Acquired international certification "Green Glove"

2026/01/21

Grand Mercure Beppu Bay Resort & Spa has obtained Green Globe certification.

Green Grove is a certification program based on international standards developed for the travel and tourism industry that evaluates sustainable initiatives not only through environmental conservation but also through indicators that include social and cultural aspects.

Hiji-cho, Oita Prefecture, surrounded by the rich nature where the hotel is located, is a place where the beautiful environment that shows the seasonal expression and the culture and history rooted in the region have been nurtured.
In order to connect this precious natural environment and local communities to the future, Grand Mercure Beppu Bay Resort & Spa operates a variety of sustainability activities as the center of hotel management, providing guests with comfortable stays, and working daily to provide eco-friendly options for both the earth and the community.

Certification of Green Globe

The Green Grove was born in the wake of Agenda 21 at the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 to apply the principles of sustainable development to the tourism industry and is based in Los Angeles. He is also a supporting member of the U.N. World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and has certification programs in more than 80 countries around the world. Based on four themes: sustainable management (corporate environmental and social policies, employee education, supplier management, etc.), socio-economics (local job creation, fair working conditions, contribution to local communities, etc.), cultural heritage (protecting historical and cultural heritage, supporting local cultural activities, etc.), and the environment (energy and water consumption, waste management, biodiversity protection, etc.), we have established 44 standards and over 400 compliance indicators to evaluate comprehensive sustainability, including not only environmental conservation but also social and cultural aspects. In order to obtain certification, not only document screening but also on-site audits by an independent third-party organization are required, and once a year after acquisition, the certification is reviewed to see if the standards are met.

Grand Mercure Beppu Bay Resort & Spa achieved 86% of the above indicators on December 18, 2025 and obtained certification.