Green Key International

Green Key International is an international eco-certificate for accommodations and other hospitality facilities that commit to sustainable business practices. Certified establishments comply with strict criteria, independently verified through regular on-site audits.

It aims to contribute to the prevention of climate change by awarding and advocating facilities with positive environmental initiatives. Green Key is a non-governmental, non-profit, independent programme operating under the umbrella organisation of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). The programme is recognised and supported by the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). Green Key has an international programme administration at the FEE Head Office in Copenhagen and Green Key National Operators in most member countries implementing the programme on national levels.

Green Key is one of the largest eco-certificates for the hospitality industry worldwide and currently has more than 6,000 certified hotels and other establishments in 70+ countries.

Green Key aims to

• Increase the use of environmentally friendly and sustainable methods of operation and technology in the establishments and thereby reduce the overall use of resources.
• Raise awareness and create behavioural changes in guests, staff and suppliers of individual tourism establishments.
• Increase the use of environmentally friendly and sustainable methods and raise awareness to create behavioural changes in the hospitality and tourism industry overall.

Green Key International began in Denmark in 1994 and was adopted by the Foundation for Environmental Education in 2002 to become its fifth international partner. It has since spread to nearly 70 countries and continues to grow in number and reach across the world.

Commercial websites, such as Bookdifferent.com, is partnering with Green Key to entice travelers to book eco friendly hotels.^[1][2]

Tourism facilities certified with Green Key adhere to international Green Key criteria. The criteria have been designed to be easily understood by travellers, feasible for the tourism industry, and clearly verifiable through control checks.

International criteria reflect the various fields of tourism facilities (hotels, hostels, camp sites, conference and holiday centres, tourist attractions and restaurants) and specialized national criteria reflect each country's legislation, infrastructure and culture.

Los criterios se centran en la gestión ambiental, las exigencias técnicas y las iniciativas para la participación de huéspedes, personal y proveedores. Algunas de las categorías que abarca son: Agua, Residuos, Energía, Participación y Sensibilización de los Huéspedes, Gestión Ambiental, Participación del Personal, Uso de Productos Químicos, Espacios Abiertos y Alimentos y Bebidas.

El programa Green Key se basa en cinco pilares:

• Formación del personal, los clientes y los propietarios para fomentar un mayor desarrollo sostenible y una mayor concienciación medioambiental en los establecimientos de ocio;
• Preservación del medio ambiente mediante la reducción del impacto ambiental de cada establecimiento en el panorama mundial;
• Gestión económica mediante la reducción del consumo, lo que implica una reducción de costes;
• Estrategia de marketing mediante la promoción del certificado Llave Verde y el uso del icono de la Llave Verde por parte de los establecimientos.
• Fortalecer el sector turístico y de ocio asumiendo una responsabilidad que trascienda la de sus establecimientos individuales.

Green Globe es un programa similar que ofrece un proceso de certificación para la industria hotelera.