Heather McCrory appointed Chair of Green Key Global Board

Green Key Global – the only sustainability certification designed specifically for hotels – today announced its first-ever board members and the appointment of Heather McCrory, a hospitality professional with 40 years of industry experience, as chair.

McCrory most recently served as CEO of Accor’s North American and Central American operations and currently advises the hospitality industry as Managing Director of Heather J. McCrory & Associates.

She joins other top hospitality industry experts who will lead Green Key Global, the world’s leading provider of sustainability certifications for hotels, operated jointly by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC).

In addition to McCrory, the following individuals serve on the board of Green Key Global:

• Marianne BalfeVice President of Sustainability, Highgate
• Claude-Paul BoivinInterim President and CEO, Hotel Association of Canada
• Kevin CareyInterim President and CEO, AHLA
• Susie GrynolMarket Vice President, Eastern Canada, Marriott Hotels
• Brian LeonCEO, Choice Hotels Canada
• Emilio WinerySenior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Ecolab

AHLA and HAC began jointly operating Green Key Global in April. Since then, some of America’s leading hotel companies have signed up for the service, which provides third-party certification of hotels’ environmental sustainability policies and processes. As of May, Green Key Global is on track to see significant year-over-year membership growth.

New program participants for 2024 include Marriott International, Choice Hotels and Four Seasons, joining existing major hotel companies such as Accor, Best Western, Crescent Hotels & Resorts, Highgate, Hyatt, IHG Hotels & Resorts and others.

“I am delighted to lead the first board of Green Key Global and work with some of the most successful sustainability leaders in the hospitality industry,” said McCrory“Together, we will continue to expand the world’s only sustainability certification designed specifically for hotels across North America.”

“Green Key Global offers a trusted certification that assures guests and partners of their commitment to sustainability. With Heather’s decades of industry expertise and the Board’s collective experience, we will be able to further develop the program and support the industry. We are excited and welcome Heather and the entire Board to the Green Key Global family,” said Anick Levesque, Managing Director, Green Key Global.

“We are delighted to welcome Heather and this distinguished group of leaders to the Green Key Global Board of Directors,” said AHLA Interim President and CEO Kevin Carey“Their experience and advice will be critical as we expand Green Key Global’s important third-party sustainability validation to hotels in the U.S. and Canada.”

“We are delighted to announce the launch of Green Key Global’s first Board of Directors, an important milestone in our journey towards a more sustainable hotel industry. This Board will further advance Green Key Global’s mission to provide hotels with trusted certifications, achieve their sustainable development goals and meet the growing demand for responsible travel options,” said Claude Paul Boivin, Interim President and CEO, Hotel Association of Canada.