A long-standing commitment
ENS’s commitment to sustainable development is an integral part of its DNA.
The ENS since its inception has been committed to its artisan members to promote, support and make accessible craftsmanship, local products and handmade goods.
Sustainable tourism was mentioned at the 2nd International Conference of the ECONOMUSEE® network in Bergen in 2017 as one of the issues that the ENS should address.
In 2019, sustainable development was one of the priority areas in the ENS strategic planning.
The members of the network are developing a tourism part of their business, which allows them to grow and diversify their income in a healthy and sustainable way.
For several years now, sustainable development has been the talk of the town. Environmental, social and economic issues are pushing everyone to take a stand and commit to a sustainable future.
The ENS has decided to structure itself in order to support this trend and to help its members in this process.
To do so, the ENS has based itself on the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and on the Ministry of Tourism’s Sustainable Tourism Action Plan.
Since 2020, the ENS has carried out a sustainable development self-diagnosis exercise for the organization with the Centre Québécois de Développement durable.
A survey was conducted among members to draw up a portrait of their sustainable development actions in order to help them in their future development.
Within the team, Patrick Olivier Meunier, museologist and special project’s manager, and Mireille Bélanger, Brand and Art Direction Coordinator, have taken training in eco-design with the aim of developing sustainable projects.
Since September 2022, a sustainable development project manager, Luciana Santos, has joined the team to structure the organization’s practices and to support members in their practices. Also, a sustainable development committee was created both internally with team members, supported by a sustainable development committee, and with artisan members.
A sustainable development policy for the organization was created and formalised in autumn 2022.
Sustainable developpement document
In February 2023, the ENS officially announced that its Board of Directors had adopted a policy on sustainable development and tourism and launched a pilot project.
This project aims to accompany 15 members of the network, supported by the sustainable development consulting firm ADDERRE, in a process of preparation for Green Step certification.
The objective is for the members to have a diagnosis of their organization, a concrete action plan that could lead them to an internationally recognized certification.
