The scheme combats greenwashing by enabling hospitality businesses to substantiate their sustainability credentials.
Fifty Shades Greener, the leading sustainability training and certification provider, today unveils the Green Business Certification for Hospitality. Developed in partnership with Agent 4 Change the scheme unites two women-led organisations to combat greenwashing within the sector by enabling hospitality businesses to substantiate their sustainability credentials.
Stricter rules on environmental marketing
The launch of the certification follows the transposition of the EU’s Empowering Consumers Directive into Irish law, which introduces stricter rules on environmental marketing across Ireland and the EU.
The directive, which came into force on the 27th of September 2026, prohibits unsupported, generic environmental claims and requires sustainability labels to be either established by public authorities or based on certification schemes meeting defined legal requirements.
Businesses found in breach could face fines of up to €60,000 and even a potential custodial sentence. This places greater emphasis on how labels are awarded, the transparency of their requirements and the independence of the checks behind them.
Independently audited by Agent 4 Change and recognised by Booking.com
Under the new certification scheme, hotels undergo an independent audit by Agent 4 Change against the certification standards. Certification is awarded at bronze, silver, gold, or emerald level and must be renewed every year. Hotels that do not meet the requirements receive a report identifying the improvements needed before certification can be awarded.
The Green Business Certification for Hospitality is also recognised by Booking.com, allowing certified hotels to have their certification displayed on the platform once their details have been verified. This gives hotels a way to demonstrate their credentials at the point where travellers compare accommodation. The relevance of this visibility is underlined in Booking.com’s 2026 Travel & Sustainability research with 58% of surveyed travellers planning to filter for properties with a sustainability certification the next time they book.
Mespil Hotel attains gold certification
Dublin City Centre’s Mespil Hotel is among one of the first hotels to achieve this certification, receiving gold following independent verification of its sustainability credentials by Agent 4 Change. Alongside the certification, the hotel has worked with Fifty Shades Greener on employee training to embed sustainability into its daily operations. The Mespil Hotel is now on track to reduce annual general waste from 33,000kg to 27,000kg by the end of 2026, a reduction of approximately 18%, and to bring annual paper consumption below 200,000 pages.
Raquel Noboa, Founder and CEO of Fifty Shades Greener, said:
“If a hotel displays a sustainability badge, guests should be able to understand what it means, what was checked and who checked it. Hotels doing the work deserve a clear way to demonstrate their progress, and guests deserve information they can trust. Having worked in hospitality for 20 years, I know that progress happens through everyday decisions: measuring waste, managing energy and water and giving staff the skills to make improvements.”
Cliona O’Halloran, CEO and Founder, Agent 4 Change, said:
“At Agent 4 Change, we are proud to partner with Fifty Shades Greener to help hotels meet the expectations set by the Empowering Consumers Directive and to deliver what today’s informed consumers expect. The key is to replace vague ‘eco-friendly’ claims with specifics. Whether you have reduced emissions by 1% or 50%, be open about the figure and have evidence to support it.”
Jason Conlon, Sustainability Manager, Mespil Hotel, said: “
Partnering with Fifty Shades Greener has been a hugely positive experience for the Mespil Hotel. Sustainability is one of our core values, and achieving Gold Certification, independently verified by Agent 4 Change, gives our guests and stakeholders confidence that our commitments are genuine and measurable. Their practical, no-jargon approach and excellent training programmes have helped embed sustainability into every level of our business.”
Hospitality Certification Webinar
Fifty Shades Greener and Agent 4 Change will host a free webinar for hospitality businesses on 12 November 2026. The session will explain the new environmental claims rules, the requirements affecting sustainability labels and practical steps hotels can take to review their communications. To register, visit: www.fiftyshadesgreener.ie/hospitality-certification-webinar
