Just 14 months after beginning its certification journey, every Red Carnation hotel has achieved EarthCheck Silver Certification, marking an important milestone in our commitment to responsible hospitality.Spanning the UK, Ireland, Europe and South Africa, all of our hotels have progressed from Bronze Certification in 2025 to Silver following independent third-party audits against the EarthCheck Certified Standard.The assessment measures performance across ten key areas, including energy and water consumption, carbon emissions, waste management and community impact. Dedicated data managers and coordinators at each hotel led the process locally, monitoring performance and identifying opportunities to make meaningful improvements.Stewart Moore, CEO and Founder of EarthCheck, said:“For every Red Carnation hotel to achieve EarthCheck Silver Certification within 14 months is a significant achievement. What stands out is that this commitment has been embedded across the entire portfolio, rather than concentrated in a handful of flagship properties.“That takes leadership, investment and, importantly, people on the ground who are prepared to measure performance and manage it every day. Results like this don’t happen by chance. Red Carnation put the time and resources in at every property, from London to Cape Town, and that shows.”Measurable progress across our collectionThe Chesterfield Mayfair, the hotel where the Red Carnation story began in 1984, became the first property in the collection to achieve EarthCheck Silver Certification earlier this year.The certification process has demonstrated the value of consistent measurement and benchmarking. Within one year of progressing from Bronze to Silver, several hotels recorded significant improvements across key environmental measures.At The Oyster Box in South Africa, water consumption was reduced by 58%, while emissions intensity fell by almost the same amount, representing the largest reductions across the collection. The Lodge at Ashford Castle reduced its water consumption by 48%, while neighbouring London hotels The Rubens at the Palace and Hotel 41 achieved the lowest emissions intensity in the portfolio at 3.29 kg per guest night.Eight properties also recorded zero landfill waste intensity, reflecting the collective impact of more considered waste management practices across the portfolio.These achievements sit alongside trusted local supplier partnerships, flourishing kitchen gardens, community-led programmes and biodiversity projects. Enhanced reporting and AI-powered food waste technology are also helping our teams understand where further progress can be made.Sustainability shaped by each destinationResponsible hospitality takes a different form at every Red Carnation hotel, shaped by its setting and the communities that surround it.At Ashford Castle, our collection of Exceptional Irish Experiences celebrates the country’s cultural heritage while supporting local artists, artisans and food producers. Guests can meet traditional blacksmiths, furniture makers, wool spinners and ceramicists, or learn the skills behind Irish soda bread, butter making and ancient storytelling traditions.The estate’s garden project follows ‘no dig’ and biodynamic principles, with more than 70 beds dedicated to fruit, vegetables and edible flowers. The gardens are also home to beehives, a truffle grove and a recently planted orchard of 300 apple trees.Ashford Castle’s partnership with Hometree supports the restoration of native woodland, while the introduction of Winnow’s AI food waste technology helped the estate reduce food waste by 69% last year.At Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat in South Africa’s Cederberg Mountains, conservation is central to the guest experience. The 7,500-hectare private reserve protects more than 200 recorded animal species, 755 indigenous fynbos plant species and one of the world’s largest private herds of Cape Mountain zebra.Guests can learn about endangered sandfish breeding programmes, habitat restoration, organic gardening and work to protect the Clanwilliam cedar tree. Partnerships with the Cape Leopard Trust and Cheetah Outreach support the preservation of local wildlife, while more than 130 ancient rock art sites protect the region’s remarkable cultural heritage.Across the wider collection, our Impact Experiences give guests the opportunity to connect with local people, conservation projects and cultural traditions. These range from our partnership with The Clink Restaurant at HMP Brixton and wildlife experiences in London to youth empowerment initiatives in Cape Town.A collective achievementMichelle Devlin, Vice President of Sustainability at Red Carnation Hotels, said:“Achieving EarthCheck Silver Certification across our entire collection is an extraordinary achievement and one that belongs to our hotel teams around the world.“At Red Carnation, sustainability has never been a standalone initiative. It is woven into every aspect of what we do, from nurturing our kitchen gardens and beehives to supporting conservation and community projects, reducing waste and creating experiences that help guests connect more meaningfully with their destination. It is about ensuring that the positive impact we create extends far beyond a guest’s stay.“This success reflects the hard work, collaboration and dedication of our teams, and it marks an exciting step forward as we continue our journey with EarthCheck. Looking after our communities and the environments surrounding our hotels has never been more important. Our focus remains on creating meaningful, lasting change while maintaining a thoughtful and responsible approach to luxury hospitality.”EarthCheck Silver Certification represents an important step forward, but it is not the end of the journey. We will continue to measure our impact, learn from our progress and invest in the people, places and communities that make every Red Carnation hotel distinctive.For your next journey, choose a stay that cares for its surroundings. From landmark city hotels to coastal escapes, historic estates and wilderness retreats, each Red Carnation hotel offers generous hospitality rooted in its destination and shaped with the future in mind. View our collection.
