The restaurant A Cozinha por António Loureiro wins Best Practice Competition 2018!

Each year, Green Key runs a best practice competition to encourage its awarded sites to present their most inspiring sustainability stories. And today on World Tourism Day we announce our winner: A Cozinha por António Loureiro restaurant (Portugal). Finishing second and third were Sinatur Storebælt (Denmark) and STF Lugnåsbergets vandrarhem (Sweden).

This year, Green Key’s best practice competition focused on how to inform and involve guests in sustainability. The theme relates to SDG 12 “responsible consumption and production” to ensure “sustainable consumption and production patterns". Not only does Green Key help consumers to identify responsible tourism establishments, but awarded establishments also have to inform their guests about sustainable practices during their stay. Furthermore, Green Key awarded establishments are encouraged to engage their guests in their sustainability actions through activities, events, rewards etc.

At ‘A Cozinha’ , Chef António Loureiro and his team are totally committed to sustainable eating and also strive to pursue a policy of near-zero waste. An integrated approach considering several practices was implemented since the opening day. António, awarded Portuguese Chef of the Year in 2014, is well-known for his high quality gastronomy that combines tradition and innovation. He mainly uses regional or local products and the motto “cooking what Mother Nature is offering” has become an integral part of every menu he creates. To prevent food waste, António uses the entire product that is bought, cooked and combined in different ways.

As a part of the restaurant’s mission towards sustainability, António opens his kitchen for several initiatives to inform the local community and children about food waste. For example, in the activity “be a chef for a day”, or "team building with a cooking experience" guests have the chance to have a hands-on high level experience where they learn how to respect the products, how to promote the local economy with their choices and how to plan a week menu without creating a big amount of food waste.

In addition, António has adopted the ‘Eco-Cooks’ initiative which is part of the Eco-Schools programme in Portugal promoting healthy and sustainable food in schools.

Château de Namur hosts local sustainable development award in Namur, Belgium

On 26 April, the hotel Château de Namur hosted the local sustainable development award "Prix du développement durable de la Province de Namur" only shortly after the hotel received its own sustainability award – the Green Key.

With this award, the Province of Namur wishes to highlight and, as a result, help raise awareness of existing sustainable development initiatives in Namur. And which venue would be better for a sustainability award ceremony than a Green Key hotel?

Château de Namur itself received its Green Key award in February 2018 due to its excellent environmental performance. The hotel strongly focuses on organic and local food products which becomes both evident from the restaurant menu and the refreshments offered in the guest rooms. Latest technologies in the hotel ensure that resources like energy and water are saved to a maximum. Guests can support the sustainability efforts of Château de Namur by using the offered electric bikes or the charging station for electric cars right outside the hotel. Furthermore, the hotel engages their guests by providing plenty of information about their environmental initiatives and environmental tips for their stay.

For its environmental committment, Château de Namur not only received the Green Key, but also the sustainable tourism award in the framework of a contest organised by the city of Namur.

Great results for the good of the environment at Green Key awarded Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna Mikkeli

Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna in Mikkeli (Finland) has been Green Key awarded since December 2016 and has integrated environmental perspective deep into their daily operations. Hotel Manager Hanna Coker-Appiah presented their vast variety of Green Key efforts to Finn Bolding Thomsen from Green Key International.

Vaakuna started their journey with Green Key in the autumn of 2016 to prepare for a Green Key application. Environmental work was nothing new for them, but with Green Key, it became more consistent and the awareness of the impact of different daily actions increased. Small modifications were also made. For example, the shower heads in all rooms were replaced with more eco-friendly ones. This repair investment was already in the plans and new shower heads on their way. Two different kinds of shower heads were tested by staff and the final selection was made based on these results.

