I had an opportunity to chat with Amy Hulbert, Vice President, Boutique and Upscale Brands, BWH Hotels, this past week about her company’s work to get BWH Hotels green certified. It is not an easy task.
The hotel company has 4,000 properties in more than 100 countries. There are currently 578 hotels certified by Green Key Global throughout North America and 915 certified outside of North America—most by Green Key International.
Green Key International is a worldwide non-profit program, while Green Key Global is a North American-focused organization owned by AHLA and the Hotel Association of Canada.
Green Key certification is required for all BWH Hotels by the end of 2026, making sustainability a baseline expectation rather than a niche initiative.
The certification process is part of a larger sustainability program that has been in the works at BWH Hotels for several years and one that the company helps pay for—the first assessment, a $500 fee. Properties get assessed every three years.
“You have to start somewhere,” Hulbert told me. “We love that hotels are embracing this.”
Part of the Booking Process
Currently, certified hotels can be identified during a search on “eco-friendly” at https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US.html. Soon, hotels will be searchable by specific sustainability features—local food sources, composting, etc.
In Germany, travelers can plant a tree with their hotel booking and receive a tree planting certificate from reforestation partner Click A Tree at the hotel upon departure. The additional cost is just 4 euros. Seventy percent of hotels in Germany are already certified as sustainable.
Key to the success of BWH Hotels’ certification initiative is its relationship with Because. BeCause is a platform that allows BWH Hotels to collect, manage, and share data in one centralized location.
The company believes its partnership with BeCause creates meaningful value for hotels in several ways. First, it makes eco-certification easier by helping organize the data and documentation needed for programs like Green Key. Second, it makes it easier to visualize things like energy and water performance, which can help identify inefficiencies and cost-saving opportunities. Third, it supports sales by helping hotels respond to RFPs using data aligned with GBTA and other key corporate travel formats. It also helps BWH Hotels share verified sustainability information with OTAs and other channels, which can improve visibility to travelers and help it stay competitive.
Hulbert told me it is her company’s goal to have 1,000 hotels on the platform by the end of the year. “Because gives us a framework to survey each hotel,” she says.
Green Key Global: From One to Five Keys
Within Green Key Global’s Eco-Rating Program, hotels are rated from 1 to 5 keys. Eighteen percent of BWH Hotels certified in North America are 4 key rated.
Hubert says that BWH Hotels is doing “boot camps” with hoteliers to help with certification.
Certifications are not “one and done.” Renewal is required periodically, in the case of Green Key, every three years, and continuous improvement is part of the process. Hotels are expected to demonstrate progress over time, which reinforces sustainability as an ongoing operational discipline rather than a static checklist.
Certification benefits for owners range from increased occupancy to operational cost savings to reducing the property’s carbon footprint. For guests, certification assures them that sustainability claims are credible and verified—not just marketing language. Practically, guests experience healthier indoor environments, more efficient comfort systems, reduced waste, and the satisfaction of staying at a property aligned with their values.
Certification is just one part of BWH Hotels’ Earth, People, and Community (EPC) effort. According to the company, “We believe we have a shared responsibility to be conscientious stewards within our global community. Through our EPC effort, our goal is to strengthen one community at a time by partnering with our hoteliers and providing the necessary tools to enact meaningful change.”
To learn more about EPC and BWH Hotels’ EPC initiatives, watch for my full interview with Amy Hulbert later this week.
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