THE LEWA STANDARD

Definition.

A management mechanism designed to ensure:

• The quality of the tourism product and its associated operations with the LWC.
  
• The quality of the environment standard both within the LWC and within its spheres of influence.
  
• The full contribution of all functions and departments within the LWC to the achievement of the above.

Importance.

1. The LWC is an internationally recognised conservation organisation. As such the need for a definitive management framework for ensuring the highest possible eco-tourism and environmental standards is a simple imperative.

2. The Standards Mechanism has become particularly relevant in the context of the LWC’s emerging success. The more dynamic the organization becomes, the more people are working on or visiting Lewa. The better the LWC’s tourism operation becomes, the more people are visiting. This puts corresponding pressure on both the quality of the tourism operation and environmental standards requiring a need for a move to a formal management approach for managing these standards.

3. Conservation is not about conserving isolated areas. All conservation organisations have a responsibility to foster the extension of conservation practice at regional and global level. The LWC therefore needs to set an example not only within the LWC but also across its spheres of influence and beyond. The Standards Mechanism will provide an effective platform from which to do this.

4. A well designed Standards Mechanism, intelligently used, can serve as a powerful management tool for stimulating effective teamwork, motivation and performance across the organization.

5. The Standards Mechanism will facilitate the smooth succession of management regimes within the LWC.

6. Properly used and communicated, the Standards mechanism has the potential to create genuine comparative advantage for the LWC which in turn can be translated into a positive financial impact.

7. Finally, by improving the tourism product and environmental standards, the ability of the LWC to attract more tourists – its principal self-generated revenue source – will be enhanced.