Get to know the Green Stay initiative

The HRS Green Stay Initiative is a data-driven sustainability program that provides transparency on hotels’ environmental impact. It evaluates and displays data on carbon emissions, water consumption, and waste generation according to international standards such as the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative, ISO 14067 (Product Carbon Footprint), and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

This allows travelers and corporate buyers to make informed booking decisions while enabling hotels to present their sustainability performance in a standardized and comparable way.

Participation is simple and completely free of charge. Hotels can register via the Green Stay Audit Platform. After registration, you complete a digital self-assessment providing your sustainability data.

Once submitted, the data is analyzed and benchmarked. If your hotel performs within the top 50% in your region (efficiency classes A or B), the Green Stay leaf icon will automatically appear next to your profile on HRS booking channels.

If you have questions, please reach out directly to your HRS Account Manager, who will guide you through the registration and data submission process.

Green Stay collects and standardizes sustainability data directly from hotels through a digital self-assessment. You will be asked to provide quantitative data on energy, water, and waste consumption, as well as up to 80 qualitative sustainability criteria.
HRS then analyzes this data using a scientifically recognized methodology aligned with the ISO 14067 and Greenhouse Gas Protocol frameworks. Each hotel’s footprint is benchmarked against others in the same region. The outcome is displayed as efficiency classes (A–D), allowing transparent comparison and rewarding top-performing hotels with the Green Stay leaf.

No. To ensure transparency and prevent greenwashing, hotels are not permitted to use the Green Stay logo or claim Green Stay certification in their own marketing or communications. The logo and data are displayed exclusively within HRS channels.

The Green Stay leaf identifies hotels that perform among the top 50% in their region for environmental efficiency. It appears when travelers use sustainability filters during their search on HRS channels and signals that your property’s sustainability performance has been calculated and benchmarked through the Green Stay methodology.
This icon represents verified data performance — not a marketing label — and helps travelers make confident, responsible booking choices.

The HRS Green Stay Initiative helps hotels showcase their sustainability performance where it matters most — directly in front of corporate clients and travelers. By joining, your hotel gains visibility among global organizations with clear sustainability goals, while contributing to more transparent and responsible travel decisions.

Participation is free of charge and offers several benefits:

• Demonstrate your environmental commitment with standardized and comparable data.

• Benchmark your performance against hotels in your region.

• Access insights that support cost and resource efficiency improvements.

• Meet corporate clients’ data needs for Scope 3 emission reporting.

You can find detailed information in the Green Stay Knowledge Hub or register directly on the Green Stay Audit Platform.

Hotels can join Green Stay at three different levels, depending on how deeply they wish to engage and verify their data:

• Basic Level: The hotel completes the self-assessment, providing quantitative and qualitative sustainability data.
• Advanced Level: In addition to the self-assessment, a detailed carbon, water, and waste footprint is calculated using the Green Stay methodology. Hotels ranking in the top 50% regionally (A or B) receive the Green Stay leaf.

• Professional Level: This level includes third-party verification (e.g. by GUTcert) for full compliance with ISO 14067 and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, adding an extra layer of credibility.

These levels allow hotels to gradually increase transparency and recognition as their sustainability management evolves.

HRS uses a combination of automated checks, standardized benchmarking, and external verification to ensure the credibility of the data:


• Automated anomaly detection identifies implausible or inconsistent entries.
• Regional benchmarking ensures fair comparisons between similar properties.

• The Green Stay methodology itself is audited by GUTcert, verifying compliance with ISO 14067 and the GHG Protocol.

• All hotels confirm data accuracy under legally binding Terms & Conditions.

If anomalies are found, hotels are notified and the data is blocked until corrected and revalidated.

Green Stay prevents misleading sustainability claims by focusing entirely on verified data, audited methodology, and controlled use of the logo. The framework’s independence from payment or ranking benefits ensures fairness, while the use of ISO-verified metrics allows hotels to communicate sustainability achievements credibly.

No. Green Stay participation and results do not influence search rankings on HRS. The Green Stay leaf appears only when travelers apply sustainability filters. The initiative is designed to promote transparency and informed decision-making, not commercial advantage.

The Green Stay self-assessment collects property-level data on:

• Carbon footprint: greenhouse gas emissions per room night (kg CO₂e)
• Water footprint: total water consumption per room night (liters)

• Waste footprint: solid waste generated per room night (kg)

You’ll also be asked about sustainability practices in energy management, food and waste policies, supply chain engagement, and social responsibility. Providing complete and accurate data ensures reliable benchmarking and visibility to travelers and corporates.

Yes. Green Stay calculates the complete product carbon footprint of a hotel stay in line with ISO 14067 and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, ensuring consistent and comparable results across all participating properties.

The Green Stay methodology and audit tool were independently verified by GUTcert, an accredited German certification body (DAkkS). The verification confirms full compliance with ISO 14067:2018 (Product Carbon Footprint) and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. This ensures that Green Stay meets international scientific standards and provides reliable, comparable sustainability data for the hospitality industry.

Yes. All hotels connected to the HRS platform can participate, regardless of size, brand, or location. The process is straightforward, voluntary, and entirely free of charge.

You can get started today via the Green Stay Audit Platform or consult your HRS Account Manager for further assistance.

Each hotel’s results are benchmarked against others in the same region or country using a quartile-based approach. Efficiency classes indicate relative environmental performance:

• A: top 25%
• B: next 25%
• C/D: lower 50%

Only hotels with an A or B classification — those in the top half of their region — receive the Green Stay leaf.

No. Green Stay is not a certification or eco-label. It is a scientifically verified evaluation framework that measures, compares, and displays sustainability data provided by hotels.

The Green Stay leaf is not a certification mark, and the logo cannot be used in external marketing or communication materials. This ensures fairness, transparency, and prevents any misleading claims.

Hotels are encouraged to update their data annually. Regular updates ensure that your results remain accurate and your ranking remains valid. Outdated data can reduce your Data Quality Score, which influences how your hotel’s sustainability performance is displayed and benchmarked.