{"id":1906,"date":"2026-03-10T13:48:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T13:48:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fairhospitality.coop\/certification-as-a-learning-path\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T07:54:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T07:54:30","slug":"certification-as-a-learning-path","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/fairhospitality.coop\/en\/certification-as-a-learning-path\/","title":{"rendered":"Certification as a learning path"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Is Your Accommodation Ready for the Future?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why choose a label?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, achieving sustainability certification is more than a &#8220;check mark&#8221; on a list; it is an essential part of modern business operations.<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Legislative Framework:<\/strong> The European Union bans &#8216;greenwashing&#8217; through the <a href=\"https:\/\/energy.ec.europa.eu\/news\/new-eu-rules-empower-consumers-green-transition-enter-force-2024-03-27_nl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive<\/em>. <\/a>Terms such as &#8220;eco,&#8221; &#8220;green&#8221; or &#8220;environmentally friendly&#8221; may not be used without proof starting in March 2026. A verified label (such as ISO Type 1) is the best way to back up your claims. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What do customers want?<\/strong> A large proportion of travelers, such as <em>Active Greens<\/em> (17%) and <em>Convenient Greens<\/em> (37%), actively seek sustainable options. As many as 42% of travelers indicate that clearer eco-labels would help them live more sustainably on vacation. (from PXL research, see also <a href=\"https:\/\/duurzaamondernemenlogies.be\/#home_icons\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>)  <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Business benefit:<\/strong> Labels can lead to more bookings (some hotels report a 15% increase) and provide access to additional promotional channels, such as platforms that support <strong>eco-check<\/strong> payments. In addition, the process helps you save on energy and water consumption. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>See also:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/fairhospitality.coop\/en\/does-a-label-fit-you-if-so-which-one\/\">Is a label a good fit for my business? <\/a> <\/p>\n\n<div style=\"height:28px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are the options?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Different types of labels exist, ranging from broad certifications to specific tools.<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>ISO Type I Labels (Independent Verification):<\/strong> These are the most reliable labels where an outside party verifies your operation.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.green-key.be\/over-green-key\/wat-is-green-key\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Green Key<\/a>:<\/strong> The most complete label for the tourism industry, focusing on environmental, climate and social aspects.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecolabel.be\/nl\/op-vakantie-met-het-eu-ecolabel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">EU Ecolabel<\/a>:<\/strong> A European recognized label that focuses primarily on environmental impact and is highly recognizable by the general public.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sustonica.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sustonica<\/a>:<\/strong> Developed specifically for vacation rentals with a focus on a simple digital process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>B-Corp:<\/strong> A global certification for companies that strive for high standards of social and environmental performance. This is not specific to lodging but very comprehensive.  Usually implemented by larger companies.  <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tools (not labels):<\/strong> Tools such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mvovlaanderen.be\/nl\/sustatool\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Sustatool<\/strong> <\/a>help you self-assess your business without direct certification. That doesn&#8217;t help you move forward in the context of anti-greenwashing, though.   <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How do you get started?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The process toward certification need not be complicated, but it does require an authentic approach.<\/p>\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Take the test:<\/strong> Start with a free <a href=\"https:\/\/fairhospitality.coop\/en\/green-key-quick-test\/\"><strong>sustainability quick test<\/strong> <\/a>to see where you currently stand: do you still need to make a lot of investments, will you get there by mainly adapting your processes or do you just need to communicate about what you do? The quick test has a first glimpse.   <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Choose your label:<\/strong> See which label best suits your type of lodging and budget. Costs vary widely depending on the size of your operation.  We&#8217;ve created a <a href=\"https:\/\/fairhospitality.coop\/en\/does-a-label-fit-you-if-so-which-one\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"\/past-een-label-je-zo-ja-welk\">simple tool<\/a> to help you choose.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Check subsidies:<\/strong> Several provinces (such as West Flanders and Flemish Brabant) currently have <strong>grants<\/strong> available for audit fees or annual contributions from Green Key, for example.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Digital audit:<\/strong> Most labels work with a digital file followed by an on-site or remote (sometimes external) audit<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>From checklist to an authentic story<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember that a label is a means, not an end goal. The modern guest does not want a chilly checklist, but an <strong>honest and authentic story<\/strong> about the efforts you make. It&#8217;s about improving step by step and contributing to a &#8220;Journey to Tomorrow,&#8221; where tourism is a means for your entire environment to flourish.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is Your Accommodation Ready for the Future? Why choose a label? Today, achieving sustainability certification is more than a &#8220;check mark&#8221; on a list; it is an essential part of modern business operations. See also: Is a label a good fit for my business? What are the options? Different types of labels exist, ranging from &#8230; <a title=\"Certification as a learning path\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/fairhospitality.coop\/en\/certification-as-a-learning-path\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Certification as a learning path\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1906","page","type-page","status-publish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fairhospitality.coop\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1906","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fairhospitality.coop\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fairhospitality.coop\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fairhospitality.coop\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fairhospitality.coop\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1906"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/fairhospitality.coop\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1906\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2183,"href":"https:\/\/fairhospitality.coop\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1906\/revisions\/2183"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fairhospitality.coop\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1906"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}