Green Key Global, owned by the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), is a leading certification body empowering hospitality businesses in North America to achieve excellence in sustainability. Our Mission – To be recognized by the lodging industry as a leader in corporate social responsibility certification through educational, collaborative and pro
motional efforts. Green Key Global is a leading environmental certification body whose suite of industry standard programs and resources has been designed specifically for the lodging and meetings industries. Our affordable programs help members leverage organizational CSR activities to support sustainable initiatives, improve overall fiscal performance and community relations. For 15 years our flagship program, the Green Key Eco-Rating Program, has been evaluating and certifying properties in North America and beyond on the scope of their sustainable initiatives. The Green Key Global suite of programs allows participants to benefit on several fronts – cost savings, increased bookings from environmentally conscious consumers and meeting planners and responsible corporate citizenry. Green Key Global strives to simultaneously educate members on the value these activities have on a broader environmental, social and economic level. In support of this, Green Key conducts on-site verification audits to validate member ratings and also provides a variety of marketing materials to assist members in the promotion of their efforts. The Green Key Programs were designed specifically for the lodging industry by the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) and are delivered under the banner of Green Key Global. In the United States Green Key is a joint partnership between the Hotel Association of Canada and LRA Worldwide, Inc. Our Activities – Green Key Global participates in various committees and working groups both nationally and internationally. This participation assists Green Key Global in ensuring awareness of our programs and members on a global scale and also allows us to provide input from the perspective of an established program. Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is a global initiative dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism efforts around the world. The GSTC works to expand understanding of and access to sustainable tourism practices; helps identify and generate markets for sustainable tourism; educates about and advocates for a set of universal principles, as defined by the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria. The Criteria, a set of voluntary principles that provide a framework for the sustainability of tourism businesses across the globe, is the cornerstone of our initiative. For more information visit www.gstcouncil.org . Green Key Global is a member of the GSTC and also participates on its Market Access committee. Network for Business Sustainability (NBS) A Canadian non-profit established in 2005, the Network for Business Sustainability is a network of international academic experts and business leaders. NBS produces resources on important sustainability issues with the goal of shaping management practice and research. Green Key Global is an active member of the NBS’ Industry Association Council (IAC).The Industry Association Council (IAC) is a collaboration initiated by the NBS to advance the sustainability agenda in Canada. The IAC is a group of committed leaders dedicated to supporting the sustainable business practices of their members. NBS is creating a space for industry associations to work together on challenging sustainability issues. The purpose of the IAC is to:
- Identify the important sustainability challenges of association members
- Address members’ sustainability challenges with best practices, knowledge and education
- Identify areas of collective interest that warrant further research or future actions
