CairnGorm Mountain has been given a gold award in the Green Tourism Business Scheme for the seventh year running.

The Scheme has been running since 1997 and with over 2000 members across the whole of the UK and Ireland, it is the largest and most established scheme of its type in the world. The aim is to ensure that UK tourism remains at the forefront of sustainable tourism in the future. There are over 150 individual measures in the criteria, which focus on 10 different areas.

CairnGorm Mountain’s first assessment took place in 2004 and in its most recent assessment achieved a score of 80% retaining its Gold Award and the report noted that “Good developments are in place since last audit.”

Highlights from the recent audit include UV treated water, ecological waste water treatment,  recycling facilities and the generation of electricity back and its supply back to the National Grid when the area’s funicular railway’s downhill carriage is full and the uphill car is empty at the end of the ski day.

Veronica Tonge notes “It’s great to see a range of measures being put into practice and being improved upon year on year.   It also shows that no matter how small or large a ski centre is, the principles of Responsible Skiing can be integrated into operations”