sustainable hotel resort standards, certifications and ecolabels
Hotels and resorts are linked to air and water pollution, consume considerable amounts of energy that may well be from fossil fuels, emit carbon, consume water and create various forms of waste. a hospitality business now needs to consider its environmental and social impact as well as its economic performance to be considered truly sustainable.
This applies to the planning, construction, design and fitout phases in a hotel’s lifecycle, as well as during the operational phase.
Below we outline our views as hospitality sustainability professionals on the most prominent sustainability standards, certifications and ecolabels that provide structure and guidance in minimizing a hotel or resort’s environmental impact.
As hotel sustainability consultants, we work with all of the below to some extent, and can align a hotel sustainability plan with one or more of these solutions, upon request, whether a formal sustainability certificate or annual ESG sustainability reporting is required or not. Increasingly, being on top of this topic is about risk management and reputation, in addition to the climate related imperative!
UN Sustainable Development Goals and hotel sustainability
The 17 macro goals outlined by the United Nations in their ‘SDGs’ are a global framework for tackling climate change and embracing ‘sustainable development’ up until 2030.
Not all of these goals relate directly to hotels and resorts.. but most of do and many of the goals are inter-connected.
SDG 12 for example is Responsible Consumption & Production, which has direct implications for hotel operations in the form of the the materials and finishes used in the interiors, operational equipment such as cleaning liquids and in-room amenities, and arguably its entire supply chain including F&B purchases, which in turn connects us to sustainable agriculture and SDG 15 Life On Land.
B Corporation certification for sustainable hotel businesses
As with the UN SDGs, a B Corp certification is not specifically tailored to the hotel and resort industry but it does represent a valuable addition to the world of sustainability credentials, not least because it is such a thorough evaluation of the social and environmental impact of a hotel business.
This is a corporate level assessment not a hotel assessment, rather like ESG (real estate developer) vs sustainability (real estate development), so the business not just a specific asset is under the microscope.
During the Impact Assessment process, a hotel business will need to report on governance issues such as stakeholder engagement and ethical practices; health and safety of workers and career development; DEI policy'; community engagement; supply chain management; health and wellness of guests; as well as a comprehensive list of environmental impact issues from renewable energy to toxin reduction and environmental education.
To become B Corp certified a hotel will need to align with these three key principles, available from their website here.
One note here is that pursuing the certification, the journey, is where the real magic happens, so a hotel may choose to pursue formal certification over a number of years, prioritising the big ticket items at strategic moments in its annual cycle.
Demonstrate high social and environmental performance by achieving a B Impact Assessment score of 80 or above and passing our risk review. Multinational corporations must also meet baseline requirement standards.
Make a legal commitment by changing their corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, not just shareholders, and achieve benefit corporation status if available in their jurisdiction.
Exhibit transparency by allowing information about their performance measured against B Lab’s standards to be publicly available on their B Corp profile on B Lab’s website.
https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/programs-and-tools/b-impact-assessment
World Travel & Tourism Council WTTC sustainability basics for hotels
In 2022 the WTTC came out with their own set of ‘sustainability basics’ for hotels and resorts - 12 basic criteria split into three segments of four criteria each, with signatory hotels needing to sign-up to eight of these as an initial step, with the other four to follow in due course. criteria as an initial step.
The hotel sustainability efficiency section covers energy use, water use, waste and carbon emissions, the Big Four basically.
The Planet section focuses on a hotel linen reuse program, green cleaning products, vegetarian F&B options, the removal of all plastics straws / stirrers, no single use plastic water bottles in hotel operations and bulk amenity dispensers rather than small plastic take-home bottles.
The third and final section is socially oriented, looking at a hotel’s community impact and the work it’s doing to reduce inequalities.
