"Jaarbeurs Utrecht" achieves the 300th Green Key in the Netherlands

(8.10.2010)

The certificate of the Green Key is awarded to the conference centre "Jaarbeurs Utrecht" on 8 October 2010. Green Key is the leading international quality mark for sustainable operations in the hospitality sector.

This 300^th Green Key in the Netherlands is a milestone for the KMVK Foundation that operates the Green Key programme. The Dutch Green Key director Erik van Dijk therefore made a special visit to Jaarbeurs Utrecht to personally present the certificate, in the presence of the director of FEE International, Mr Finn Bolding Thomsen. 

Rob van der Heijden - deputy managing director of Jaarbeurs Utrecht - is proud of the certificate. ‘It means we are doing a good job when it comes to sustainability, CSR, the environment and our surroundings. And that is necessary. We want to go beyond what is required by legislation and regulation. Green Key keeps our organisation on the ball and motivates us to always be a step ahead of the game. We see it as a valuable instrument anchored in our activities. Every day we consider the effects of business in our industry and we also show our visitors that we work sustainably. You can expect that from an organisation like Jaarbeurs. It is an important step on the path to our ambition to become the Village Square of this millennium.'

Green Key makes it easier for tourists, holidaymakers and business travellers to choose business accommodation where safety, sustainability and respect for the environment are inextricably tied in with the corporate identity.

There are 1,250 businesses worldwide that may display their Green Key with pride. There are now exactly 300 companies in the Netherlands that hold the quality mark. This puts the tourist sector in the Netherlands ahead of the other 18 countries that operate the programme.

In addition to tourists and business travellers, it is also a quality mark that indicates to governments that the operations are sustainable. The criteria businesses must satisfy are:

• sustainable enterprise
• awareness of holidaymakers and tourists
• employee involvement in environmental management
• sustainable investments
• organisation of nature and environmental-awareness activities

The Green Key quality mark is granted for one year and monitored annually. In addition to the mandatory measures, a number of optional measures are also applied; these determine the level of the Green Key: bronze, silver or gold. ‘Of course Jaarbeurs immediately aimed for gold and we were successful. We are all extremely proud of that,' says Rob van der Heijden.