Green Policies, Regulations & Standards

Four Seasons’ supplier framework operates as a luxury hospitality governance system combining Four Seasons for Good, the Supplier Code of Conduct, ESG reporting, environmental commitments, and property-level sustainability practices. Corporate Sourcing and Procurement contracted suppliers must acknowledge the Supplier Code to participate in RFPs. The framework is strongest in human rights, environmental protection, animal welfare, responsible sourcing, local procurement, food waste reduction and luxury FF&E controls. Suppliers must provide traceability, ESG documentation, subcontractor oversight and operational data where relevant. Procurement access is the primary enforcement mechanism.

RIU Hotels & Resorts’ supplier framework operates as a hospitality-sector private governance system combining Proudly Committed, the Sustainability Policy, Procurement and Supplier Policy, Achilles ESG supplier assessment, and ECOSTARS hotel certification. The framework uses procurement access, ESG scoring, and hotel-level environmental certification to regulate suppliers across food, local sourcing, plastics, energy, water, waste, construction, laundry, and logistics. RIU’s 2024 to 2026 strategy formalises sustainability in corporate decision-making, while its 2024 policies and Achilles agreement strengthen supplier oversight. Strategic suppliers must increasingly provide ESG data, traceability, emissions information, and operational sustainability evidence.

The NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap is NHS England’s procurement framework for reducing supply chain emissions across the healthcare sector. Introduced in 2021, it sets phased sustainability requirements for suppliers, including Carbon Reduction Plans, emissions reporting, and participation in sustainability assessments. The roadmap is intended to align NHS procurement with the NHS goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2045 for emissions influenced through purchased goods and services.

The RSB Global Advanced Products Certification is a voluntary sustainability certification developed by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) for non-energy products made from bio-based, recycled, or circular feedstocks. It enables companies to verify environmental and social sustainability claims across global supply chains for products such as plastics, chemicals, packaging, textiles, cosmetics, and paper products.

The RSB EU RED Fuel Certification is a sustainability and traceability certification scheme developed by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) to demonstrate compliance with the European Union Renewable Energy Directive (RED). It applies to renewable fuel supply chains operating within, or trading with, the EU market and covers biofuels, bioliquids, recycled carbon fuels, biomethane, and certain renewable fuels of non-biological origin. The certification combines EU regulatory compliance with broader environmental and social sustainability requirements.

The RSB CORSIA Certification is a sustainability certification developed by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) used under the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). The scheme verifies that SAF meets ICAO sustainability and lifecycle emissions requirements while also addressing broader environmental and social criteria such as land use, human rights, and traceability across the fuel supply chain.

Germany’s Biofuel Sustainability Regulation (Biokraftstoff-Nachhaltigkeitsverordnung, or Biokraft-NachV) establishes sustainability and greenhouse-gas reduction requirements for biofuels placed on the German market. The regulation implements the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED II and evolving RED III requirements) into German law and requires certified proof that biofuels meet environmental, traceability, and emissions criteria across the supply chain.

REDcert-EU is a voluntary sustainability certification scheme for biomass, biofuels, bioliquids, renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs), and recycled carbon fuels (RCFs). Developed in Germany and recognized by the European Commission, the scheme is designed to demonstrate compliance with the sustainability and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction requirements of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED II/RED III). REDcert-EU supports traceability, mass balancing, and lifecycle emissions accounting across the biofuel and renewable fuels value chain, helping companies access European fuel markets and related subsidy mechanisms.

The EU Floods Directive establishes a common European framework for assessing and managing flood risks in order to reduce adverse impacts on human health, the environment, cultural heritage, and economic activity. Adopted in 2007, the directive requires EU Member States to assess flood risks, prepare hazard maps, and develop flood risk management plans on a recurring six-year cycle.

The EU Code of Conduct for Energy Efficiency in Data Centres is a voluntary European Commission initiative designed to improve the energy efficiency of data centres through operational best practices, monitoring, and reporting. Managed by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the framework provides guidance for operators, vendors, and service providers seeking to reduce energy consumption and associated emissions.