Berlin, February 2022 – Sustainability has become a highly relevant topic in all industries, and more and more companies are becoming aware of their responsibility to operate conscientiously. In addition, a company’s commitment to sustainability is increasingly important for investors, partners, political decision-makers and customers. However, the transition to sustainable practices can be a challenge for many entrepreneurs, and guidelines for the creation and further development of corporate sustainability strategies, as well as the ability to effectively communicate with all stakeholders, have been missing so far.

The GreenSign Office certification addresses this problem by offering a transparent and efficient solution. The certificate is awarded by InfraCert–Institute for Sustainable Development –, which also provides the GreenSign Hotel sustainability seal and since 2015 has established itself as one of the leading sustainability certifiers. With more than 300 certified hotels to date, InfraCert’s has become integrative, practical and GSTC-compliant environmental management program is market leader in the German-speaking hotel industry.

The hotel booking platform ehotel® has now successfully completed the GreenSign Office certification process and achieved GreenSign Level 3. The hotel booking platform bundles the accommodation offerings of all providers worldwide on one platform through meta-search technology. The Berlin-based company has received several awards for its high-quality service, including from the German Institute for Service Quality and the market research institute ServiceValue. ehotel®’s sustainability management covers all areas of business. All external orders are placed with climate-neutral suppliers: The offices run on green energy and are catered with regional, glass-bottled water. In addition, they are equipped with energy-efficient devices and LEDs and follow conscious heating and waste reduction strategies. Employees are offered green public transport passes and business trips are planned with a low carbon footprint in mind. With many small steps, ehotel® is aiming to become carbon neutral in the near future. To meet its social responsibility, the company relies on modern workplaces, professional development opportunities, sincerity and transparency, robust and open communication structures, equal rights and a pleasant working atmosphere as well as fair salaries.

The underlying mentality is clearly outlined on the company website: “At ehotel®, we believe that sustainability and social commitment are not just trend words, fundamental principles that require action. The future of our planet, and all of us, is at stake. So naturally, we want to do our part by not only featuring more green certified hotels, but also by making our company environmentally friendly and treating our employees fairly and equally.”

A credible certification with an integrated environmental management system contributes to a strong image, offers a valuable competitive advantage and helps companies to successfully acquire customers as well as to effectively conserve resources, save costs and optimize their internal process. In addition, it serves to increase employee satisfaction and to present a more attractive opportunity for young job seekers.

The certification process begins with a self-evaluation by the company using InfraCert’s online certification tool. The evaluation examines the criteria ‘management and communication practices’, ‘environment (energy, water, waste, building structure)’, ‘purchasing’, ‘mobility’, ‘quality management and sustainable development’, ‘social responsibility’, ‘economic responsibility’ and, optionally, ‘catering’. Based on a weighting factor, the company’s sustainability performance is classified into one of five GreenSign Office Levels. All sites or offices are then audited by an independent expert, who produces a qualified report, a so-called sustainability declaration. The certification is valid for three years and enables transparent documentation and credible communication of the company’s sustainability performance for this period.