Cape Town Marriott Hotel Achieves WESSA Green Key Certification

The Cape Town Marriott Hotel Crystal Towers has officially achieved its first Green Key certification, joining a global network of over 8000 hotels across more than 90 countries, recognised for their commitment to environmental stewardship, community empowerment, and responsible tourism.

WESSA (The Wildlife & Environment Society of South Africa), the national operator of the Green Key programme in South Africa, commended the hotel’s achievement as a model for responsible hospitality in the Western Cape.

“Cape Town Marriott Hotel Crystal Towers has demonstrated that sustainability and service excellence can go hand in hand,” says Cindy-Lee Cloete, CEO of WESSA. “Their certification reflects an integrated approach, one that connects operational efficiency with social upliftment and environmental care.”

Under the leadership of General Manager Conrad Jonck and Environmental Manager Retshidisitswe Notisi, this certification affirms the hotel’s ongoing investment in sustainability, from water and energy management to community partnerships and staff engagement.

“This certification reflects our team’s deep commitment to creating a more sustainable future for people and the planet,” says Conrad Jonck, General Manager at the Cape Town Marriott Hotel Crystal Towers. “From innovative waste management and water monitoring systems to partnerships that uplift local communities, sustainability has become part of our hotel’s DNA.”

A holistic approach to sustainability

Located in a water-sensitive region, the hotel continues to build on lessons learned from Cape Town’s “Day Zero” drought by maintaining robust water-saving initiatives and monitoring usage through the internal MESH platform. 

The system enables real-time tracking and early intervention, ensuring responsible water use without compromising guest experience. Energy efficiency is also a key priority.

By integrating MESH with the Building Management System (BMS), the engineering team tracks energy trends, identifies irregularities, and reduces consumption. Preventative maintenance, such as weekly grease filter cleaning and bi-monthly ventilation servicing, ensures long-term operational efficiency and air quality improvement.

Waste reduction and eco-innovation

The hotel has reduced waste to landfill by 80% through a comprehensive recycling system and by upcycling 95% of kitchen food waste into animal feed. Creative waste reduction initiatives, such as transforming potato peels into guest snacks, showcase how sustainability can inspire innovation in hospitality.

A standout initiative includes the adoption of Superthene, a recyclable, photodegradable alternative to traditional cling wrap. This move significantly cuts down single-use plastics and demonstrates the hotel’s forward-thinking approach to sustainable operations.

Enabling people and communities

Sustainability at Crystal Towers extends beyond operations to social impact. Partnerships with organisations such as Khayelitsha Cookies and The Amy Foundation provide local employment, education, and empowerment opportunities, strengthening the hotel’s connection with surrounding communities.

Regular townhall meetings and the use of the DLZ learning platform ensure that sustainability is embedded into the workplace culture. Staff are encouraged to co-create solutions, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability across departments.

Kelly Alcock, WESSA’s Head of Education and Sustainability, adds: “Through continuous training, community partnerships, and innovation, the team at Crystal Towers shows that every choice in hospitality can make a difference. Their leadership inspires others across the sector to follow suit.”