To be labeled with Green Key, it requires the company to live up to a number of strict environmental requirements. These are the Green Key's criteria.

Criteria have today been developed and adopted for the different types of companies within the tourism industry. These are hotels, conference venues and youth hostels.

The criteria are adopted internationally by the FEE and the international steering group after consultations in the individual countries. It is permitted in the individual countries to further tighten the criteria in relation to the international requirements. Denmark has done this by the steering group approving the strictest criteria among the Green Key countries.

The criteria have been developed based on 12 main areas, such as energy, water, sustainable food, etc. But from 2017, CSR was added as the 13th main area.

The criteria is divided into:

  • Mandatory criteria that has to be met
  • Points criteria where 40% of the points must be met