Developing the Sustainability Communication Guidelines for Destination Germany

AREA  Development of Communication Guidelines, Strategic Consultation & Tools 

PARTNER  reCET create.empower.transform.

CLIENT  German National Tourist Board / Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus e. V. (DZT)

FUNDED BY  Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)

WHEN  2026

Project Overview: Developing the "Handlungsleitfaden"

With the rollout of the EU Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (EmpCo) and its integration into Germany’s Law Against Unfair Competition (Unlauterer Wettbewerbs-Gesetz – UWG), vague or misleading environmental claims face strict legal boundaries.

To help the tourism sector navigate these changing requirements, TrainingAid and reCET developed a comprehensive guidance framework and actionable practical tools. The initiative turns regulatory compliance into a strategic advantage by placing genuine sustainability, quality, and transparent values at the heart of "Destination Germany".

Key Deliverables & Guidelines Features

Dual-Language Guideline Development (Handlungsleitfaden): Authored a detailed 20-page document in both German and English outlining legal requirements (EmpCo & UWG), 5 core rules for green claims, and sector-specific tourism case studies.

Creation of the 5-Step Decision Tree (Analyse-Baum): Developed a visual workflow allowing marketing teams to evaluate step-by-step whether an environmental claim complies with regulatory standards.

Indicator Assessment System: Built a traffic-light indicator framework (Ampelsystem) to review marketing materials from "non-compliant" to "good practice".

Channel & Operational Recommendations: Formulated specific guidance covering B2B vs. B2C communication, social media visual risks, international market adaptations, and responsible AI usage in text generation.

Tool Highlight: Developing the 5-Step "Analyse-Baum" (Decision Tree)

As part of the guideline, we created a 5-step analysis framework to make compliance checks actionable for daily marketing operations:

1. Definition: Is the statement an environmental or social claim? (Identifies explicit or implicit claims regarding positive impacts).

2. Generality: Is the claim too vague or generic? (Flags unspecific terms like "eco-friendly" or "sustainable" without immediate context).

3. Verifiability: Is the claim backed by solid evidence or accredited third-party certification? (Checks for independent standards such as ISO, EMAS, or GSTC-accredited labels).

4. Misleading Impacts: Does the claim mislead regarding core product features or lifecycle impacts? (Prevents greenwashing by omission or overemphasizing minor features).

5. Implementation Plans: If predicting future performance (e.g., "Net Zero by 2040"), is there a realistic, publicly accessible, and independently monitored roadmap?

Tailored Operational Guidance for Tourism

Beyond core legal rules, the guidelines we developed provide tailored recommendations for specific tourism workflows:

Social Media & Imagery: Highlights how green imagery, colors, and symbols can implicitly communicate claims that require immediate links to verifiable proof.

B2B vs. B2C Alignment: Addresses how B2B claims can be passed along to consumers and emphasizes maintaining unified compliance across all partner networks.

AI Tool Integration: Sets guidelines for leveraging AI strictly as a creative ideation tool while establishing human verification processes for proof checking.

About the Client & Partners

German National Tourist Board (DZT): Mandated by the German federal government, the DZT promotes Germany internationally as a travel destination, establishing "Destination Germany" as a global brand synonymous with quality and sustainable travel.

reCET (create.empower.transform.): A specialized advisory firm focused on sustainable transformation and strategic capacity building in tourism.