Sustainability is no longer a niche demand, it’s a decisive business advantage. According to Booking.com, 43% of travelers are willing to pay more for accommodations with sustainable certifications. Yet one of hospitality’s most common items, the plastic key card, remains a hidden environmental offender.
Each year, millions of plastic key cards end up in landfills, where they can take centuries to decompose, releasing microplastics and toxins into the environment. With nearly 90 countries now enforcing plastic bans and guests increasingly prioritizing eco-conscious brands, the hospitality sector is under pressure to eliminate single-use plastics.
In response, GCSTIMES has launched the hospitality industry’s first ISO 14068-certified low-carbon key card, transforming a simple access tool into a measurable sustainability achievement.
How the Low-Carbon Key Card Redefines Sustainability?
- Account: Carbon tracked from molecule to market, verified by authoritative third-party bodies like TÜV SÜD and SGS under ISO 14064 (carbon footprint accounting) and ISO 14068 (carbon neutrality certification).
- Reduce: Sustainable materials (FSC-certified wood, PLA, plant-based leather), optimized production, and green energy reduce emissions. Example: 1 wooden key card → reduces 49 g CO₂e
- Offset: Remaining emissions neutralized via traceable Verra VCS carbon credits.
Beyond a Card, A Sustainability Partnership
- Provides quantifiable Scope 3 data for ESG reporting
- Enhances guest loyalty and brand trust through craftsmanship and custom design
- Supported by five global operational centers ensuring local, low-carbon delivery
Already adopted by over 100,000 hotels across 141 countries and regions, our key cards are reshaping how hospitality brands approach sustainability.
Watch the 5-minute video to see how we make it happen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0b5coHlKc0
ABOUT GCSTIMES
Since 2011, GCSTlMES has pioneered sustainable development, evolving from smart card R&D to sustainable material innovation. Today, we stand as a global platform for sustainable solutions.
Sustainability is our foundation. Through technological innovation and creative solutions, GCSTlMES delivers diverse services and tangible products, positioning ourselves as both manufacturers and innovators.
GCSTlMES believes technology should empower human progress and cultural preservation. By integrating sustainability into technology, we aim to make it “warm” and purposeful. Our products serve as cultural ambassadors, promoting local heritage worldwide.
Brand Portfolio: GCS, AUROkeys, Xenyra, and Glint Spot, offering sustainable smart cards, creative (custom-shaped) key cards sustainable supplies, cultural gifts, and bespoke design and related services.
Currently, GCSTlMES has five operational centers in China, US, UAE, France, and Australia, along with 20 subsidiaries and offices worldwide. Its services extend to over 140 countries and regions supporting more than 100,000 international hospitality group in achieving low-carbon and sustainable development goals.
GCS Times
MKT Team
