Theme of thesis is environmentally friendly accommodation in Trebon and surroundings. The main objective is to identify friendly approaches in the accommodation offers in the friendly area and assess the significance of friendly approaches in the strategy of companies, which offer accommodation. From the survey, in which respondents' interest was investigated in environmentally friendly accommodation, was created demand analysis and based on Internet resources and unstructured interviews analysis of the supply of accommodation. From the observed results were determined proposals and measures for improvement.

The thesis deals with one of the voluntary instruments of state policy environment - ecolabeling (environmentally friendly products). Concretely it focuses on tourist accommodation services category due to the highest number of licenses granted in the program ecolabel of European Union. The goal was to find out the insight of tourist accommodation services and consumers in the Czech Republic and Italy on the issue of environmental protection.

The demand for organic sustainable products has been growing exponentially in the past years, pressuring the industry to showcase the sustainable origin and conditions of their products to their consumers. Companies use certifications and eco-labels to show the sustainability behind their products, but the standards behind these certifications can be hard to understand as certification companies are struggling to communicate them to the end consumers. Emerging technologies such as QR codes, IoT and blockchain provide new options for increasing traceability and transparency in the certification industry, but these technologies are not widely adopted. This thesis investigates the current practices in certification companies by performing semi-structured interviews with different actors in the certification industry, to understand what are the motivations and barriers that companies see in the adoption of new technologies for transparency and traceability. Once motivations and barriers have been identified, the authors frame them into a motivational model and propose organisational strategies for these companies in order to overcome the barriers and produce change towards technology adoption, traceability and transparency improvement, and sustainability advocacy.Industry practitioners can use these technologies to increase the trust in their brands and to ensure the sustainability of their supply chains. Further, new emerging technologies can be seen as a tool to assess the companies’ strategic and tactical decisions to comply with their CSR policy, decisions that can eventually lead to an organisational change providing companies with a more sustainable perspective of their operations.

Climate awareness is growing every day and pressure and expectations of powerful measures from companies are increasing. At the same time, the incentives for many companies to address climate change are small due to limited economic benefits. This master thesis will therefore examine how external certificates that address carbon neutrality can act as a motivator for more sustainable environmental initiatives. The work will also examine the important success factors that exist regarding the design of environmental certificates. The study was conducted through qualitative semi-structured interviews with representatives from several large companies and pro-environmental organizations. Through a detailed analysis, the results showed that an external certificate can strengthen a company's legitimacy and competitiveness, which in previous studies have proven to be motivators for increased environmental initiatives. The certificate itself cannot, however, be seen as a motivator. The conclusion further showed that a global standard is more sought after than a certificate. The study also resulted in the identification of three cornerstones for a successful certificate. These are: working with a credible NGO to achieve high credibility, base all criteria on research, and take into account the views of the industry. Three separate in-depth technical advancement studies have also been carried out and are presented separately in the appendix.

This study is one of the first of its kind to examine actual consumer purchasing decisions for forest products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Consumer purchasing was examined based on the presence or absence of a promotional brochure and a price premium for red oak and yellow poplar surfaced-four-sides (S4S) boards. This research also compared typical demographic factors for purchasers and non-purchasers of FSC certified S4S boards. Finally, the study examined subscales from a previously designed ecoscale to determine whether two of the subscales were effective predictors of the sale of FSC certified boards. Due to significant interactions between the price premium and the promotional brochure, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistics could not be interpreted. However, these strong interactions indicate that these two factors are interdependent. Examining respondents' understanding of the trade term, "certification," showed that most did not understand the term as it is used by the forest products industry. Respondents did not link certification directly with the environment, but rather stated that it was a measure of quality excellence. This illustrates that the forest products industry must use more specific descriptions that consumers will understand when referring to certification. Based on survey results from this study, a large proportion of respondents who paid more for FSC certified boards were unable to recall whether they had cost any more than the alternative product. Respondents of this study were not found to have a high level of confidence in the environmental claims of any group. These included forest products companies, industry associations, and independent organizations. The subscales of a previously designed ecoscale were not found to be strong indicators of a respondents' likelihood to purchase FSC certified S4S boards. This project should be seen as a starting point for additional researchers interested in studying actual purchase decisions of consumers of environmentally conscious products, such as certified hardwood boards. / Master of Science

