Proven quality: The certifications behind our youth hostels

Everyone in Luxembourg knows the SuperDrecksKëscht. Developed as part of the national circular economy strategy, it has been dedicated to the environmentally friendly prevention, sorting, disposal and recycling of waste for over 40 years. The SuperDrecksKëscht business programme is the cornerstone of effective environmental management in the workplace and has become an integral part of our youth hostels and head office.

The Luxembourg Ecolabel is an environmental accreditation awarded to tourist accommodation in Luxembourg since 1999. IMS Luxembourg is responsible for coordinating the scheme and providing support to businesses. Its most significant unique selling point is the way it takes local circumstances and opportunities into account. This makes it the only environmental label that can provide targeted advice and support to tourism businesses at a national level.

The EureWelcome certification aims to highlight and support businesses and public spaces that are accessible to all. As a youth hostel association, we prioritise creating safe, accessible and welcoming meeting places for all. We don’t just see ‘Design for All’ as a way of promoting inclusion; we see it as a fundamental requirement for designing our hostels and the services we offer. This means that our youth hostels are places where children, young people, families, adults and older people can all come together. Our website has also been designed to be accessible. Due to architectural constraints, only five of our eight youth hostels are currently certified as accessible. So there is still plenty to do!

We are committed to making our country a place that can be explored in a sustainable and active way, and as car-free as possible. Our partnership with the bed+bike label is therefore a key part of this, as it caters for anyone who would like to discover Luxembourg by bike. By providing cycle-friendly facilities and suitable conditions in and around our youth hostels, we encourage our guests to explore the countryside, towns and cultural attractions by bike.

One of the unique opportunities that our small country offers is the exceptional proximity to regional producers and the short transport distances this provides. Through our collaboration with ‘Sou schmaacht Lëtzebuerg’, we aim to make the most of this proximity. To us, this means more than just short transport routes and a more sustainable food supply; it’s also about showing appreciation: for the people who produce our food, for the diversity and quality of local produce, and for our country’s culinary specialities.

We believe that hospitality should extend beyond our front door, and that creating a fairer world starts with the choices we make every day. Fairtrade’s three pillars — social, economic and environmental — closely align with our values and reflect the kind of world we want to help build: respecting the people who grow our food, supporting fairer livelihoods and encouraging more sustainable ways of working with our planet. Although our fruitful partnership with Fairtrade Luxembourg reaches far beyond a single product, we want to highlight our ongoing commitment to ONLY offer Fairtrade bananas to our guests. As the opening line of the famous 1950s song goes: “Only you can make this World seem right”

Both the Mullerthal – Little Switzerland region and the Éislek region (the Luxembourg Ardennes) offer accommodation providers the opportunity to become official partners of the region. The main focus here is on making the accommodation hiker-friendly. As well as providing maps and hiking tips, establishments offer guests a well-deserved hot shower, a hearty breakfast and packed lunches. However, hikers are very welcome in our establishments in all other regions, whether or not they are certified.

‘Mir bilden aus’ is a campaign and label run by the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce. It is awarded to companies that provide training to help people progress in their careers. We champion diversity and equal opportunities, regardless of gender, background or previous career path: people from almost 50 countries come together here, and perhaps you will too, to begin your professional journey.