes travel in ways that reduce harm to places and communities. Rather than chasing visitor numbers, it shapes when people travel, where they go and how they behave.

    Why are people in Mallorca protesting about tourism?

    Residents have raised concerns about the lack of affordable housing, overstretched healthcare and crowded beaches. They also point to disrespectful behaviour by some visitors.

    What is the Mallorca responsible tourism pledge?

    It is a voluntary commitment run by the Mallorca Responsible Tourism Foundation. It asks residents, visitors and businesses to help protect the island’s nature, culture and communities.

    Getting help with sustainable tourism marketing

    Growfish is a Bristol-based sustainable marketing and communications studio, if you’d like help marketing your tourism business responsibly, get in touch.

    Sources

     

    portrait of Marta Gintowt

    Written by
    Tiggy O’Connnor

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