隨著經濟的快速發展，人類活動對環境的衝擊日趨嚴重，為了抑制環境的損害，近年來，環保標章逐漸成為各國政府採用的新興環境管制工具，而目前大部分文獻著重於分析環保標章是否對消費者的行為模式產生改變及是否有效發揮減少污染排放與提升社會福利的效果，至於實行後有關貿易效果的部分，較少著墨。因此本文主要探討國內市場、廠商結構有所不同，但皆已實施環保標章制度的情況下，環保標章與非環保標章產品廠商之最適價格、產量及利潤，以及因貿易自由化造成關稅的下降，對於污染稅與國內環境品質的影響為何？ 本文以垂直差異化模型，描述消費者行為，並建立一個多家非環保標章廠商與一家環保標章廠商於本國市場進行價格競爭的兩國兩廠商理論模型。發現本國廠商為環保標章廠商時，不論在本國觀點或全球觀點下，將對汙染進行課稅，且關稅的下降將促使本國政府提高汙染稅，環境品質會因關稅下降而惡化。本國廠商為非環保標章廠商時，在本國觀點下，將對汙染進行補貼，關稅下降促使本國政府提高汙染補貼，同樣使得環境品質因而惡化；然而，在全球觀點下，將對汙染進行課稅，關稅的下降促使汙染稅跟著調降，環境品質因此而獲得改善。 / Due to the rapid economic development, the environment has got worse. This fact makes eco-label become a new environmental instrument which used by many countries in recent years. Recently, the economists want to figure out the influence of the eco-label. Those researches mainly focus on whether the eco-label changes the consumer behavior patterns and whether it can effectively reduce pollution emissions and improve social welfare. However, in those papers, the effect on trade is less mentioned. This paper focuses on the optimal price, quantity and profit of firms with and without eco-labels, as well as how the decline in tariffs caused by trade liberalization will influence the pollution tax and the domestic environmental quality. In this paper, we use the vertical differentiation model to describe consumer behavior. What we set here is when the local company is the eco-label product maker, the foreign company will produce non-green products, and vice versa. We found that when local company is the eco-label product maker, no matter in a domestic point of view or from the global perspective, the pollution will be taxed, and the decline in tariffs will raise pollution tax, so the deterioration of environmental quality. When local company is not eco-label product maker, there are two different consequences: in domestic view, the pollutions will be subsidized. We also can see as the tariffs declines, the government will raise its pollution subsidy, which will make the deterioration of environmental quality. From the global perspective, the pollution will be taxed, the decline in tariffs will lead to the reducing of pollution tax, so will improve the quality of the environment.

L’attenzione verso la sostenibilità ambientale da parte di istituzioni, società civile e imprese, ha condotto alla diffusione di molteplici strumenti utilizzati delle imprese per dimostrare il proprio impegno per ridurre l’impatto ambientale dei propri prodotti e processi. Tra questi spiccano le eco-label, certificazioni di qualità ambientale. Attraverso una ricerca esplorativa questa tesi intende chiarire i meccanismi che regolano la comunicazione tra istituzione, impresa e cliente, quali siano i i gap informativi più rilevanti in tale triangolazione e le aree di intervento su agire per ridurre le asimmetrie informative aumentando l’efficacia dell’eco-label, le imprese come fonte di vantaggio competitivo e i certificatori come sistema di riduzione dell’impatto ambientale. La ricerca multi-metodo condotta conferma un diffuso interesse dei consumatori verso la sostenibilità ambientale e l’intenzione di contribuire attivamente, tuttavia, sottolinea anche l’esistenza di numerosi malfunzionamenti della comunicazione sia da parte delle imprese che da parte degli enti certificatori. Spunti interessanti emergono sulle modalità attraverso cui i consumatori vorrebbero essere informati e sulle loro necessità informative circa le eco-label. Emerge chiaramente la necessità di investimenti di marketing da parte delle istituzioni e, per le imprese, la necessità di integrare l’eco-label nella visione strategica per valorizzarne il potenziale di vantaggio competitivo. / During the last two decades, the interest in environmentally-conscious production and consumption has been considerably increasing. In response to these environmental concerns, a growing number of third-party certified eco-labels has been developed. Through eco-labels companies can demonstrate their commitment in lowering the environmental impact of their products and processes. The aim of this thesis is to provide a better understanding of: 1) the communication mechanisms among issuer, firm and customer; 2) the nature of the main information gaps within this triangulation; 3) the areas of intervention as to reduce the information asymmetries and increase the effectiveness of eco-labels, in terms of competitive advantage for firms and increased beneficial effects on the environment for the issuers. The multi-method explorative research conducted confirms a wide interest towards sustainable consumption issues among consumers and their willingness to actively contribute; although it highlights numerous communication failures involving both firms and issuers. Interesting suggestions emerge about the consumers’ preferred ways to be informed on eco-labels and about their information needs. It also clearly emerges the need for marketing investment from the issuers, and the need of integrating the eco-label in the strategic vision for the firms in order to value its competitive advantage potential.