The two tested shower heads also complied with the Green Key requirement that in at least 75% of showers are with a water flow of max. 9 litres per minute. Modern shower heads, as the new one Vaakuna chose for their hotel rooms, limit the water flow onto an ecological level without compromising guest satisfaction. Vaakuna’s guests have been happy with the choice the hotel made for new shower heads and have been also able to know about their environmental impact. Vaakuna follows water consumption carefully and was happy to share good results after their first Green Key year: the amount of water saved each month equals the water consumption of an average household for a year.

Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna Mikkeli actively encourages also guests to make an ecological choice. The bikes available at the hotel are hugely popular and the guest can enjoy local products such as the famous delicacy Karelian pies, local bread or taste the local beer named after the great Marshal Mannerheim. A welcoming letter in the rooms informs the guest of the environmental efforts at the hotel and provides easy, practical tips how to make ecological choices. The guest can sort waste or save water and energy by using the towel again. The hotel is also situated conveniently with an easy access for trains and buses – even a bike taxi in the summertime!

The whole staff in Vaakuna is involved in the work for the good of the environment. The kitchen keeps a close eye on energy consumption of ovens and the nightclub strives to reduce the use of plastic. Housekeeping uses microfiber cloths and 100% of daily chemicals are eco-labelled.

Finn Bolding Thomsen, Green Key International Director, visited the hotel in January 2018 and was very impressed with the environmental efforts at the hotel. He also very much appreciated the way that Sokos Hotel Vaakuna informs the guests about their environmental work both in the carpark of the hotel, in the hotel lobby and in the guest rooms.

However, new things are constantly under development. The next one will make the overnight at Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna in Mikkeli a memorable environmental experience. But this will be something to be revealed a bit later – so to be continued…

Auberge de Jeunesse de Namur - local hot spot for outdoor activities and sustainability supporters

The youth hostel in Namur, Belgium offers both guests and locals many opportunities to discover the surrounding natural areas and enjoy local products and services. 

Auberge de Jeunesse de Namur, Green Key awarded since December 2012, cooperates with many different local stakeholders to offer their guests and also local residents the opportunity to enjoy the natural areas in and around Namur and to buy local products.

Together with the local organisation Empreinte the hostel develops and promotes nature and environmental education tours with the objective of promoting outdoor activities among children and adolescents and of raising awareness about different aspects of the urban environment. Furthermore, the hostel cooperates with Pro Velo, an NGO promoting bicycling and bicycle tours. Guests can rent bikes directly at the hostel and get plenty of ideas for cycling routes right at the reception. 

After spending the day in the outdoors, guests can enjoy a local beer or wine at the bar of the hostel. The establishment is in close cooperation with the local breweries and in general tries to offer as many local products as possible.

Moreover, the hostel has a collaboration with Paysans Artisans, an association of local farmers. Residents can order organic "food boxes" once a week from the local farmers which are then available for pick up at the youth hostel. In addition, the hostel organises an organic food market twice a year where the products of the Paysans Artisans and of other local producers are being sold.

Elite Hotel Ideon Lund in Sweden prioritises environmental and social responsibility

Green Key awarded Elite Hotel Ideon Lund has modern sustainability standards in addition to effortlessly working with more ways to upgrade its commitment to environmental and social responsibility.

Elite Hotel Ideon Lund is a relatively new built hotel in Lund in Southern Sweden. The hotel is equipped with modern sustainability standards, and it has achieved the LEED Platinum certification for its exclusive energy efficiency standards. In 2017, the hotel received the Green Key award for its high standards.  

The hotel is constantly looking for new ways to continue their commitment towards environmental and social responsibility as well as sustainability awareness.

In order to save resources, the hotel has recently replaced individually packaged shower gel and shampoo by dispensers in most guest bathrooms. The installed dispensers nicely compliment the general appearance in the bathrooms, and the reactions from the hotel guests have been positive.

It is a general feature of the hotel that it is important to engage guests in its sustainability efforts. All rooms have an hourglass set for five minutes next to the shower. The hourglass is an encouragement for guests to consider limiting the shower period.

