Sustainability labels
Green Label Service supports organizations in achieving and maintaining sustainability certifications.
We specialize in supporting businesses within the hospitality industry, including hotels, conference venues, holiday parks, campsites, restaurants, and others.
These are the most widely recognized sustainability labels in our industry:
Green Key is an international sustainability certification for businesses in the tourism, recreation, meeting, and conference sector. The Green Key standard is managed by the Foundation for Environmental Education in Denmark. Assessments in the Netherlands are carried out by external auditors in cooperation with the Stichting Keurmerk Milieu, Veiligheid en Kwaliteit (KMVK).
The standards focus on areas including internal and external communication of sustainability policy, energy, water, waste, transport, and food & beverage. Examples of mandatory criteria include monitoring gas, water, electricity, and waste consumption, as well as communicating sustainability policies and providing sustainability training for employees.
Audits are conducted by an external auditor to ensure an independent assessment.
Best-known sustainability label in the Netherlands (tourism sector)
Green Key is widely recognized in the Netherlands. There are more than 800 Green Key participants in the country, ranging from hotels, B&Bs, restaurants, and conference venues to other hospitality businesses. Separate guidelines are available for different business sectors, enabling organizations to work on their sustainability policies in a targeted and sector-specific way.
Green Globe was specifically developed for the travel and hospitality industry. The following sectors, among others, can be certified:
Hotels & resorts, meeting & conference venues, and restaurants.
Comprehensive & international sustainability certification
Green Globe is a highly recognized international sustainability certification, represented in approximately 90 countries, with members ranging from the well-known Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai and Mövenpick Hotels to the Dutch InterContinental Amstel Hotel.
Within Green Globe, environmental, economic, and social measures are all well represented in the criteria that are assessed annually. Examples include measures related to energy, water and waste policies, employee development, supporting charitable causes, and purchasing products with environmental certifications. This contributes to a comprehensive sustainability policy.
Audits are conducted by a so-called third-party independent auditor. Green Label Service has been appointed as a Green Globe partner. As a result, we are involved in audits in, among other countries, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Norway, and Iceland.
BREEAM-NL In-Use is a certification method for existing buildings. Hence the term “In-Use.” Examples include hotels, offices, government buildings, retail properties, healthcare centres, and residential buildings.
BREEAM-NL In-Use assesses buildings across nine sustainability categories: management, health, energy, transport, water, materials, waste, land use and ecology, and pollution. Each category contributes to the overall score, which is expressed in stars. A maximum of five stars can be achieved.
There are three different parts that can be certified:
Asset: This certificate focuses on the building itself, including aspects such as design, energy performance, location, and transport facilities.
Management: This part assesses how the building is managed, for example building maintenance and the way sustainability performance is monitored.
Occupancy: This certificate assesses how the building is used by tenants and employees.
Do the Quickscan
The free BREEAM-NL In-Use Quickscan quickly provides a global insight into the sustainable performance of your building. Do the BREEAM-NL In-Use Quickscan (Dutch)
Travelife
Travelife is an international management and certification programme for tour operators and accommodations.
Travelife for travel organizations
Travelife is a sustainability system that helps tour operators and travel agencies manage and improve their social and environmental performance.
Travelife for accommodations
The aim of Travelife is to support accommodation providers in integrating sustainability into their business operations, both within their own organization and throughout their supply chain.
BREEAM NL (for new construction buildings)
BREEAM is a method used to assess the sustainability performance of buildings. This certification method is applied worldwide. As a property owner, a BREEAM-NL certificate may provide a significant tax benefit on your investment. The benefit depends on the certification level achieved and the year in which the application is submitted.
For more information about BREEAM-NL for your new-build project, please visit: www.duurzamehotels.nl.
For existing buildings, Green Label Service can assist you (see BREEAM NL In-Use).
