Hotel Partner Guide to the HRS Emissions Compensation Reward Program
1. What is a Carbon credit?
A carbon credit is a certified unit that represents one metric tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) that has been reduced, avoided, or removed from the atmosphere through a verified climate project.
2. Why do companies and organizations purchase Carbon credits?
According to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), companies pursuing net zero must first focus on deep emissions reductions across their operations and value chain, with long-term targets requiring reductions of around 90%. Only after these reductions should companies address the remaining residual emissions through high-quality carbon removals or support additional climate action beyond their own value chain. This is why companies and organizations purchase verified carbon credits: not as a substitute for reducing emissions, but to compensate for the unavoidable/residual emissions that cannot yet be fully eliminated and to finance credible climate projects that reduce, avoid, or remove CO₂ elsewhere.
3. What are the main types of Carbon projects?
Carbon projects are generally designed to either prevent emissions or remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
- Carbon avoidance: Projects that prevent future greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere. Examples include protecting forests from deforestation or building renewable energy projects that replace fossil fuel-based power.
- Carbon removal: Projects that actively remove existing CO₂ from the atmosphere and store it over the long term. Examples include reforestation, direct air capture, or technologies that permanently store carbon in materials such as concrete.
Other types of carbon projects are sometimes categorized separately, but they generally fall within or alongside these two core groups. For example; avoided nature loss, carbon capture and storage (CCS), Non-CO₂ reduction projects.
4. What does it mean when a Carbon credit is “retired”?
When a carbon credit is retired, it is permanently marked as used in an official public registry, such as Verra or Gold Standard. This means the credit can no longer be sold, transferred, reused, or claimed by another organization. Retirement is the formal step that gives an organization or a hotel partner in this program the right to claim that specific credit against its eligible emissions footprint.
5. What is the “HRS Emissions Compensation Reward Program”?
As a reward for your ongoing 2026 and 2027 partnership, HRS is offering eligible Corporate Rate (CCR) hotel partners free verified carbon credits that compensate for the CO₂ footprint generated by your 2026 contracted corporate room nights. Please note that hotels will ONLY receive a certificate of the retired allocated credits.
6. What makes this program unique compared to other initiatives?
This program provides frictionless, zero-effort impact for hotels. HRS handles 100% of the math, vets the projects, buys the credits, and manages the registry. The eligible hotel gets all the credentials and certificates at absolutely zero cost.
7. What is the eligibility trigger to receive this reward?
Your eligibility is triggered by the following actions:
- participation in the 2026 Corporate Club program
- confirmed participation in the 2027 Corporate Club program
- achieved Green Stay Class A or B
- available 2026 Corporate Club room night and CO₂ data
8. What types of bookings/contracts qualify for this carbon compensation?
The program applies exclusively to Transient Fixed CCR agreements. Long-stay contracts and dynamic corporate rate agreements fall outside of scope.
9. Why doesn't my other property qualify for the program?
If your other property did not qualify, it is likely because it either:
- runs on a long-stay or dynamic corporate rate agreement rather than a Transient Fixed CCR contract.
- has not yet achieved a Green Stay Class A or Class B rating
- does not participate in the 2026 Corporate Club program
- no confirmation for the 2027 Corporate Club program
10. Why is this reward restricted to Class A and B hotels?
The program follows the SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard outlined in Question 2. Global climate standards dictate that organizations must actively reduce their operational emissions before applying carbon compensation. Class A and B properties have proven their commitment to real, operational carbon reduction.
11. What is the exact data basis used for this calculation?
The numbers are derived directly from your contracted 2026 room nights booked through HRS coupled with your 2026 Green Stay Initiative CO₂ per room night report.
Carbon Credits = (Contracted Room Nights * CO₂ Per Room Night) / 1000
Where: 1 tCO₂ Carbon credit = 1000kg CO₂
12. When will my hotel receive its compensation certificate?
Your certificate will be issued during Q1/Q2 2027, following the availability of your updated 2026 Green Stay report.
13. What Carbon projects are these credits sourced from?
Your credits are pulled from a hand-selected portfolio of three globally recognized, high-integrity climate projects:
- Rimba Raya: Avoided deforestation and biodiversity preservation.
- Bondhu Chula: Distribution of highly efficient cooking stoves to reduce biomass burning.
- CarbonCure: Technology that traps and permanently stores mineralized CO2 inside sustainable concrete.
14. How do I know these climate projects are verified?
All projects utilized in this program are rigorously verified and listed on international registries under either the Gold Standard or Verra Registry (VCS), ensuring the compensation is real, measurable, and permanent. Your specific project assignment will be indicated directly on your certificate.
15. Can I use this certificate to declare that my hotel is entirely "Carbon Neutral"?
No. You cannot claim full carbon neutrality based solely on this program.
16. What is the correct way to word our sustainability claim to clients?
You can accurately and confidently state:
"The CO2 emissions generated from our contracted corporate room nights booked via HRS have been fully compensated by verified carbon credits retired directly in our name."
17. Can I share this certificate publicly?
Yes, The credit retirement is officially recorded in a public registry under your hotel’s name. You can frame it in your lobby, feature it in your annual sustainability reports, share it on LinkedIn, or upload it as evidence inside corporate RFP responses.
18. Why do I have to wait until 2027 for my certificate?
This is because the certificate covers your full year - January to December 2026. Carbon accounting standards require that the emissions being compensated and the credits used to compensate them relate to the same reporting period. We wait for your complete Green Stay 2026 data so the certificate is accurate and credible.
19. How does this program benefit my hotel?
Participating in this program can create meaningful value for your hotel by:
- Strengthening your visibility in sustainability-focused corporate buyer conversations
- Increasing your relevance in Corporate Club participation and RFP discussions
- Demonstrating stronger sustainability performance to corporate clients
- Preparing for potential eligibility for free carbon credits in the future
- Enhancing your visibility and recognition across relevant HRS platforms
- Add greater value to your Corporate Club participation
20. What happens next, and what do I need to do?
Carbon accounting standards require that compensated emissions and the carbon credits used for compensation align within the same reporting period.
As a result, the final allocation will be based on your hotel’s full-year 2026 Corporate Club room-night production, along with the updated 2026 Green Stay report.
Once this data is available:
- The final allocation of carbon credits will be determined
- The credits will be retired on your behalf
- A certificate confirming the compensation will be issued
These steps are expected to take place in Q1–Q2 2027, depending on when the updated 2026 Green Stay / GSI report becomes available.
In short: No immediate action is required, just ensure accurate reporting for 2026, as this will determine your allocation and certification timeline.