Arbetet undersöker vad som påverkar miljömärkningarnas legitimitet ur ettkonsumentperspektiv, om det finns skillnader i förtroende för företagens egnamiljömärkningar och organisationers miljömärkningar samt hur förtroendet förmiljömärkningar påverkar konsumenternas betalningsvilja. Tidigare studier har belyst attförtroende är avgörande för att miljömärkningarna ska tjäna sitt syfte samtidigt som utbudetav miljömärkningar ökar vilket skapar förvirring och osäkerhet bland konsumenter. Ettannat problem är att livsmedel som märkts med miljömärkningar från organisationer harstriktare krav och är tredjepartscertifierade medan företag som märker livsmedel med egnamiljömärkningar kan ändra sina standarder, vilket kan påverka miljömärkningens legitimitet.För att undersöka miljömärkningens legitimitet har studien tillämpat en kvalitativgruppintervjumetod där åtta konsumenter intervjuades. Studien har avgränsats till tvåsvenska miljömärkningar; ICAs egna varumärke I love eco och miljömärket KRAV.Resultatet från undersökningen tyder på att miljömärkningarnas legitimitet har en betydanderoll för konsumenters köpbeslut. En legitim miljömärkning ansågs enligt konsumenternavara när de följer kraven, har tredjepartscertifiering och när priset motsvarar kvaliteten.Faktorerna ovan visade även ha en betydande roll för konsumenternas betalningsvilja.Skillnad i förtroende för varumärket I love eco och KRAV berodde på kunskapsbrist, då Ilove eco ansågs mindre trovärdig trots att den uppfyller EUs förordning och KRAVs reglerför ekologisk produktion. Det som var mest avgörande för miljömärkningarnas legitimitet ärkunskap om miljömärkningarna, då det råder stor kunskapsbrist kring dem. / This bachelor thesis examines what influence the legitimacy of eco-labels from a consumerperspective, if there is a difference in trust in companies' own eco-labels and organizationaleco-labels and how trust in eco-labels affects consumers' willingness to pay. Previous studieshave highlighted that trust is crucial for eco-labels to serve their purpose at the same time asthe number of eco-labels increases and creates confusion and uncertainty among consumers.Another problem is that foods labelled with organizational eco-labels have stricterrequirements and are third-party certified, while companies that label foods with their owneco-labels can regulate their standards, which affect the legitimacy of the eco-label. Toinvestigate the legitimacy of eco-labelling, the study applied a qualitative group interviewmethod in which a total of eight consumers were interviewed. The study has been limited tothe two Swedish eco-labels ICA's own brand I love eco and KRAV. The results from thesurvey indicate that the legitimacy of eco-labels has a significant role to play in consumerpurchasing decisions. According to consumers, a legitimate eco-label was one that complywith the requirements and third-party certification and when the price corresponds to thequality. These factors above also proved to play a significant role in the consumer'swillingness to pay. The difference in trust in I love eco and KRAV was due to a lack ofknowledge, as I love eco was considered less credible despite complying with the EUregulation and KRAV's rules for organic production. What has been noted to be most crucialfor the legitimacy of eco-labels is knowledge within the eco-labels, as there is a great lack ofknowledge among the consumers surveyed.

ABSTRACT The cost of doing nothing would be very high on the fragile national ecosystems andultimately on the society of the Seychelles. ’Seychelles National Report 2012 p55 This Minor Field Study, undertaken as a Bachelor’s thesis, aims to research the Seychelleswork with sustainable tourism development and its challenges. The study was conducted onsite for two months in cooperation with the Seychelles Tourism Board. The national strategyfor sustainable tourism development is intended to maintain the uniqueness of Seychelles.Seychelles has for over 30 years been a global leader in protecting biodiversity and naturalenvironment and 51 % of the total land area consists of conservation areas. On the otherhand, Seychelles main source of income is tourism, with 40 % of the inhabitants directly orindirectly depending on tourism. As one of our interviewees put it: “the more tourism, themerrier”. The country will get better infrastructure and more jobs because of it and howcould that spoil the environment? This study looks into hotels perceptions of sustainabledevelopment in the tourism industry, their work with sustainable practices and thoughtsconcerning ecolabelling. Results show dissatisfaction with the government and that betterenvironmental governance is needed. The recent rapid development of new hotels isbecoming a rather problematic situation due to higher competition, infrastructural problemsand lack of labour force. The interest in an eco label is high, although they believe it iscomplicated to implement and is perceived as expensive. On the other hand, hotels are moreor less working in a sustainable way already.Regardless of the sustainable tourism development initiative, our interviewees had afear that Seychelles is becoming a mass tourism destination. They demand that this trend bestopped. We ask therefore, is more really merrier?