About EcoPro

Ecopro – Fiona Sleight

Fiona Sleight

Ecopro sustainable tourism consultancy service was established by Fiona Sleight in 2007 and is built on her experience in the fields of sustainability coaching, environmental auditing, policy development, tourism marketing, workplace training, and tour guiding.

EcoPro’s qualified Environmental Auditor, Fiona, delivers Sustainability Coaching sessions for Business Chamber Queensland’s ecoBiz Program and is a National Auditor for Ecotourism Australia Certification Programs.

Fiona Sleight’s Environmental and Sustainable Tourism Expertise:

  • BSc. Hons Science Degree with Post Grad Cert. in Protected Area Management
  • Qualified RABQSA Environmental Management Systems / Lead Auditor
  • Certificate IV Business Sustainability Assessment
  • Diploma Travel and Tourism Management
  • Certificate IV TAE Workplace Trainer and Assessor
  • Ecotourism Australia Certification Assessor and Auditor
  • ecoBiz Sustainability Coach for Business Chamber Queensland
  • Accredited EcoGuide and PADI SCUBA Instructor 
  • Certification Auditing and Assessment service provider to Ecotourism Australia 
  • Winner of 2003 National Ecotourism Australia EcoGuide Award for Excellence 

Business Sustainability Coaching:

Fiona has been a sustainability coach with the Business Chamber Queensland ecoBiz program (ecobiz.businesschamberqld.com.au) since 2017. 

Fiona delivers ecoBiz coaching sessions and workshops to businesses across a range of industries. EcoBiz Coaches work with businesses to identify resource saving and waste reduction opportunities. The ecoBiz program enables businesses to collate and monitor resource use and provides a carbon emissions snapshot assessment. Sustainability Coaches » CCIQ ecoBiz (businesschamberqld.com.au)

Certification Assessor and Auditor: 

Fiona has provided independent Certification Audit and Assessment services to Ecotourism Australia since 2006. As a qualified RABQSA Environmental Management Systems Auditor/Lead Auditor, Fiona provides both onsite and online certification audit across a range of Certification programs.

Ecotourism Certification Consultancy: 

Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism consultancy services have resulted in the businesses contracted being able to identify and document their achievements against the Ecotourism Australia Certification criteria and secure Certification expeditiously.  

EcoPro works with businesses to guide the development of Environmental Management Systems in line with best practice in sustainability and resource minimisation. EcoPro facilitates the development of interpretive activities which enhance guests’ experience and increase their appreciation of Australia’s unique natural and cultural assets.  See Projects Page for details.

Sustainable Tourism Destination Industry Engagement:

Ecopro works with Tourism Associations, Regional Councils, and Industry Associations to support and promote destination-based programs to decarbonise the tourism sector and work towards attaining a Sustainable Destination accreditation for the region.

EcoPro assists Tourism Industry Associations and Operators to develop and draft Protected Area Permit Applications and Grant Submissions. Recent projects have enabled the Australia Rafting Federation to secure the bid to Host the 2019 World Championships and facilitated CHARROA attaining approvals and funding to install Coral Sea Marine Park mooring infrastructure, which is due for completion 2024.

Tourism and Eco Guide Experience:

A passion for the environment and certification as a PADI SCUBA Diving Instructor led Fiona to Cairns. Accredited as an EcoGuide, Fiona worked as an Instructor and Marine Interpreter for Quicksilver Dive in Port Douglas and was responsible for establishing operational procedures and interpretive resources for Quicksilver Dive’s Dwarf Minke Whale Encounter. This allowed Fiona’s marine guiding to be at the cutting edge of minimum impact experiences and Fiona was honoured in 2003 to be awarded the Ecotourism Australia National EcoGuide Award for Excellence. 

Fiona volunteered as a Tour Guide at Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre from 2013 to 2017 and was a member of the Management Committee and established funding streams via Turtle sponsorships with Tourism Operators and Corporate Sponsorship with Cairns Regional Council via their establishment of a Workplace Giving Initiative.  

During 2004 and 2005, Fiona worked for Pro Dive Cairns as the Sales and Marketing Executive and gained experience with national and international tourism markets. 

Fiona was contracted as a marketing consultant for Guiding Organisations Australia (GOA) during the 2006 development phase of the National Tour Guide accreditation program Guides of Australia.

Policy Development and Workplace Trainer Experience:

Bachelor of Science Honours Degree with career history as a senior policy development officer for UK based social justice charity, NACRO, undertaking research and policy development projects for the UK Government Home Office Department. 

With a Post Graduate Certificate of Science at James Cook University in Protected Area Management, Fiona provided student tutoring services for James Cook University School of Indigenous Australian Studies and was a Tourism Trainer at TAFE in 2016 and Cairns Business College from 2017 to 2020, with responsibility for delivery of a school-based program at Bwgcolman Community School, Palm Island. 

Projects and Reviews

Pro Dive Cairns: Rod Punshon, Managing Director, Pro Dive Cairns 2008

“Fiona is a dedicated professional. She has completed several projects for us in recent times and all have been done to the highest standard as well as on time and on budget. I was delighted with the quality and professionalism of her work. I have no hesitation in recommending her services.”