We asked Laetitia, a trained environmental engineer and founder of Ekovida, a few questions about her company and our partnership!
Can you introduce yourself? What's your background?
My name is Laëtitia and I'm an environmental engineer by training. For the past 10 years, I've been working in the sustainable tourism sector on a variety of assignments. I was an auditor/consultant for the Clef Verte and Pavillon Bleu labels across France, helping accommodation providers and local authorities with their environmental initiatives. I was then production manager for a travel agency where adventure at hand in France was our specialty. At the end of 2019, I launched Ekovida to support tourism professionals in their ecological transition and highlight accommodations committed to more sustainable tourism.
How did you come up with the idea of creating Ekovida?
I decided to create Ekovida for two main reasons. Firstly, I wanted to be independent so that I could manage my own schedule and projects. I wanted to be able to work on projects that made sense to me and in which I could put all my expertise at the service of the tourism players who contacted me. Today, I'm very fulfilled in this role and in the mission I've set myself to help tourism professionals become agents of change and contribute to making sustainable tourism accessible to all.
What is your mission with Ekovida?
I offer personalized or group coaching to help accommodations enhance and structure their environmental approach. Certified by the Clef Verte and Note touristique labels, I support establishments at every stage of their application for these certifications. I also set up training courses on environmental issues for managers and staff of tourist establishments. I also provide a range of services to promote more responsible communication and raise customer awareness of environmental issues. Finally, I take part in various sustainable tourism projects, depending on the synergies that can be created with other organizations.
What's your work routine? A typical day at Ekovida?
I don't really have a routine; the days are quite varied and my routine varies according to the time of year. Generally speaking, in the morning I focus on tasks that require a high level of concentration and particular expertise. I always start by answering e-mails, and then I'm "customer-focused", i.e. I'm off (or on video) to carry out an audit, coaching or training. Then in the afternoon, I focus on the projects I'm working on with Ekovida, such as "L'oasis des hébergeurs écolos", an online summit for hosts who want to boost their ecological transition, or interviewing tourism players for my upcoming podcast. I also create content for social networks and my blog. If you'd like to be the first to know about all my news, don't hesitate to join my newsletter.
Why do you associate yourself with companies like Quadrapol?
I really like Quadrapol's values and their desire to offer the most environmentally-friendly accommodation possible. It's a great opportunity to pool our skills so that we can provide accommodation providers with comprehensive expertise and a turnkey solution that meets both their ecological values and their customers' expectations. As a traveler, I particularly enjoy staying in this type of accommodation, which I find blends in very well with the landscape and has less impact on the environment. So it was natural for me to want to help Quadrapol develop its business with tourism professionals.
What are the advantages of this partnership?
The advantages of this partnership are threefold, both for Quadrapol, Ekovida and the accommodation providers who will place their trust in us. I'll be able to offer my expertise to Quadrapol customers who want to take their environmental approach even further. We share the same values, and Quadrapol's customers are very concerned about their impact on the environment, so it's a real pleasure for me to be able to accompany them on this path. For my part, I'm going to be able to offer this eco-friendly housing solution to hosts who are looking for an accommodation solution that's both easy to install and made from sustainable, quality materials.
How can you support tourism professionals in their ecological transition?
I can support them in different ways, depending on their needs. The advantage of being a small structure is that I can customize and adapt to the specific needs of each client. I'm used to working for all kinds of establishments and I know the constraints in the field, which once again enables me to adapt as best I can by proposing a personalized offer. - Individual coaching to obtain ecological certification or a carbon footprint - Eko'label mission: group coaching to obtain the Clef Verte label - Flash coaching: 3 hours to solve a specific problem - Various services to enhance your environmental approach (welcome booklet, web page, etc.) - Training I offer a 30-minute discovery call, so don't hesitate to contact me to discuss your project. Book your call directly on my calendar.
