Blue Community Consortium

What Blue Community Consortium does

Blue Community Consortium is a Florida-based nonprofit organization founded in 2012 that operates a membership-based consortium model for coastal sustainability and marine environment protection. The organization serves coastal communities, local governments, resorts, tourism operators, academic institutions, environmental NGOs, and sustainability professionals, with 35 consortium members as of the latest data. Its mission centers on protecting, enhancing, and restoring coastal habitats through sustainability assessment, certification, and education programs.

The consortium's core offerings are the Blue Community Assessment App and the Blue Community Certification Program, which evaluate tourism destinations, hotels, and operators against the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC), the One Planet Living framework, the consortium's own 12 Blue Community Strategies (co-developed with Walt Disney Company), and planetary boundaries science. Supporting modules include the Green Jobs App (a crowdsourced sustainability employment platform), Destination Databoards and a Stakeholder Dashboard (built on Chartmat), Carbon Footprint Calculators, an SDG Dashboard integrated with the UN Open SDGs platform, Blue GIS tools, and an embedded UNWTO Tourism Data section (Tableau). The technology stack is built largely on third-party no-code and analytics platforms (Glide, Chartmat, Tableau, Mixily, PolymerSearch) rather than proprietary infrastructure.

The business model relies on a diversified set of revenue streams: membership and certification fees for communities and destinations seeking sustainability recognition, donations through a dedicated page, transaction-based event revenue (notably the Space Exploration Day event at EPCOT with $115-$230 student discount tickets), and referral/listing fees from the Green Jobs platform. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored by high-credibility institutional partnerships: the consortium is the first UNWTO International Sustainable Tourism Observatory (INSTO) member in North America, holds UNWTO Affiliate status and ECOSOC special consultation status, participates in UNEP and UNFCCC COP processes, and is a member of the Tourism Declares initiative.

Name

Blue Community Consortium

Legal name

Blue Community Consortium

Website

https://bluecommunity.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Blue Community Consortium is a Florida-based nonprofit founded in 2012 that operates a 35-member consortium providing coastal sustainability certification, assessment tools, and education to communities, resorts, governments, NGOs, and academics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Tourism Certification

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation & Citizen-Science Tourism (Research/Volunteer Trips) (THAAAEAI), Avoided Conversion & Ecosystem Protection (REDD+, Blue Carbon Conservation) (EUABABAC), Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI)

Keywords

• Coastal sustainability certification
• Sustainable tourism assessment
• Marine conservation programs
• Destination sustainability certification
• Green tourism certification

Headquarters

HQ city

New Smyrna Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership/Certification Fees: Revenue from certification programs for communities and destinations seeking sustainability recognition and assessment services.
2. Donations: Organization accepts donations through dedicated donation page, supporting the nonprofit mission to protect coastal habitats and marine environments.
3. Green Jobs Platform: Crowdsourced green jobs platform connecting sustainability professionals with employers, likely generating referral or premium listing revenue.
4. Event Revenue: Space Exploration Day event includes ticket sales for student discounts ($115 for 1-day EPCOT ticket, $230 for 2-day ticket) with complimentary space program and brunch.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Blue Community Consortium provides a sustainability certification and assessment program for coastal communities, hotels, and tourism destinations, built on the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, One Planet Living framework, and 12 proprietary Blue Community Strategies. It delivers this through a mobile assessment app, public dashboards, carbon footprint calculators, and a Green Jobs platform, targeting local governments, resorts, NGOs, and academic institutions. The organization also convenes members through international UN forums and awareness events such as Space Exploration Day.

Product overview

Blue Community Consortium offers a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on coastal sustainability certification and assessment. The core offering is the Blue Community Assessment App and Certification Program, which evaluates destinations against Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, One Planet Living framework, and 12 proprietary Blue Community strategies. Supporting modules include the Green Jobs App (sustainability employment platform), Destination Databoards and Stakeholder Dashboard (analytics), Carbon Footprint Calculators (flight, car, plastic, solar), SDG Dashboard, Blue GIS, UNWTO Tourism Data, and the Climate Emergency Declaration initiative. The platform targets coastal communities, resorts, government officials, NGOs, and educational institutions, with emphasis on disaster reduction, sustainability, and economic development through eco-tourism.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 12 Blue Strategies: A comprehensive framework of 12 sustainability strategies including building design, transportation, energy use, water conservation, waste management, plastic reduction, local food promotion, sustainable seafood, coastal habitat protection, clean marina initiatives, education, and planning/policy management.

