SUSTAINABLE TOURISM MANAGEMENT (THM 104) LECTURER: MAKACHA C TOPIC :SUSTAINABILITY QUALITY CONTROL LEVELS

LECTURE 1 CODES OF CONDUCT OBJECTIVES By the end of the lecture students should be able to: Define codes of conduct Describe characteristics of codes of conduct Describe weaknesses and strengths of codes of conduct

Definition of codes of conduct Also known as codes of ethics A set of guidelines that aims to influence the attitudes and behavior of those claiming adherence to it,(Weaver 2008). Related to the call during the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 for voluntary participation by industry players .

Definitions continued Codes of conduct can be industry oriented or those that are intended for all facets of the tourism industry. e.g. PATA Environmental Code for Sustainable Tourism

Characteristics of codes of conduct Commitment to protect the intergrity of the natural environment and relevant cultures. Responsibility to take action to achieve sustainability through sound planning and management. Should be done in consultation with relevant stakeholders.

Characteristics continued Do not provide timelines or other indications as to when the directive s should be achieved Almost always based on the principle of voluntary adherence as evidenced by the frequent use of conditional terms such as ‘encourage’, ‘urge’ ,‘should’ ,etc

Characteristics continued Usually predicated on the principle of self regulation so that the member company is responsible for ensuring its own compliance.

Strengths of codes of conduct A carrot rather than stick approach-internally regulated nature of codes of conduct makes it far more likely that organization members will sign on and thus commence their engagement with sustainability Moral suasion-members are morally and ethically ,if not legally ,obligated to adhere to codes promulgated by their parent organization. Pre-exemption of external and obligatory regulation. Not costly to develop in terms of money and time Easily understood and non controversial and provide basis for dialogue and common ground among those who adhere to the code

Weaknesses of codes of conduct Lack of specific objectives or timelines means there is no pressure to move expeditiously beyond vague actions Self regulation or internally monitored compliance appe ars to provide little assurance that the company or orga nisation will critically assess its own performance Lack of evidence that existing codes of conduct are being monitored

Conclusion-codes of conduct Codes of conduct are more likely to be successful where the individual guidelines or clauses are understandable , reasonable and not too numerous but also relevant to the ethic of sustainable tourism.