Raising the bar on sustainable travel

YHA is close to reaching a major milestone in our sustainability journey, with B Corp accreditation now in its final stages after years of steady, behind-the-scenes work. Once approved, we’ll join a global community of businesses that balance purpose and profit. This recognition reflects significant progress across environmental performance, ethical employment, community impact and governance.

Importantly, this step was only possible thanks to the support of YHA Members, who voted at last year’s AGM in favour of the constitutional change that allowed the organisation to apply. That single vote connected YHA’s founding purpose of travel that benefits people and the planet to a modern, measurable framework for accountability. That ethos is built into the B Corp process itself where certification is not an endpoint. Rather, it's a commitment to improve every year and YHA will continue to strengthen performance in future assessments. It's another way of showing that sustainability is more than a statement of intent.

Alongside B Corp, YHA has now certified 14 properties under Ecotourism Australia’s Sustainable Tourism standard, with the final four audits pending over the coming weeks. This process required every property to complete environmental management, waste and community action plans and to demonstrate real on-the-ground improvements.

Working towards certification reinforces YHA’s long-standing culture of continuous improvement and finding better ways to operate. Guests might not see these systems playing out, but they benefit directly from cleaner, more efficient stays, and the confidence that YHA backs responsible tourism for the next generation of travellers.

And to our YHA Members, thank you again. Your vote made this possible.