AHLA, Hotel Association of Canada Unite to Expand Hotel Sustainability Certification

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) announced today that their formal partnership to operate the Green Key Global sustainability certification program in the U.S. and Canada will take effect April 1. In the meantime, hotel properties can continue to sign up for the Green Key sustainability certification program here.

HAC created Green Key Global in 1994 to certify hotels’ environmental sustainability policies and processes, and its certification criteria are aligned with all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The initiative, which provides certifications to hotels around the world, puts hotels through an assessment and audit to measure their performance in areas such as energy and water conservation, land use, hazardous and solid waste management, air quality, and more.

The AHLA-HAC partnership is crucial for the industry, as sustainability is increasingly shaping the behavior of leisure, business, and group travelers. Green Key Global programing is designed to give credibility to the sustainability initiatives properties are already undertaking, while equipping them with a plan for continued improvement.

The partnership builds on AHLA’s Responsible Stay initiative, which underscores AHLA member companies’ long-standing and growing commitment to energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, and responsible sourcing.

“This partnership is a gamechanger for the hotel industry in the U.S. and Canada and takes our commitment to sustainability to the next level,” said AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers. “Green Key Global provides important third-party validation for hotels’ sustainability efforts, and it gives sustainability-minded travelers the information they need to choose the lodging options that are right for them. AHLA and HAC will be working together to promote these goals through this important partnership.”

“We are so proud of the commitments hotels are making on the ground as part of this program,” said HAC President & CEO Susie Grynol. “Establishing a Green Key Global North American standard of sustainability allows more properties to elevate their leadership in this space, and through this partnership, we believe we can make sustainability accessible for all hotels.”