The Esslingen hotel ECOINN has once again been crowned the frontrunner: according to the Ministry of the Environment the most ecological hotel in Europe, it has been awarded the coveted “GreenSign Level 5” – with the best result of all certified hotels.
The 85 GreenSign criteria in the audit catalogue were developed for the hotel industry on the basis of internationally recognised sustainability frameworks such as ISO 14001 (EMAS/environmental management), ISO 26000 (Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)) and the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (sustainable tourism (GSTC)).
They cover seven core areas of sustainable business: “Management and communication”, “Environment (energy, water and waste)”, “Purchasing”, “Regionality and mobility”, “Quality management and sustainable development”, “Social responsibility” and “Economic responsibility”, and they are an expression of continuous quality assurance and responsible shaping of the future. Most of these criteria can be experienced directly by staff, suppliers and guests in the hotel.
The sustainability performance is classified on the basis of the auditor’s report into GreenSign Level 1 to GreenSign Level 5. For classification at Level 1, at least 50 per cent of the criteria within the seven core areas must be met. The highest award, GreenSign Level 5, requires a sustainability performance of over 90 per cent. A hotel can progress within the individual sustainability levels at any time; this requires a further audit for verification. An annual surveillance audit in the two following years also ensures a continuous process of improving sustainability aspects in the hotel.
All hotels undergo an on-site inspection by an independent auditor in the form of an audit. The audit concludes with a qualified report, a so-called sustainability statement. A surveillance audit is planned in each of the two years following certification. This is based on a programme of measures set individually by the hotel at the start of the certification process, which shows defined sustainability aspects within the seven core areas together with the hotel’s objectives.
Hoteliers and customers can therefore be confident that certified GreenSign hotels meet high quality requirements for sustainable business. In addition, an
independent, high-ranking advisory board acts on a voluntary basis as the supervisory and advisory body for the certification.
During the Intergastra trade fair in Stuttgart (3–7 February 2018), GreenSign managing director Dr. Sandra Rochnowski presented the certificate to hotel manager Thomas Puchan (see photo).
“You have achieved the highest score of all certified hotels. That is an outstanding achievement, and I warmly congratulate you on it,” said Rochnowski, who stressed how important role models such as the ECOINN Hotel are for tourism in view of advancing climate change. “I can only hope that many will follow your example.”
You can find information about GreenSign at www.greensign.de