ISO 21401 sustainability certification for hotels and accommodation

What ISO 21401 certification covers

ISO 21401:2018 sets requirements for a sustainability management system for accommodation establishments. It applies to hotels, resorts, apartments, hostels, campsites and other places that offer overnight stays. Unlike general environmental standards, it covers the three pillars of sustainability together: environmental, social and economic.

On the environmental side, the standard looks at energy and water use, waste, emissions, chemicals and the protection of the local environment. On the social side, it looks at working conditions, human rights, the health and safety of guests and staff, respect for local communities and culture, and accessibility. On the economic side, it looks at the hotel's contribution to the local economy, such as local employment and local purchasing.

The hotel sets sustainability objectives, measures performance against them and reports progress. The audit checks that this cycle works and that the claims you make to guests are supported by evidence.

• Review of the sustainability policy, requirements and objectives
• On-site audit of operations, from energy rooms and kitchens to staff areas
• Check of indicators for energy, water, waste and local purchasing
• Review of guest information and sustainability communication
• Certificate valid for three years, with yearly surveillance audits

The standard also asks the hotel to inform guests about its sustainability practices and how they can take part, for example through towel and linen reuse, waste sorting or choosing local products. The auditor checks that this information is accurate and backed by real practice.

Options: one hotel, a group, or combined with service quality

A single property is audited on site over one or more days. Hotel groups and management companies can certify several properties under a common system, with a sample of hotels visited at each audit, which lowers the cost per property.

ISO 21401 combines well with ISO 22483, which covers service quality in hotels. Together they give guests and tour operators evidence of both how the hotel serves and how it manages its impact. Hotels with large kitchens may add ISO 22000 for food safety, and those with a mature environmental system may already hold ISO 14001, whose records can serve as evidence here.

The audit is carried out on site, because sustainability in a hotel is operational: how laundry, kitchens, pools, gardens and technical rooms are run day to day.

Small and family-run properties can certify as well. The system can be simple, as long as it is documented, used and supported by data, and the auditor judges it against the size of the property.

Groups should agree common indicators across properties, so results can be compared and good practice shared between hotels.

What decides the price

ISO 21401 certification with EUROTECH starts at $800. Audit time depends on the size and complexity of the property.

• Number of rooms and staff
• Facilities: restaurants, laundry, pools, spa, gardens, conference rooms
• Number of properties in a group
• Location and sensitivity of the surrounding environment
• Travel and the operating season

We confirm audit days, travel and every fee in a written quote. Monthly energy, water and waste data, normalized per occupied room night, is the most useful information to have ready.

Properties in protected or sensitive areas usually need more audit time, because the auditor reviews how impacts on nature, water bodies or heritage sites are identified and controlled.