A Living Sustainability System for Hotel
Across the world, hospitality is moving away from pledges to proof. The Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) Sustainability Stamp is part of that evolution, but it’s more than a certificate. It’s a living sustainability and environmental management system that helps hotels in Dubai measure, improve, and embed responsible practices into every part of their operation.
The DET Sustainability Stamp breaks sustainability into 27 focused areas, from energy and water efficiency to food waste, biodiversity, and community engagement. Each area has clear evidence requirements, update frequencies, and departmental ownership. It means sustainability isn’t handled by one ‘green champion’; it’s shared across engineering, housekeeping, HR, food and beverage, and finance. Every month, quarter, and year, teams contribute to a single, organised system that maps performance and accountability. It’s not a campaign. It’s an operating plan.
What makes the DET model distinctive is that it’s designed for continuous improvement. Hotels aren’t expected to be perfect; they’re expected to progress. Properties are recognised through three achievement levels Bronze, Silver, and Gold based on the strength of their evidence and measurable impact. Each level reflects not just compliance, but maturity: how well sustainability is integrated into daily decisions, procurement, and guest experience. The system becomes a journey rather than a finish line a living plan that evolves as the hotel does.
Implementing the DET framework brings practical benefits. Regular data collection identifies energy and water inefficiencies early, helping to reduce costs and improve long-term returns. Each department knows what’s expected, which evidence to maintain, and when to update it, creating structure and transparency. Quarterly training, committee reviews, and progress updates make sustainability part of the culture rather than a seasonal exercise. Guests can see when sustainability is genuine and consistent, and that builds trust. It also supports future readiness. As global travel, investment, and ESG standards evolve, the DET system gives hotels verifiable proof of responsibility and resilience.
Many destinations have well-developed sustainability programmes. What’s valuable about Dubai’s DET model is that it complements those efforts by bringing structure and accountability at a citywide scale. It aligns with global frameworks such as the GSTC and UNWTO pathways, while tailoring them to local operations and data requirements. It shows that sustainability isn’t a marketing project; it’s a culture and a living management system.
The most successful hotels don’t treat the DET Sustainability Stamp as a checklist. They treat it as a way of doing business one that connects people, purpose, and performance to culture. The Stamp is less about achieving a level and more about building a mindset: that every report, every log, and every small operational choice can move a hotel closer to both profitability and positive environmental impact.
As a Fellow of ISEP and an frequent speaker and guest lecturer, I’m always looking to share real inspring examples of hotels putting sustainability into practice. If your team has a story or approach that’s making a difference whether through the DET framework or otherwise I’d love to hear it, and share it in future sessions or talks to inspire others across our industry.
Equally if you want to build a culture of sustainabilty and need help please reach out to me.
Sustainability works best when it becomes part of a hotel’s culture lived, measured, and shared every day.
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