In December, we achieved Green Key certification, the result of a journey that lasted nearly a year and was built step by step thanks to the shared commitment of the resort’s departments and teams. Green Key is an international certification awarded to tourism facilities that demonstrate responsible, transparent, and measurable management of their environmental and social impacts. It is not merely a label: it is a structured protocol based on qualitative and quantitative criteria, regular audits, and performance indicators that turn good intentions into concrete, measurable actions over time. We chose to follow this path because we wanted to truly measure our impact and implement improvements that are replicable and intentional, rather than left to chance.
The combination of qualitative and numerical criteria allowed us to clearly see the tangible results achieved through simple, targeted actions. Between 2024 and 2025, we implemented a structural intervention in guest room consumption: single-use bathroom amenities were reduced by 87.5%, from over 54,000 bottles to fewer than 7,000, thanks to the installation of more than 5,000 refillable dispensers in all rooms. In terms of plastic, this means over 47,500 bottles avoided — approximately 570 kg of plastic kept out of the waste stream.
Breakfast service is following the same approach: we are progressively reducing single-use portions, replacing them with reusable and locally sourced solutions. Good practices have also extended to administrative offices, where paper consumption decreased by 13% compared to 2023, saving more than 200 kg of paper. These figures tell the story of a concrete transformation — simple actions with meaningful results.
Behind these numbers lies true teamwork: continuous staff training, shared protocols, and cross-department collaboration. The Green Key project involved far more than operations or sustainability alone; it required different departments to work together, gain insight into each other’s activities, and develop shared solutions. The benefits extended beyond the environment — people benefited as well. We saw increased collaboration, greater awareness of everyday actions, and a growing willingness to question habits in order to improve.
The transformation driven by Green Key is both practical and long-lasting. Introducing refillable dispensers, rethinking purchasing choices, reducing single-use packaging, training staff, and monitoring consumption are measures that deliver value over time. At the same time, we know the journey continues: the certification is a milestone that encourages us to do better, measure new progress, and give back to the local area a more responsible model of hospitality. These initiatives complement our existing photovoltaic systems, water reservoirs designed for sustainable water management, and our electric company vehicle fleet — tangible actions that have long reflected our commitment to protecting the landscape and preserving it.
At Palazzo di Varignana, we see Green Key as a compass: it shows us the direction and reminds us that sustainable hospitality is built one consistent action at a time — for the environment, for people, and for the future of our hills.