These are open-sourced and available to hotels freely and have been designed to align with the GSTC’s hotel criteria and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
https://action.wttc.org/hotel-sustainability-basics
Global Sustainable Tourism Council for green hotels
The GSTC is an accreditation body responsible for the widely used baseline standards that influence and guide a wide range of hotel and tourism sustainability certification standards. It’s an umbrella organization in other words.
Four pillars make up their protocol covering sustainability management such as legal and administrative requirements; social and economic issues such as the impact tourism has on the local community and employees; environment such as resource conservation and pollution reduction; and how tourism businesses can protect cultural heritage.
https://www.gstcouncil.org/gstc-criteria/gstc-industry-criteria-for-hotels/
Green Globe Certification for sustainable hotels
Green Globe have 25 years of history behind them and today it covers 44 criteria in four different groups covering the environmental impact of a hotel, the socio-economic impact of a hotel, hotel sustainable management and cultural heritage.
Immediately here we see the inheritance from the GSTC guidelines.
How do these criteria relate to the UN SDGs? In particular, GreenGlobe highlight three SDGs, Goals 8, 12 and 14 in this regard.
Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth is reflected in Green Globe’s emphasis on worker rights, diversity in the workplace, ethical business practices at certified hotels, and so on.
Goal 12: Ensure Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns equates to criteria that look for evidence of a hotel supporting local enterprises.
Goal 14: Conserve and Sustainably Use the Oceans, Seas and Marine Resources for Sustainable Development requires a reduction in plastic waste production and conservation efforts relating to marine life, coral reefs and so on.
Biofilico’s Founder Matt Morley has completed the “Sustainability Leadership for Hotel & Tourism Professionals (GGA1802)” course within the Green Globe Academy. More information here.
EarthCheck Certification for green hotels
Australian brand EarthCheck are an interesting case study as they are not just a certification system for hotels, resorts and destinations, they also provide / sell consulting, training and a sustainability software.
Their coverage is mainly the Asia-Pacific, India and Central America, although the interactive map on their website reveals a few outlines, and a decent European following as well, mostly in Spain, Portugal and across the Alpine region.
Where this sustainability certification system really stands out is with its segmentation into categories according to sector, from EarthCheck Certified for hotels, convention centres, tours and wineries; to EarthCheck sustainable Destinations for destinations, tourism precincts and local municipalities; to EarthCheck Design for developers, project managers and ESD consultants; to EarthCheck Evaluate for small-to-medium size businesses and restaurants; EarthCheck ECO for eco tourism operators; EventCheck for event organisers, festivals and councils; and finally EarthSafe a health and hygiene certification for all genres of travel and tourism businesses and destinations.
EarthCheck Certified for tourism businesses has a program duration of 6-12 months and an annual cost of AU$6,600 annually with data submitted for benchmarking on energy use; water use; carbon emissions; chemicals; community and employee impact; paper use and waste.
Green Tourism Certification for sustainable hotels
Green Tourism is based in Edinburgh, Scotland and has a strong presence around the UK.
It promotes sustainability in hotels and tourism via a system based on three main pillars: People, Places and Planet.
Essentially, the emphasis here lies on the following criteria:
Reducing energy use
Saving water
Efficient waste disposal
Ethical buying
Staying local and seasonal
Minimizing food miles
Promoting biodiversity
Adopting a smart sustainable outlook
The PEOPLE sustainability category covers support for local communities and staff engagement, PLACES is about buying local and ethically while protecting biodiversity and promoting local culture to guests; finally PLANET zeroes in on reducing carbon emissions, limited the use of natural resources and engaging with Circular Economy principles.
Fees for the first year of registration are GB £75+VAT to cover admin costs, annual fees are specific to business type and size, ranging from a ‘micro’ hotel, B&B or guesthouse with 1-6 bedrooms (GB £150 per annum) up to ‘Extra Large with 91+ rooms (priced at GB £650 annually).
