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IH&RA Environmental Award

The IH&RA Environmental Award is one of the industry’s longest running awards recognizing hospitality’s outstanding and proactive work to protect the environment. It is conducted in association with UNEP, the United Nations Environment Programme and is made possible thanks to founding sponsor American Express. Programme partners and judges also include Conservation International, Green Globe 21 and the International Tourism Partnership.

Launched in 1990, it was one of the first award programmes to promote environmental awareness among hotels and recognise the efforts being made to “green” the industry from within. The programme recognises the efforts of both independent and corporate hotels, selecting a winner and runner-up in each category. The winners are honoured at a special Award Ceremony at the IH&RA annual congress and receive a trophy and worldwide media coverage. Selected applications are included in periodical Best Practice Reports.

IH&RA is impressed by the changes witnessed in the quality of applications submitted for the Environmental Award over the years. Programmes are much more developed and complete and the level of entry is such that Award criteria have to be reviewed each year to make them more challenging. Award themes have also evolved over the years, reflecting the maturing of the hospitality industry and the growing interest in sustainable development generally and not just strictly environmental issues.