If you’re one of the 90% of consumers who look for sustainable options when traveling, Carmel Valley Ranch has probably been on your radar for a while—because we have long believed that our responsibilities extend not only to our guests, but to the environment around us.
That’s why we are so proud to announce that The Ranch has earned Green Key Global certification, a testament to our longstanding commitment to sustainability. This achievement reflects our compliance with the latest Global Sustainable Tourism Council standards, along with United Nations sustainable development goals.
A comprehensive process
Earning this designation is not a simple task—nor should it be! In addition to creating an overarching Environmental Policy for the resort, we underwent a six-month process that began with an assessment of all resort departments. This assessment featured over 200 questions evaluating our efforts in a variety of areas:
- Energy conservation
- Water conservation
- Solid waste management
- Hazardous waste management
- Indoor air quality
- Community outreach
- Building infrastructure
- Land use
- Environmental management
- Environmental social governance
- Corporate social responsibility
Following the assessment, we hosted a four-hour virtual tour of the resort so evaluators could confirm our answers with their own eyes—which we welcomed, of course. In fact, while our initial score after the assessment was 3/5 keys, after the tour it was increased to 4/5 keys!
Credibility—and accountability
As the mindful stewards of a 500-acre natural playground, we consider this achievement a validation of our efforts—but we’re not about to rest on our laurels, because this honor adds accountability on top of the recognition. Green Key Global requires re-certification every three years, so we know we need to stick to our #RanchResponsibly principles and work even harder. We’re up for that challenge.