What is Green Key? The hotel eco-label, explained
Green Key is the most widespread eco-label for accommodation. In short: what it is, who it is for, what it aims at and where bathroom amenities fit into the certification file.
Green Key is an international eco-label for tourism, awarded to establishments that pass a third-party environmental audit. The programme started in Denmark in 1994 and is run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). By the end of 2025, more than 8,300 establishments in 90 countries held the certificate. In Romania, the programme is operated by the Carpatho-Danubian Centre of Geoecology, through greenkey.ro.
The most widespread eco-label in accommodation
Green Key does not assess a product but the way an establishment runs: water and energy use, waste, cleaning, purchasing, and how staff and guests are involved. It is recognised by the large hotel chains; in Romania it is held by chain hotels in Bucharest and by properties in Brașov, Timișoara, Sibiu, Alba Iulia, Arad and on the Black Sea coast.
For a hotel, the value lies in the verification: the certificate is not a self-declaration but the result of an on-site audit, repeated every two years.
How certification works
From 1 October 2026 the new Green Key criteria apply, valid until 31 December 2031 and organised in 7 criteria areas. In short:
- The establishment registers with the national operator (in Romania, via greenkey.ro).
- It prepares the file: procedures, consumption data, supplier documents.
- An auditor carries out the on-site visit.
- An independent jury decides on the award.
- The certificate is valid for two years; at renewal, more guideline criteria must be met.
Criteria are either imperative, all met from the start, or guideline, whose share grows from one period to the next. What exactly is checked in the bathroom and for amenities, criterion by criterion, is covered separately: Green Key for hotels in Romania: bathroom requirements.
What Green Key aims at
- Educate. Staff and guests learn what the hotel does for the environment and how they can help.
- Innovate. New ways to cut water, energy and waste.
- Add value. Travellers and event planners who choose on environmental grounds find the hotel more easily.
- Promote. The certificate can be shown on the website, on booking platforms and in corporate proposals.
Who can apply
For accommodation, the 2026–2031 criteria have three categories: hotels and hostels, campsites and holiday parks, and small accommodations (guesthouses, villas, apartments). An establishment usually applies under its main activity. Size does not matter: criteria adapt to the type of property, and the audit is shorter for a guesthouse than for a conference hotel.
How ADA amenities help in the bathroom
The bathroom is where guests see fastest whether a hotel lives up to what it says. ADA Cosmetics products, distributed in Romania by Concept Hotels, bring three things an auditor can check:
- Refillable dispensers instead of miniatures. SmartCare, SHAPE and Pump Dispenser replace single portions of soap, shampoo, conditioner and shower gel, refilled from 1, 3 and 5 litre bulk.
- Cradle to Cradle Certified® Full Scope Silver. ADA liquid amenities are covered by certificate no. 12316, valid until 3 September 2028. According to ADA Cosmetics, Green Key International recognises this certification and awards points for it in the audit.
- Eco-labels per line. ECO by Green Culture carries the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and the EU Ecolabel; Think Act & Live Responsible the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and COSMOS Organic; faircosmethics is Fairtrade certified.
For your audit file we send the certificate number, validity and list of covered products for the lines you use.
Certified lines at a glance
| Line | Certifications | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| ECO by Green Culture | Nordic Swan Ecolabel · EU Ecolabel · Cradle to Cradle | See products |
| Think Act & Live Responsible | Nordic Swan Ecolabel · COSMOS Organic · Cradle to Cradle | See products |
| faircosmethics | Fairtrade · Cradle to Cradle | See products |
| Eco-Boutique | Nordic Swan Ecolabel · Cradle to Cradle | See products |
Prices per bottle and per case are shown on dozatoarecosmetice.ro (in Romanian). For hotels with more than 20 rooms we quote on annual needs: request a quote or samples.
Frequently asked questions
How does Green Key work?
The establishment registers with the national operator, prepares the documents, receives an auditor's visit, and an independent jury decides on the award. The certificate is valid for two years and is then renewed with higher requirements.
What does a hotel gain from Green Key?
A third-party verified certificate it can use in communication, corporate proposals and on booking platforms, plus a concrete plan to cut consumption. As a non-profit programme, participation fees are set by the national operator.
Is buying certified amenities enough to get Green Key?
No. The certificate covers the whole property: water, energy, waste, cleaning, purchasing, staff. Certified amenities and refillable dispensers cover the bathroom part and make the file easier, but do not replace the other criteria.
Are there "Green Key products"?
No. Green Key certifies the establishment, not products. Suppliers can offer products with recognised certifications (Cradle to Cradle, Nordic Swan, EU Ecolabel) that the hotel includes in its file.
Dragoș Popescu
Dragoș Popescu founded Concept Hotels in 2001. Since 2004 the company has been ADA Cosmetics’ distributor for Romania and the Republic of Moldova, and it works directly with Indel B and Aliseo on equipping hotel bathrooms and guest rooms.
About Concept Hotels →Sources (5)
- Green Key International, "Green Key Criteria from October 2026" — https://www.greenkey.global/criteria-20262031
- Green Key International, "Green Key's major developments in 2025" — https://www.greenkey.global/stories-news-1/end-of-year-2025
- Green Key Romania (Carpatho-Danubian Centre of Geoecology) — https://greenkey.ro/
- Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, certified products registry (ADA Cosmetics International GmbH, certificate no. 12316)
- ADA Cosmetics, “What is Green Key?” (Expert Stories, 10 July 2024)
