How do I know if a hotel is sustainable? Luckily, there are certifications with varying criteria to show the efforts in place. This blog outlines these criteria and how to identify them when shopping around for holidays.
Platforms like Booking.com will identify if the accommodation has any sustainable certifications, and you can even narrow your search to only include the ones who do! Alternatively, some of these certification brands have a map of the hotels with such certifications so you can tailor your holiday to suit you and the planet.
There are different awards available for this certification depending on what the company provides: accommodation, tours or business travel. For accommodation and hotels, there are four main themes which must be met: (1) effective sustainability planning, (2) maximising social and economic benefits for the local community, (3) enhancing cultural heritage, and (3) reducing negative impact on the environement. Each of these has sub categories that thave individual indicators related to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals which must be met to gain this certification.
This is a strict criteria compiled by the Foundation for Environment Education to show guests that they are helping make a positive impact by staying with the holder of this certification. The main aims of this certification are to educate customers about their impacts whilst offering establishment opportunites to engage in sustainable innovation which adds value to themselves, the customer and the plent.
Green Globe has 44 criteria and 385 indicators that must be met to gain this certification. This is the original standard for tourism eco-labels and is what many other certifications are based on.
This is an ecological hotel rating which is globally recognised, so much so it’s a B Corp! This certification process is based on energy and water consumption, CO2 footprint, recycling, product sourcing, food sourcing and its social impact.
Offering certifications to hotels, spars, offices and restaurants, Green Sign hope to encourage engagement in circular business models and limit the carbon footprints of their clients, therefore the work doesn’t stop at gaining the certification!
Green Tourism provide expert advice and manageable actions for tourism and hospitality businesses to achieve sustainability certifications. The criteria for this certification has 15 goals, to gain gold the business must have met 80% or more, 65% for silver and 40% for bronze.
Look out for these when searching for a place to stay!
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