Additionally, the hotel is prioritising its local social engagement through successful work internships for persons having challenges entering the labour market and by purchasing locally produced items as presents for loyal customers. Where possible, the hotel donates used or forgotten items to charities.

The latest goal for Elite Hotel Ideon Lund is to continue the improvement of the waste recycling standards by facilitating waste sorting for staff in the kitchen and for guests by the hotel entrance. 

Finn Bolding Thomsen, Green Key International Director, visited Elite Hotel Ideon Lund on 7 March 2018. He was impressed to know how the hotel, despite already having high sustainability standards, continues to look for ways to further commit in relation to environmental and social responsibility.

Green Key in Flanders (Belgium): a new chapter lies ahead

After 12 years of Green Key in Flanders (Belgium) being run by Bond Beter Leefmilieu, the umbrella organisation for the environment, Green Key Flanders starts a new chapter from 2018 with the organisation GoodPlanet taking over the management of the Green Key programme.

One of the new challenges that lie ahead is to recruit candidates for the new category 'restaurants' that is now also offered in Flanders (Belgium). Three restaurants have already signed up and will serve as models for other restaurants wishing to follow. Green Key Flanders sees a lot of potential in this new category, especially when it comes to tackling food waste and promoting sustainable food.  

The region of Flanders now has 129 of the 204 Green Key awarded establishments in Belgium, which is a fairly high number relative to the size of the region. The 129 Green Key establishments (including ten new establishments) were awarded the Green Key on 26 February 2018 during an event taking place in Martin’s Klooster, a four-star hotel and meeting location that offers its clients the possibility to offset their carbon emission.

Hotel Kämp effortlessly combines 5-star luxury with environmental friendliness

Hotel Kämp in Helsinki, Finland is an iconic landmark. It is also a Green Key awarded hotel, as are all 9 (and soon 10) hotels in Kämp Collection Hotels. Hotel Kämp has made some very important choices for the environment.

Photo: Hotel Kämp

The hotel follows the Green Key criteria rigorously and continuously strive for excellence. They exceed imperative Green Key requirements many times over and additionally aim for LEED Gold certificate for the building itself.

For many years now, Hotel Kämp has chosen to use 100% renewable electricity. Each year they receive a report and a certificate stating the various renewable sources and the amounts of water power or wind power used, for example. They have also chosen to purchase renewable energy which is also EKOenergy certified. This means that the energy sources have been verified not only to be 100% renewable but also 100% sustainable. So they continue their historical tradition to be on the forefront:

 “Back in the day in 1887 Hotel Kämp was Finland's first hotel to have an elevator. Other modern technologies were also applied, such as electric lighting.”

                        History of Hotel Kämp, www.hotelkamp.fi

The historic building and its décor are one of the kind and highly admired. The hotel takes good care of each piece of furniture and continually refurbish them to be able to use the same high quality and timeless sofa, chair or table for yet another decade or two. They have a storage facility for excess furniture – actually a genuine treasure cave – from which they can retrieve suitable pieces for all 10 hotels in Kämp Hotel Collection instead of buying new ones. As for items which are usable but not needed anymore, they donate to charity organizations for example to the Red Cross.

Hotel Kämp also has high standards for procurement of goods and services. Housekeeping partner has a strict environmental policy and food and beverage are acquired in great portion locally. Also, guests can take part. Room TV includes practical tips for ecological choices. The guest will find information about moving around with public transportation or by luxurious Pelago bikes available for hotel guests free of charge. There is also information about recycling, electricity and other green choices. On the bed awaits a beautiful sign for the guest to use for communicating their wishes about having or not having the linen changed.

Finn Bolding Thomsen, Green Key International Director, visited Hotel Kämp on 19 January 2018. He was delighted to see all the environmental efforts done at the hotel - showing that a 5-star hotel can combine luxury with sustainability!

Green Hotelier Award 2018 - apply now!