Products and services

• Blue Community Assessment App A sustainability assessment application for tourism destinations, hotels, and tourism operators that evaluates performance against Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, One Planet Living framework, and the 12 Blue Community strategies, with real-time charts and graphs showing changes over time and comparison to averages and best practices.
• Blue Community Certification Program A certification program for coastal communities, businesses, and organizations based on the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, One Planet Living framework, 12 Blue Community strategies, and planetary boundaries science, with emphasis on coastal habitat protection, restoration, and enhancement for accommodations and resorts.
• Green Jobs App A global crowdsourced green jobs board and mobile application for finding environmental and sustainability employment opportunities worldwide, with category filters including Environmental Jobs, Africa Green Jobs, Europe Green Jobs, USA Green Jobs, Solar Energy Jobs, Renewable Energy Jobs, and Sustainable Tourism Jobs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Best practice destination demonstrated ability to cut net carbon emissions 50% in five years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Friends of Virgin Islands National ParksmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2026Partner in Space Exploration Day event celebrating Project Tektite underwater mission legacy. Partnership focuses on ocean science, climate resilience, and exploration education at Virgin Islands National Park.
• Causeway ImpactmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2026Co-host of Space Exploration Day event, partnership focused on impact initiatives combining ocean and space exploration themes.
• CNN - Call to EarthcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 November 2021Partnership with CNN's #CallToEarth initiative dedicated to conservation, environmentalism and sustainability. Blue Community participates in Call to Earth Day events to raise awareness of environmental issues and engage with conservation education.
• United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Community Consortium is the first member of the UNWTO International Sustainable Tourism Observatory (INSTO) network in North America. The organization participates in the UNWTO Affiliate program and develops expertise in coastal habitat and marine environments and sustainable tourism management plans. Membership provides global network access and credibility for the certification program.
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in UNEP Major Stakeholders Group, contributing to global environmental policy discussions and sharing best practices on coastal habitat protection.
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in Conference of Parties (COP) climate conferences, sending delegations to advocate for tourism sector climate action and share sustainability practices.
• United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHolds special consultation status with ECOSOC, providing formal engagement with UN economic and social development bodies.
• National Space SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProgram sponsor for Space Exploration Day event, supporting educational programming about space and ocean exploration intersection.
• World Innovation Network (WIN)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerProgram sponsor for Space Exploration Day event, Robert Katz (President & CEO) featured as keynote speaker.
• 17 Rooms (Brookings & Rockefeller Foundation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipant in the 17 Rooms Experiment, an experimental method for advancing economic, social, and environmental priorities embedded in the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Hawaii Green InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in Hawaii Green Initiative for sharing sustainable practices and environmental programs.
• Walt Disney CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Walt Disney Company to develop the 12 Blue Community strategies for coastal sustainability, providing significant industry credibility and expertise.
• Tourism DeclarescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSigned up to Tourism Declares initiative supporting tourism businesses and organizations in declaring a climate emergency and taking purposeful action to reduce carbon emissions per IPCC advice.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Surfrider Foundation: Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots nonprofit focused on ocean and coastal protection through advocacy, campaigns, and chapters — a comparable coastal conservation mission with broader public engagement but a different delivery model (advocacy vs. certification).
• Oceana: Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization focused exclusively on ocean conservation — sharing Blue Community's marine habitat protection mission but pursuing it through policy advocacy rather than tourism certification.

Broad incumbents

• Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC): GSTC is the global body that establishes and manages the sustainable tourism criteria on which Blue Community's certification is built, and accredits other certification providers — making it both a partner and the dominant standards body in the space.
• Marine Stewardship Council: MSC is the global standard-setter and certification body for sustainable seafood and marine resource management — overlapping with Blue Community's Strategy 8 (Sustainable Seafood) and broader coastal habitat protection mission.
• One Planet Network: One Planet Network is the UN-hosted implementation network for the Sustainable Development Goals, including the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme, which the Blue Community framework explicitly references — a partner and broader sustainability umbrella organization.

Direct peers

• Green Destinations: Green Destinations is a sustainable tourism certification organization operating a global certification and awards program (Top 100 Sustainable Destinations) for destinations, DMOs, and tourism businesses — directly comparable to Blue Community's coastal destination certification model.
• EarthCheck: EarthCheck is a science-based certification and benchmarking program for the travel and tourism industry, certifying hotels, destinations, and tour operators against sustainability criteria — a more mature and better-capitalized competitor in the same sustainable tourism certification space.
• Biosphere Sustainable: Biosphere offers a sustainable tourism certification system aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, certifying hotels, destinations, and tour operators worldwide — competing in the same certification category with a more developed commercial platform.
• Travelife: Travelife is a leading sustainability certification system for hotels, tour operators, and destinations, with a strong European and emerging-market footprint — directly competing for the same tourism operator certification customers as Blue Community.

Regional players

• Caribbean Tourism Organization: The Caribbean Tourism Organization is a regional intergovernmental body promoting sustainable tourism in the Caribbean — a comparable regional organization focused on coastal and island sustainability that could compete for similar destination members and partnerships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/bluecommunitysustainability
• Facebookfacebook.com/bluecommunitysustainability
• Instagraminstagram.com/bluecommunitysustainability
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blue-community

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blue Community Consortium