Celtic Collection Achieves Dragon Environmental Standard Across Hotels and ICC Wales
Celtic Collection Achieves Dragon Environmental Standard Across Hotels and ICC Wales
The Celtic Collection has strengthened its commitment to sustainability by achieving the prestigious Green Dragon Environmental Standard at Level 4 across seven of its hotels and the International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales) — a first in the Welsh hospitality sector.
The achievement marks a significant step up from Level 3, which was previously held by the flagship Celtic Manor Resort since 2005. In 2024, both the Resort and ICC Wales were uplifted to Level 4, with the rest of the Collection’s properties reaching the same standard in 2025. These include Coldra Court Hotel, The Parkgate Hotel, Newbridge on Usk, and the Tŷ Hotels at Magor, Newport, and Milford Waterfront.
This places The Celtic Collection among a select group — only 19 organisations in Wales hold a Level 4 or higher accreditation under the Green Dragon scheme, which is managed by Groundwork Wales and certified by UKAS.
Katy Stevenson, CEO of Groundwork Wales, praised the Collection’s achievement:
“We are delighted to have worked with the Celtic Collection and ICC Wales for a number of years, accrediting their venues through the Green Dragon Environmental Standard and now uplifting to Level 4. This demonstrates consistent improvement and progress across a large and complex business.”
Key to the accreditation has been the Celtic Collection’s long-standing investment in environmental training and its embedded environmental management systems. More than 1,300 staff members have undergone sustainability training, with active working groups across every property and department.
Fitzroy Hutchinson, Energy and Environment Manager at The Celtic Collection, said:
“With a track record of over 30 years of sustainable business practice, we are committed to making sustainability part of our everyday. Our investments and team engagement have been instrumental in reaching the Level 4 standard.”
The group’s sustainability efforts include sourcing 100% of electricity from REGO-backed renewable sources, achieving zero landfill waste, and converting food waste into energy and waste oil into biodiesel.
In 2024, the Collection opened Tŷ Hotel Newport — the first all-electric large hotel in Wales — using energy-efficient equipment that cuts consumption by around 40% compared to traditional gas systems.
Further initiatives at the Celtic Manor Resort include the planting of 5,000 trees, the installation of 120 bird boxes, and the introduction of four bee hives housing 150,000 honeybees to support biodiversity.
Meanwhile, ICC Wales continues to lead with sustainable operations such as eliminating single-use plastics, sourcing local produce, and maintaining Green Meetings Certified status. As a member of industry body isla, ICC Wales offsets 465 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually and uses a smart power Building Management System to manage its energy usage efficiently.
With this latest milestone, The Celtic Collection reinforces its role as a sustainability leader in the UK hospitality and events industry.
