Green Key Certification
The Yeatman was awarded Green Key Certification in 2021 for its high standards within the realm of sustainability.
About Green Key:
GREEN KEY is a leading international eco-label for tourism and hospitality facilities, one of the biggest global eco-labels in the world. Green Key works with international hotel chains and independent hotels, such as The Yeatman, who recognise the value of Green Key to support their work to make their establishment more sustainable.
GREEN KEY is recognised and supported by:
- The World Tourism Organisation
- UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)
- The Global Sustainable Tourism Council
The Green Key Certification Award
The award sets the excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operations within the Tourism sector. It has been awarded to over 3,000 hotels and other tourism establishments in over 65 countries.
Sustainable tourism aims to maximise the social, economic and environmental benefits of Tourism, whilst minimising the negative impact on their destinations and local community.
Benefits of Certification:
- Raises awareness of sustainable travel and sustainability as a way of life
- Provides a comprehensive framework for continual environmental improvement
- Helps business grow but also saves money by improving efficiency
- Quality comes first and is defined by transparency by regular on-site and 3rd party audits
- Supports Tourism Establishments in doing their part to achieve the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
- Demonstrates sustainability credentials with a globally recognised award
Criteria for Certification:
Green Key Criteria fit into 13 categories covering sustainable operations and environmental education.
Travelife Certification – Sustainability In Tourism
The Yeatman was awarded Travelife Certification in 2021 for its high standards within the realm of sustainability.
About Travelife:
The Travelife Certification programme encompasses a 3-stage approach: 1) Engagement and Commitment; 2) Provision of Sustainability Report and Requirements; 3) Travelife Certification following evaluation by independent auditors based on an on-site assessment
In line with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Criteria, Travelife is an internationally recognised accommodation sustainability programme with around 1500 accredited members in over 50 countries
Criteria include:
- The area of Human and Labour Rights
- Community Engagement
- Environmental Impacts
Benefits of Travelife Gold Certification include:
- Reduction in energy and water consumption, as well as waste production
- The promotion of lower operating costs
- Increased guest satisfaction
- Increased awareness and reputation
- Better community relations
- Increased staff loyalty
Green Key and Travelife Criteria fit into the following categories covering sustainable operations and environmental education and here are some example areas of The Yeatman’s intervention:
Environmental Management
- Analysis of carbon footprint
- Creating ways to mitigate CO2
- Intelligent Energy Management System (Ewen – Energy & Environment)
Staff Involvement
- Sustainability managers
- Sustainability meetings
- Sustainability information and training for staff
- Encouragement and subsidy for use of public transport
- Staff accommodation (to help young professionals from further away, also immigrants)
Water
- Water savings eg. Harvesting of rainwater for sanitary cistern use and garden irrigation
- Treatment of public water supply for in-room and events’ water to save on use and transport of bottled water
- Reduction in water flow in sanitary ware
Washing & Cleaning
- Ecological cleaning – optimisation of washing and drying to reduce water
- Ecological fluids – where possible
Waste
- Reduction of waste to landfill
- Streamlining of our recycling
- Banning of plastics where possible
- Reduction in paper and print
Energy
- Cutting our energy output further and thus our environmental footprint
- Control of energy savings through the Ewen system
- Energy saving lighting (LED) and sensor operated
- Use of solar panels
Food & Beverage
- Analysis of our supply chain and examining our suppliers’ ecological footprint
- Use of sustainable farming sources and fair trade – spreading the word for environmentally friendly sourcing and sustainable solutions
- Careful management of food ordering and preparation to avoid wastage
- Awareness and protection of endangered fish species
- Cooking with locally sourced, seasonal and organic produce where possible
- More socially responsible form of cooking with less fat, sugar, oil, flour and more vegetables
- Vegetarian – gluten free – vegan options available
- Predominant use of national wines (94% Portuguese wine in our wine cellar)
Indoor Environment
- Controlled airflow with renewed air from naturally ventilated sources
- Plenty of natural light through the use of floor to ceiling glass windows including in staff areas
- Spacious areas
Green Activities
Involvement in green activities such as:
- Earth Hour
- Ocean related initiatives
Corporate and Social Responsibility
- Working with charities, local communities and the arts eg. art exhibitions
- Investment in social responsibility – eg. beach cleanup and supporting charity initiatives (Cystic Fibrosis, Breast Cancer, Children in need - Bagos d’Ouro, Casa do Caminho, Food Banks, The Red Cross, planting trees)
Administration
- Porto Protocol – the sustainability arm within our Group, The Fladgate Partnership - working internationally to find ways to safeguard sustainability within the wine sector
- We support social inclusion and sharing of knowledge
- Protection of our Human Resources
Guest Information
- Increase in use of digital communication material
Information regarding sustainable initiatives at The Yeatman available to guests:
The Yeatman Sustainability Fact sheet can be found:
- on our website
- in the in-room Directory with general hotel information
- with Reception