The Green Hotelier Awards, which seek to discover the world's most sustainable, environmentally friendly and socially responsible hotels, has launched for 2018. Will a Green Key awarded establishment be the winner this year?

This year the Awards unveil a new look which changes the winning categories. In previous years hotels have been grouped geographically. This year hotels across the world will compete to win in categories which examine their carbon footprint, their water stewardship, their waste reduction, their community impact and their role as a responsible employer.

The move aims to align the awards with the industry call to action of the International Tourism Partnership(ITP) for hotels to focus their sustainable, environmental and socially responsible actions on the United Nations’ Global Goals also called the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Green Hotelier Editor Siobhan O'Neill said, "The Green Hotelier Awards have been growing in popularity year on year and we expect record numbers of hotels to share their sustainability stories with us in 2018. Although the form hoteliers will complete is essentially the same as previous years, the new approach allows us to focus on the winners' actions and impacts, rather than their geographical location. In addition it means there will be more winners and hotels named Highly Commended because we've increased the number of categories we're awarding in.

"We wanted to reflect ITP's call to action to the hotel industry to work together to achieve the Global Goals, and we can use the Green Hotelier Awards to show hoteliers how their sustainability actions and initiatives are doing just that. The application process is still free and deliberately designed to be quick and easy. The scoring on each section is simple and transparent, and hotels will need to complete every section to be in with a chance of winning, but we'd like them to indicate which category they think they're a strong contender in. It doesn't mean they won't be considered as a winner in other categories as well.

"We're really excited to be launching our new look and we're looking forward to reading all the amazing sustainable and responsible business actions we know so many hotels around the world are actioning for a fairer future for all."

The new look Awards means that no hotel is excluded from entering. Previous winners can apply this year. The Awards are open to hotels, resorts, eco-lodges and B&Bs of any size, anywhere in the world. Entrants should read all the rules and tips for applying before completing the form to make sure they maximise their chances of winning. The closing date for entries is Friday 23rd March 2018, and the winners will be announced in April during Responsible Business Week.

Download the form as a pdf here or as a Word document. Completed forms should be emailed to info@greenhotelier.org.

The judges look forward to receiving the Awards and showcasing the winners' actions in support of the Global Goals.

Source and acknowledgement: Green Hotelier

Green Key wishes all Green Key awarded establishments that participate good luck!

Original Sokos Hotel Helsinki – a champion in sustainability communication!

Information to hotel guests about its environmental engagement and the encouragement to participate in the efforts is a matter of priority for Green Key awarded Original Sokos Hotel Helsinki in Finland!

Original Sokos Hotel Helsinki has had the Green Key award since 2015. The hotel has high standards in relation to resources saving, recycling and reusing; products such as the daily cleaning products and paper products have a recognised eco-label, and shampoo and shower gel are offered from a dispenser, etc.

The hotel is very proud to have the Green Key award and has decided to become a champion in relation to informing guests about the environmental efforts done at the hotel. The information also includes a clear encouragement for the guests to participate in the environmental efforts.

Already at the entrance of the hotel, the guests meet the Green Key plaque and certificate. The staff in the reception wears a Green Key pin and they are always ready to inform you about sustainable transport possibilities, such as nearby tram, bus or train stops or how to rent a city bicycle. In the elevator on the way to the room, you can read about what it means that the hotel is an environmentally friendly hotel. In the guest room, you can find information about Green Key and the encouragement to consider whether to have towels changed or the room cleaned – in case you stay more than one night. When you go to the hotel restaurant for your dinner, you can see the environmentally friendly options on the menu card, e.g. vegetarian or vegan dishes or dishes with locally produced ingredients. After a good night’s sleep, you can in the morning choose healthy and sustainable food options in the breakfast buffet. And finally, when you check out you are offered to choose not to have your payment receipt in an envelope.

Green Key wishes everyone a good and environmentally friendly stay at Original Sokos Hotel Helsinki!