Other categories cover visitor attractions, hostels, self-catering accommodation and holiday parks. Collectively this gives a sense of the target audience for this particular certification
Green Key Certification
Depending on location, Green Key is one of our go-to recommendations for a hotel sustainability certification or eco-label. Along with tis sister certification, the Blue Flag for marinas and beaches, it is one of the oldest certifications on the market.
We mention location because Green Key is especially strong in Europe, largely due to it being founded in Denmark and having expanded out from there over the years. It is, as we would expect, recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) as of 2016 and aligns with the UN SDGs.
So far more than 3000 establishments of all shapes and sizes have been certified, either by the international governing body or a national office.
Of the 13 different hotel sustainability criteria (listed below), many are imperative while others are merely there to provide guidance. Water, energy and waste records as well as carbon footprint data are monitored and benchmarked, making this a way for a hotel to show its sustainability credentials to guests, while being able to leverage an industry leading sustainability framework.
A 5-step application process for a Green Key Award, each managed by the relevant national representative, and includes an audit of the hotel and a third-party verifies the award level over the course of one year, so it is renewed annually with either an on-site or off-site audit again.
https://www.greenkeyengland.co.uk/
Travelife for sustainable hotels uk
UK-based Travelife has divisions for travel agent and tour operator sustainability certification and another for accommodation sustainability certification.
These are GTSC-recognised standards with a full onsite audit every two years. There are currently around 1500 members of Travelife in 50 different countries,
For Medium, Large & Mega Properties (maximum nightly occupancy of 161+ guests) a 2-year subscription costs between Eur 1490 - Eur 2150. For Small Properties (maximum nightly occupancy of 31 to 160 guests) a 2-year subscription costs Eur 860. For Micro Properties (maximum nightly occupancy of 1 to 30 guests) a 2-year subscription costs Eur 640.
The standard contains 163 criteria, however smaller properties and those undergoing their first audit do not need to comply with all of them. Sustainability criteria are divided into three sections based around the environment, people and communities.
The former looks into energy, waste, water, wastewater, hazardous substances and biodiversity. People is more to do with human rights, fair wages, staff training and so on. Communities is about supporting the local community and helping guests to pass their time in a way that respects the local culture.
https://travelifestaybetter.com/pricing-benefits/
WAYAJ Hotel Sustainability Rating
The WAYAJ Hotel Sustainability Rating is a pioneering assessment system designed to evaluate and promote environmentally responsible practices within the hospitality industry.
The WAYAJ Hotel Sustainability Rating encompasses a wide range of products and services that cater to various aspects of hotel operations.
These include
hotel energy and water efficiency
hotel waste management and recycling
hotel sustainable sourcing and procurement
hotel environmentally friendly construction and design
hotel promotion of local culture and biodiversity
By adopting these sustainable practices, hotels can minimize their environmental impact, reduce operational costs, and enhance their brand reputation, ultimately attracting more eco-conscious guests.
One of the key strengths of the WAYAJ Hotel Sustainability Rating lies in its holistic approach to assessing hotel sustainability.
Unlike other rating systems that may focus solely on one aspect of sustainability, the WAYAJ rating evaluates hotels based on a comprehensive set of criteria. This ensures that hotels are not only adopting environmentally friendly practices but are also making a tangible difference in their local communities and beyond.
Another distinguishing factor of the WAYAJ Hotel Sustainability Rating is its commitment to transparency and continuous improvement.
The rating system is designed to be both accessible and easily understandable by hoteliers and guests alike.
Hotels receive a detailed assessment report and personalized recommendations for improvement, fostering a culture of continuous learning and progress.
Furthermore, the WAYAJ rating system is regularly updated to reflect the latest industry standards and best practices, ensuring that hotels remain at the forefront of sustainability.
The WAYAJ Hotel Sustainability Rating also places a strong emphasis on guest experience and satisfaction. Sustainable hotels are encouraged to offer unique and memorable experiences that showcase their commitment to the environment while also promoting local culture and biodiversity. This not only enhances the guest experience but also helps to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability within the hospitality industry.