Hotel in Rio showscases how luxury can be green too

By the end of this year, guests at the Fairmont Rio de Janeiro will unlock their rooms with a key card made from recycled wood. This aligns perfectly with the hotel’s recent accolade: it’s now part of the exclusive group of tourism properties awarded the Green Key certification, which recognizes social and environmental responsibility in the industry. From its culinary offerings to its daily operations, the Fairmont Rio is setting a great example. “We focus on six pillars to drive our sustainability programs: guests, staff, partners, communities, buildings, and food — without compromising the experience,” says General Manager Netto Moreira.

Since its opening in 2019, the Fairmont Rio has stayed committed to reducing environmental impacts. Despite being one of the newer Accor properties—now celebrating 5 years — the hotel’s forward-thinking approach has inspired change across the industry. “I strive to be unique in innovation for my guests, but I also love inspiring sustainable practices,” Netto says. The Fairmont Rio is the only hotel participating in the “Comida Invisível” program, which directs surplus food like fruits, bread, and grains to local communities under the guidance of a nutritionist — cutting food waste by 66%.

And there’s much more to come. As the first luxury hotel brand to adopt nvironmental management over 30 years ago, Fairmont has set the ambitious goal of achieving net-zero carbono emissions by 2050. “We’ve been able to achieve these great results because our entire team is engaged,” Netto praises, emphasizing the importance of supporting local producers and boosting the state’s economy. The impact stretches beyond the hotel industry — when guests see that sustainability doesn’t mean sacrificing luxury, they take that mindset with them. And the environment thanks us all.