Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, GSTC-Certified by UCSL,
Took the Stage at the GSTC Masterclass, WTM London 2025
Took the Stage at the GSTC Masterclass, WTM London 2025
At WTM London 2025, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) hosted its masterclass “Cutting Through the Noise: Your Step-by-Step to Credible Sustainability Success” on November 5th. The session gathered professionals seeking clarity on how standards, assurance frameworks, and credible certification pathways can turn sustainability commitments into measurable impact.
For UCSL, the session held special significance. Among the contributors was Hemal Jain, General Manager of Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London, who shared valuable experience of the process, challenges, and benefits of achieving sustainability certification. Seeing our GSTC-certified partner share their journey on such a global stage was both a privilege and a testament to the commitment of the teams working tirelessly behind the scenes to elevate industry standards.
Led by Dr. Mihee Kang, GSTC Chief Assurance Officer, and Michelle Janke, GSTC Trainer, the masterclass reinforced that credible sustainability is not a marketing exercise. It is a traceable, evidence-based process supported by standards, independent assessments, and ongoing improvement. The session highlighted:
“The GSTC Standards serve as a compass that guides us toward a more balanced and responsible form of tourism, while GSTC Certification provides the assurance that the industry is truly walking that path. Together, they cultivate a shared understanding that sustainability is not a fixed goal, but an evolving practice rooted in awareness, integrity, and collective purpose,” said Dr. Mihee Kang.
For UCSL, the session held special significance. Among the contributors was Hemal Jain, General Manager of Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London, who shared valuable experience of the process, challenges, and benefits of achieving sustainability certification. Seeing our GSTC-certified partner share their journey on such a global stage was both a privilege and a testament to the commitment of the teams working tirelessly behind the scenes to elevate industry standards.
Led by Dr. Mihee Kang, GSTC Chief Assurance Officer, and Michelle Janke, GSTC Trainer, the masterclass reinforced that credible sustainability is not a marketing exercise. It is a traceable, evidence-based process supported by standards, independent assessments, and ongoing improvement. The session highlighted:
- the GSTC Standards portfolio, which now covers hotels, tour operators, destinations, MICE, attractions, and F&B providers;
- the ISO-aligned assurance frameworks that help the tourism industry identify credible and rigorous certification programs;
- and insights from changemakers like Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, which illustrated how GSTC Certification creates organisation-wide alignment and strengthens the way hotels approach responsibility, culture, and environmental stewardship.
“The GSTC Standards serve as a compass that guides us toward a more balanced and responsible form of tourism, while GSTC Certification provides the assurance that the industry is truly walking that path. Together, they cultivate a shared understanding that sustainability is not a fixed goal, but an evolving practice rooted in awareness, integrity, and collective purpose,” said Dr. Mihee Kang.
Photo credit: The Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC)
The conversation at WTM London was a reminder that leadership does not come from statements – it comes from credible action. Mandarin Oriental exemplifies this and continues to lead by example in sustainable luxury. With a growing number of hotels now adopting the GSTC Certification pathway, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group demonstrates a clear and intentional move toward aligning operations with internationally acknowledged sustainability standard.
The experience shared by Mandarin Oriental Mayfair at WTM London underscored an essential point: sustainability is most effective when it is a core organisational principle, not an isolated initiative. As more hotels follow the path taken by Mandarin Oriental Mayfair and other GSTC-certified properties, the industry moves closer to a global culture of responsibility grounded in evidence. When tourism businesses adopt verifiable standards, when certification bodies uphold impartiality and rigour, and when organisations share their experiences openly, the entire sector benefits.
As a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body, UCSL works with hotels and tour operators around the world to ensure that sustainability performance is evaluated through a rigorous, impartial, globally standardised, and locally relevant lens. As we look ahead, UCSL remains committed to supporting organisations that choose to lead with integrity and transparency, and to advancing global standards that elevate sustainability from a concept to a measurable reality.
The experience shared by Mandarin Oriental Mayfair at WTM London underscored an essential point: sustainability is most effective when it is a core organisational principle, not an isolated initiative. As more hotels follow the path taken by Mandarin Oriental Mayfair and other GSTC-certified properties, the industry moves closer to a global culture of responsibility grounded in evidence. When tourism businesses adopt verifiable standards, when certification bodies uphold impartiality and rigour, and when organisations share their experiences openly, the entire sector benefits.
As a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body, UCSL works with hotels and tour operators around the world to ensure that sustainability performance is evaluated through a rigorous, impartial, globally standardised, and locally relevant lens. As we look ahead, UCSL remains committed to supporting organisations that choose to lead with integrity and transparency, and to advancing global standards that elevate sustainability from a concept to a measurable reality.
November 14, 2025