AIAB mark for bio-ecological bed & breakfast

Marchio AIAB per gli agriturismi bioecologici (AIAB mark for bio-ecological bed & breakfast)

Website:

www.bioagriturismi.it, www.icea.info and www.aiab.it/nuovosito/campo/marchi/agriturismi/index.html

Relevance:

Voluntary label at national level for agro-tourism firms.

Target:

Use of bio-agriculture and respect of ethical and ecological criteria for the management of tourist accommodations.

Product/service group:

Agro-tourism accommodations committed for bio-production, information and training activities on nature and bio-production processes, environmental protection, natural resources, tourist accommodation structures and services, restoration and transport.

Awarding Institution & criteria:

The label is awarded by the Italian Association for Bio-agriculture (AIAB). The label is awarded to agro-tourism firms which fulfil several requirements. The fulfilment of the mandatory requirements gives a minimum score of 1 daisy. Any supplemental 20 fulfilled criteria give the right to additional daisies, up to a maximum of 5. The certification body is ICEA (Istituto per la Certificazione Etica e Ambientale – Institute for the Ethical and Environmental Certification), one of the top certification bodies in Italy and in Europe, certifying more than 11.000 firms with strong ethical, environmental and social values.  

Control mechanisms:

The criteria are getting stricter every year. Monitoring of improvement with time on a yearly revision basis. The control body is ICEA. 

Charges:

The use of the mark AIAB in food and agricultural sector foresees payment of a fee referring  to the amount of the turnover. The free ranges are from 50 to 500 € plus a 0,1% of the turnover is it is over 1000 k Euro.

Relevance on the market:

The label was created in 1998. In 2007, around 130 bio-firms have obtained the label, which is a clear sign of the large interest of these actors with respect to the label. The majority of them are located in Toscana (29), Umbria (17), Emilia-Romagna (15), Puglia (9) e Calabria (9).