Participating hotels and travel brands: Certified entities include small-ship expedition company Ponant and a large majority of properties in the Raffles Hotels and Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts collections. Other hotels include Panama’s Nayara Bocas del Toro, Brach Paris, and Vietnam’s Zannier Hotels Bãï San Hô.
Green Key Global
Founded in 1994 by environmentally-minded hoteliers, Green Key Global aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and emphasizes environmental performance, e.g. land use, water conservation, indoor air quality, and building infrastructure. It’s also particularly tailored to properties in North America. It requires hotels to undergo a thorough assessment and audit upon registration, with a re-assessment conducted again in the second year of membership, and thereafter every third year. During this process, properties must provide documentation to support their sustainability claims, ensuring transparency and accuracy in responses.
Participating hotels: Certified properties include the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, The Savoy in London, and Florida’s Marquesa Hotel in Key West.
Regenerative Travel
Regenerative Travel certifies hotels with a deep commitment to sustainability, continuous improvement, environmental stewardship, and community and economic resilience. Members are required to commit to annual data collection to keep their status; they submit key data related to the percentage of staff that are local or the percentage of energy generated from clean sources. They must also attend virtual and on-site retreats focused on sustainability and take part in a training program exploring strategies for creating positive feedback loops and effective growth management.
Participating hotels: The collective includes notable hotels like Cambodia’s Song Saa Private Island, Malaysia’s The Datai Langkawi, and African Bush Camps.
5 questions to ask to evaluate the eco-impact of a travel company
Does the hotel, destination, or travel brand you’re interested in not have a certification? No problem. These are the five essential questions you can ask to better understand their sustainability commitments, courtesy of Maudie Tomlinson, director of the award-winning not-for-profit organization The Conscious Travel Foundation, which champions positive tourism practices while supporting grassroots philanthropic projects worldwide. (You can also explore their full list of conscious questions here.)
Do you have an official certification?
Tomlinson says, “While not all certifications are rated equally—and there are hundreds out there—it’s a good indicator that a company is taking action [if they do have a certification or are pursuing it].”
How do you measure your sustainability impacts?
“Data helps you separate fact from fiction, and cut through the greenwashing,” says Tomlinson. “Ask yourself: Is a hotel’s efforts only referred to in glossy marketing terms, or is there quantitative data to support it? Look for data on their carbon footprint, local employment, or the percent of their profits that go into local organizations.”
Do you have, or follow, a responsible wildlife policy? Do you share etiquette guidance for how guests and staff should act around wildlife?
“Here, we’re looking to ensure that a hotel’s wildlife policy isn’t just a tick-box exercise, but a carefully considered initiative,” Tomlinson says. “If you’re headed on a safari, for example, ask the hotel about their protocols for wildlife observation and photo etiquette.”
How does the business support the local community?
“Look for initiatives that go beyond employment from the local community at all levels, and assist with education, healthcare, well-being, and cultural preservation,” she says.
Do you have an inclusivity statement, and where can I find this?
“An inclusivity or accessibility statement shows a commitment to including individuals with disabilities and marginalized identities, helping you choose an experience that aligns with your values,” says Tomlinson.
