Shepherd's Inn owner hails benefits of Green Key

Becoming Green-Key certified has transformed hotel owner Colin Shepherd’s perspective on environmental stewardship.

Green Key is an international voluntary eco-label awarded to tourism accommodation and other hospitality facilities that commit to sustainable business practices.

It is jointly executed in Tobago by Green T&T and the Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd (TTAL). For TTAL, the Green Key programme is aligned with its Tobago Beyond Ordinary brand, and its “unspoilt, untouched, undiscovered” tagline.

On October 14, at the launch of the 2024 Blue Flag National Operations Meeting (NOM) at the conference room of Shepherd's Inn in Crown Point, Shepherd said he earned his Green Key certification in 2021, aligning with international standards of environmental sustainability in operations.

He said although at that time, the certification was initially pursued for profit, it ultimately became a catalyst for joining the movement to reduce the carbon footprint while maintaining high operational standards.

“Initially, that was all we wanted. We are going to get more visitors coming to Tobago, people are going to stay at Shepherd’s Inn – but there is more to that. We became really conscious, and it has really changed my mindset as an individual.”

The process of obtaining certification, learning, adopting and maintaining environmentally friendly operational standards, he said, has led him to improve continuously despite the high cost.

“Right now, we are in the process of upgrading our entire hotel. We are looking at solar systems right through. It’s very costly, extremely costly, but again, when you look down the road you realise the benefits that we’re going to get from that.”

For him though, it’s not just about the renewable energy.

“We are now so conscious of our environment. We are using our local wood; we are using our local farmers – it is important for you to incorporate the local aspect. The environmentally conscious clients, they are really buying into the product. People that come and stay with us...they feel what we’re doing.”

He added: "I will continue to pilot this initiative to bring a safer, cleaner, more green – reduce the level of carbon footprints. My team and I, we are going to pilot that initiative.”