Green Lung Launch – A New, Practical Way for Tourism to Tackle ESG and ESD

Last week, tourism put down new roots. 

The Tourism & Travel Green Lung was officially launched at Vergelegen Wine Estate, marking a first-of-its-kind initiative that ties together ESD and ESG goals in one living model. 

At its heart, the Green Lung is more than planting trees, it’s about planting opportunities: opportunities for small businesses to grow, for tourism to reduce its footprint, and for transformation to take lasting root. 

“Over the past three years, working with partners such as Sigma International, we have seen how supplier and enterprise development can change lives. The Green Lung builds on this work by linking business support with environmental responsibility, creating opportunity for SMEs while responding to climate risk,” said David Frost, SATSA CEO.

What the Green Lung Does 

The Green Lung weaves together three strands of the same root system: 

• Enterprise & Supplier Development (ESD) – supporting small businesses. 
• Environmental responsibility (ESG) – reducing and offsetting carbon impact. 
• Governance and reporting (B‑BBEE alignment) – tracking results clearly and simply. 

Instead of treating these as separate compliance exercises, the Green Lung brings them into one living system. Trees are planted at Vergelegen. Those trees are linked to carbon reduction. That carbon reduction is linked to ESD-funded SMMEs. And the reporting is handled through a single, credible framework. One investment. Multiple outcomes. Real roots in the ground.

Why It Matters to SATSA Members 

The Green Lung offers members a practical way to: 

• Offset carbon locally and visibly. 
• Strengthen tourism SMMEs in the supply chain. 
• Replace reports and tick‑boxes with living, measurable impact. 

As it matures, this shared site will branch out into a visible corridor of trees, jobs and sustainable suppliers, proof of what collective action can grow. 

How You Can Get Involved 

You can choose the branch that fits your business: 

• Sponsor tree planting to offset emissions. 
• Bring your team for planting or sustainability activations. 
• Channel ESD funding through the incubator programme for verified reporting. 
• Include the Green Lung in guest itineraries or “conscious travel” products. 

The reporting, monitoring and compliance framework are already in place, you just connect your roots. 

Some questions you may have:

Why should I sponsor tree planting?
Members can sponsor trees as part of ESG or ESD spend. Those trees are tracked and linked to measurable carbon reduction and SMME support.

Can we bring a team to plant?
Yes. Vergelegen will host structured tree‑planting days that can be used for team building, partner activations or responsible tourism experiences.

How does this help with ESD and B‑BBEE?
Your contribution can be directed into incubated tourism SMMEs that form part of recognised ESD programmes. Sigma manages the monitoring and reporting, so your spend translates into compliant outcomes.

Does this help with ESG and carbon reporting?
Yes. The Green Lung provides a credible, auditable “home” for carbon offsetting linked to tourism. Funders can receive carbon-related reporting aligned to ESG requirements.

Do I have to be a big business?
No. This model works for small, medium and large members. You can plant one tree, sponsor a bundle, or build it into a broader sustainability plan.

If you’d like to explore your involvement or learn more, contact: Akash Singh | Sigma International at akash@sigmaintl.co.za