Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Green Key certificate?
The Green Key certificate is a standard of excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operation within the tourism industry. More than 6,000 establishments in 70+ countries have been Green Key certified, making it one of the largest international tourism eco-certificates for accommodation. Establishments with the Green Key certificate can be recognised by this logo:
What does the Green Key certificate mean?
The Green Key certificate means that certified establishments adhere to strict criteria as stipulated by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). These criteria ensure that sustainability is integrated at a very high level in the management and operation of the certified tourism establishment. The Green Key certificate also ensures verification of the sustainability performance by means of a third-party entity to prevent so-called greenwashing. All certified establishments receive frequent on-site audits and have to renew their certificate every year.
How is the Green Key certificate monitored?
Establishments with the Green Key certification are closely monitored to ensure that they are adhering to its strict sustainability standards. In addition, the establishments are required to continually improve their performance in line with the Green Key criteria. Prior to being certified for the first time, an on-site audit of the applicant establishment is carried out. This audit is then conducted again in year two, and thereafter every third year. In years without on-site audits, the decision to certify is based on an evaluation of certain documents. In some countries, the audit process may even be stricter, but it will never be less stringent.
What kind of tourism establishments can be Green Key certified?
Green Key certifies hotels, hostels, small accommodations, campsites, holiday parks, conference centres, restaurants and tourist attractions worldwide. You can find a map with all certified Green Key establishments here.
How does the certification process work?
In order to be certified, a Green Key applicant has to go through the following application process:
Sending the application documents
Receiving the on-site audit
Decision by an independent entity (third-party verification)
A more detailed description of how the application process works can be found here. The Green Key certificate is valid for 12 months and must consequently be renewed annually.
What are the Green Key criteria?
The Green Key certificate is built around a set of highly advanced environmental criteria focusing on 13 different categories.
These criteria have been developed for six categories of tourism establishments which are publicly available: hotels and hostels, campsites and holiday parks, small accommodations, conference centres, attractions and restaurants.
Are Green Key certified establishments more expensive?
Green Key certifies tourism establishments in all price ranges, from bunk-bed hostels to five-star luxury hotels. Green Key has agreements with a number of online travel agency partners that indicate which of the offered establishments are Green Key certified.
Does the certificate affect the comfort during my stay in a tourist accommodation?
Staying in a Green Key certified tourist accommodation does not mean that you have to compromise on comfort or luxury. Many of the processes that make a tourism establishment more sustainable go behind the scenes, which means that by opting to stay in a Green Key certified accommodation, you might very well be supporting an environmentally-responsible business without even noticing it. Innovative developments in technology contribute to maintaining comfort while saving resources, such as water-saving shower heads that maintain water pressure, or dimmable LED light bulbs that keep the atmosphere cosy. In fact, choosing a tourism establishment with an eco-certificate can increase the quality of your stay, as they offer products to their guests that are third-party approved, locally sourced or from fair-trade suppliers (e.g. food and beverages, personal hygiene products, etc.).
Who is the entity behind Green Key?
Green Key is managed internationally by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). FEE is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation promoting sustainable development through environmental education. In addition to Green Key, FEE is active through four other environmental education programmes: Blue Flag, Eco-Schools, Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) and Learning about Forests (LEAF). Today, FEE member organisations are administering the Green Key programme in more than 50 countries worldwide.
I have another question, who can I contact?
For further information, please contact either Green Key International or the Green Key National Operator in your country.