Reporting Methodology
ECOMETRIX: Measuring Environmental Performance
Xanterra tracks its environmental performance through its Ecometrix tracking systems.
This system monitors:
- consumption of electricity, natural gas, gasoline, diesel, propane, fuel oil and water
- generation and purchase of renewable energy
- Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions, compliance violations, and Clean Air Act Criteria Air Pollutant emissions
- generation of solid waste
- all recycled materials, waste diverted from landfills, and recycled construction waste
- composted solid waste
- sustainable cuisine
- environmentally preferable retail products sold, and
- generation of hazardous waste, recycled hazardous waste, electronics waste, and Universal Waste (including all batteries, fluorescent lamps, mercury switches and PCB-containing ballasts)
These indicators represent what we have defined as the company’s total environmental footprint. Tracking usage of these resources allows the company to analyze trends, stay compliant, reduce liabilities, and move further toward sustainability.
Ecometrix data analyses use two methodologies*:
1 Absolute (Raw) Data: Absolute data is a tally of actual total resources consumed, pollutants emitted, or waste generated.
2 Ecometabolism: Because Xanterra can lose or gain property management contracts and buy and sell properties, Xanterra's Ecometrix data can artificially increase or decrease. Therefore the company has developed its Ecometabolism metric that accounts for growth or reduction in company operational size due to acquisitions or divestitures. Xanterra’s Ecometabolism is a measure of resource usage normalized by annual dollars of revenue or usage per room night (total rooms occupied in one year). This metric best defines overall environmental impact per unit of product (tourist-related activities, which include rooms, restaurants, retail, transportation, and support facilities).
*Minor fluctuations in data from Xanterra’s 2008 Sustainability Report are attributed to improved tracking methodologies, corrected minor errors identified during the 2010 verification process, or updates in industry-accepted emission conversion factors.
Verification of this Report
Environmental Reality Versus “Corporate Greenwash”
Environmental marketing hyperbole and excessive public relations, sometimes referred to as “greenwash,” can create a perception that a company is not degrading the environment, when quite the opposite can be true. To address this, Xanterra aggressively pursues external, third-party verification and certification of specific environmental programs and data to determine if, in fact, the company’s environmental initiatives are truly reducing impacts.
Verification of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Ecometrix Data
In 2010, Xanterra commissioned Climate Mitigation Services (CMS), a consulting firm that specializes in greenhouse gas emission measurement and management, to verify the company’s emissions of greenhouse gases, its inventory methodology, and Ecometrix results from 2000-2009. Among other things, CMS reviewed the energy usage data for Xanterra’s 24 sites in ten U.S. states for 2000-2009, sampled reporting consistency, reviewed emission factors employed for all energy sources (electricity, propane, fuel oil, natural gas, gasoline, biodiesel, and diesel fuel), ran an error detection analysis in the workings of inventory worksheets, and gauged whether Xanterra’s inventory meets international protocols and standards.
CMS’s verification process concluded that it has “high confidence in the completeness and accuracy of the final GHG emissions inventory for 2000-2009” and that Xanterra’s inventory “meets the protocols and standards of the World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development GHG Protocol Standard Version 2.0. The company’s emission calculations comply with ISO 14065:2007 and ISO 14064-3:2006 standards.”
Verification of Environmental Management Systems
In order to determine whether environmental programs are effective, Xanterra certifies all of its Ecologix environmental management systems (EMS) through the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) using the ISO 14001 environmental management system standard. ABS Quality Evaluations, an RAB-certified EMS registrar, performs these annual third-party surveillance and certification audits. During these audits, Ecometrix data and adherence to the ISO 14001 standards are analyzed for progress and accuracy. To date, each Xanterra EMS has passed all external audits and closed all audit findings within an agreed-upon timeframe.
Other Third Party Verification Systems
Over the years, Xanterra has had numerous external parties audit and examine its environmental performance. In 2006, this included a multi-day corporate EMS audit conducted by a team of consultants from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under its National Environmental Performance Track program. Other ongoing external certifications and internal environmental audits include:
NPS Concessions Environmental Audit Program, All 11 of Xanterra’s national park operations have undergone and passed periodic NPS concession environmental audits
Surefish Inc., ensures that the fish used in restaurant dishes are certified sustainable
U.S. Green Building Council LEED Silver Certification, Annie Creek Restaurant and Retail, Crater Lake National Park, Xanterra Parks & Resorts, 2006
U.S. Green Building Council LEED Certification, Yellowstone employee housing, Xanterra Parks & Resorts, 2004
Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System (ACSS), Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, Furnace Creek Golf Course, Death Valley, since 2007
Marine Stewardship Council Certification, “Chain of Custody” certification for serving sustainable wild Alaskan salmon, since 2003
Clean Marina Certification, Maumee Bay State Park Marina, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, since 2007
Clean Marina Certification, Geneva Marina Park, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, since 2007
EPA Green Power Partner, Death Valley National Park, since 2009
EPA WasteWise Partner and Clean Utah!, Zion Lodge, since 2008
EPA National Environmental Performance Track, seven locations, 2002-2008
EPA Energy Star Partner, Xanterra Parks & Resorts, 2003
Green-e certified renewable energy credits, Zion, Crater Lake, Grand Canyon South Rim, and Yellowstone
Colorado Environmental Leadership Silver Certification, Rocky Mountain National Park, 2007
For more information about Xanterra Parks & Resorts, visit www.xanterra.com. Additional reports can be requested by calling Xanterra’s Environmental Affairs department at 303-600-3409.
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