The Charm Of Green Key Certified Establishments Remains Truly Motivational

The Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) announced its achievement of the GreenKey certification, reflecting its unwavering commitment to environmental excellence and positioning it as a leader in sustainable hospitality within India’s tourism industry.

The certification was awarded by Dr. Jagat Mangaraj, national operator of Green Key India, and received by John Paul, Director of Engineering and Environmental Manager, on behalf of Rubin Cherian, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre & HICC.

Novotel Mumbai International Airport has also announced its recent achievement of the Green Key Certification from the Centre for Environment Education (CEE). The recognition solidifies Novotel’s commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable operations while providing exceptional guest experiences.

The hotel has implemented several initiatives to conserve water, reduce energy consumption, and minimise waste. It includes a wastewater treatment plant, rainwater harvesting system, greywater reuse, solar power, energy-efficient lighting, elimination of single-use plastics, eco-friendly laundry detergents, digital room keys, natural light maximisation, the use of compressed natural gas, and a focus on local and seasonal food.

The GreenKey certification is internationally recognized as the leading standard for environmental responsibility and sustainable operations in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

In India, it is managed by the Centre for Environment Education (CEE), Ahmedabad—a full member of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). The CEE’s Green Key India initiative strives to promote environmental awareness and sustainable practices within the country’s hospitality industry.

The Green Key certificate is an internationally recognized eco-label that demonstrates a tourism establishment's commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable operation. It has myriad benefits: It is a globally recognized standard of excellence for sustainable tourism; The Green Key program is recognised by the UN Tourism Organization, UN Environment Programme, and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council; Green Key collaborates with international bodies to promote best practices in sustainable tourism; It raises awareness about the importance of sustainability; By choosing a Green Key-certified establishment, guests can help make a difference to the environment.

The Green Key program is managed by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), a non-profit, non-governmental organization. The program was launched in Denmark in 1994 and has since become one of the most geographically widespread tourism certificates in the world.

Green Key has 6000+ certified establishments in 70+ countries, which makes it one of the most geographically widespread tourism certificates in the world.

In 50 countries, national Green Key operators are responsible for the management of the programme, which means that you receive support in your own language. Most importantly, our national operators understand the national context and can give you advice with due consideration for national legislation, customs, and practices.

Green Key was founded by the tourism and hospitality industry but is now managed by FEE. This means that we understand the situation at the certified establishments but that the programme maintains its independence from the tourism and hospitality industry.

The certification assures guests that by choosing to stay with a Green Key establishment, they are helping make a difference for the environment.

The high environmental standards expected of these establishments are maintained through rigorous documentation and frequent audits. Green Key is open to hotels, hostels, small accommodations, campsites, holiday parks, conference centres, restaurants and tourist attractions.

The Green Key certificate is valid for 12 months and must consequently be renewed annually.

Green Key’s vision for the future involves continuously evolving its standards to address new sustainability challenges, such as carbon reduction, plastic pollution, and biodiversity preservation.

By achieving compliance with Travalyst criteria, Green Key reaffirms its position as a trusted leader in sustainable tourism and reinforces its dedication to supporting businesses that prioritise environmental responsibility.

Since 2019, Green Key has made available its stand-alone version of the Green Care Performance Calculator from Werner & Mertz Professional. With the online tool, companies can figure out how much the conversion to sustainable cleaning products reduces their own ecological footprint.

The performance calculator yields concrete data on how many tons of plastic waste, crude oil and greenhouse gases a user can spare the environment by using environmentally friendly products.

The tool is available to certified members on the Green Key Website under the heading “Washing and Cleaning”.

At the commencement of 2024, leading sustainable travel & tourism certification organisations formed a collaboration to address better practices and improve cooperation across the globe.

These certification organisations and their related educational and training bodies include Biosphere: Instituto de Turismo Responsable; Blue Flag; Ecotourism Australia; Good Travel Seal; Green Globe Certification, Green Key: Foundation for Environmental Education; Green Key Global; TourCert; Travelife for Accommodation; and Travelife for Tour Operators.