Novotel Itu Golf & Resort has recently obtained the Green Key certificate as the first resort in Brazil. The establishment has thereby become the Accor's 50th sustainability certification in the Americas.
To mark this achievement, a certification ceremony took was organised, bringing together representatives from Green Key, Accor, along with the mayor of the city of Itu and authorities from local secretariats and the press. The significant role of the collaboration agreement between Green Key International and the Accor hospitality group was also highlighted. In Brazil, the certification procedure is coordinated by the Green Key National Operator, Instituto Ambientes em Rede (IAR).
In the process of meeting the Green Key criteria, Novotel Itu Golf & Resort has implemented several socio-environmental practices to minimise its impacts on the environment. Thanks to the elimination of all single-use plastic items, almost 215 thousand units of pet bottles and plastic cups in 2023 alone was saved. In addition, the resort has reduced its water consumption by 50% and reused more than 4 million litters for toilet flushing and garden irrigation. For its operation, Novotel Itu uses 100% energy from renewable sources from the Free Energy Market and has around 200 solar panels for water heating.
Apart from its environmental practices, the resort also carries out and gets engaged in various social initiatives, thanks to its partnerships with local non-profit institutions. For example, Novotel Itu organises fundraisers to support the NGO Realidades, which promotes housing improvements for vulnerable families in the Itu region. Also, a collaboration with the NGO Aspa has been established, resulting in a part of hotel's pet stay rate being donated to support abandoned dogs taken in by the non-profit institution.
Carlos Jacobina, general manager of Novotel Itu Golf & Resort, expressed pride in achieving the Green Key certificate, emphasising the resort's ongoing commitment to sustainable practices:
"For us at Novotel Itu Golf & Resort, receiving Green Key certification is more than recognition; it is validation of our ongoing commitment to a more sustainable future. We are proud to make history as the first resort in Brazil to achieve this milestone and we intend to advance even further with new practices in our hotel to contribute to the environment and society”.
Leana Bernardi, national coordinator of Green Key, also emphasised the importance of this achievement:
“We are firmly convinced that efforts to reduce the environmental footprint in the hospitality industry play a crucial role in preserving our country's natural beauty. We observe a growing interest among tourists, managers of tourist establishments and public authorities in this direction. In addition to being an indicator of the institutions' commitment to sustainability, the program proactively responds to the growing demand from conscious tourists who seek accommodation options with environmental, social and responsible values”.
With Novotel Itu, Accor has officially reached the milestone of 50 sustainable certified hotels in the Americas. Antonietta Varlese, SVP of Sustainability and Communication at Accor Americas expressed her proud that the company's commitment to promoting sustainability in its operations, in line with ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions, brings measurable results.
About
Novotel Hotels, Suites & Resorts offers destination hotels designed as comforting, energizing places where guests can take a break and enjoy the moments that really matter. The brand's wide range of hotels, suites and resorts offer a wide range of services for business and leisure guests, including spacious, modular rooms with natural, intuitive design; 24/7 buffet service with nutritious options; dedicated meeting spaces; attentive and proactive team; family areas for younger guests; multipurpose lobbies and accessible fitness centers. Novotel, which has more than 530 locations in more than 60 countries, is part of Accor, a world-leading hospitality group with more than 5,500 properties in more than 110 countries.