SUSTAINABILITY
Responsibility in HimmerLand
HimmerLand is situated in a beautiful location, and so taking care of the resources that surround us is important to maintain that. In addition to a sharp environmental perspective, HimmerLand creates decent jobs where a healthy working environment and the development of individual professional skills are in focus.
Sustainable Development Goals
HimmerLand has three sustainable development goals that are being worked on. These support the sustainable direction in HimmerLand and embrace both, social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
They ensure that we have directed our awareness in the areas where we can make a significant effort, both in the daily work and in the larger initiatives. In doing so, we take part in the social responsibility we have to contribute to a more sustainable world.
The three selected world goals that HimmerLand will have a special focus on are:
7. Sustainable energy
In HimmerLand, there is a special focus on efficient use of water and energy, where efforts are made to use saving systems, such as LED lighting, CTS demand-controlled heat, and energy, as well as recycling of wastewater. More green energy sources are used in the form of solar cells and heat pumps.
8. Decent work and economic growth
In HimmerLand, efforts are made to create economic growth without compromising on the consumption of resources and responsibility for the environment. This sustainable growth will be ensured, inter alia, by: Through DGNB-certified buildings based on the UN definition of sustainability. In addition, there is a focus on creating decent jobs, with a focus on an inclusive working environment. It is a priority to develop the employees’ professional skills, by, among other things, retraining the staff, as well as taking care of the young people, by offering apprenticeships in several departments.
12. Responsible consumption and production
In everyday life, HimmerLand works with responsible consumption and production, where there is a focus on sustainable and sensible operation. We are striving for a circular approach to ensure better management of resources through recycling and waste prevention. Responsible consumption and production in HimmerLand includes water-reducing and energy-saving measures, source separation of waste, reduction of disposable items, and focus on minimizing food waste.
Code of Care – Social Responsibility
In HimmerLand, it is important to use human resources in the best possible way, while taking social responsibility for people who have mental, physical, or social challenges.
HimmerLand has therefore actively chosen to be an ambassador for Vesthimmerland Municipality in collaboration with Code of Care, with a focus on taking social responsibility by creating small jobs for citizens on the edge of the labor market. This gives people with other resources the opportunity to contribute to becoming part of the community.
In practice, this has led to more employment in HimmerLand, through Code of Care, in several of our departments, as well as long-term internships for employment.
Certifications in HimmerLand
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is the official Nordic environmental label and one of the world’s strictest environmental certifications. Swan-labeled hotels must meet ambitious environmental requirements by taking a holistic approach to environmental practices related to energy, water, food, waste, biodiversity, chemicals, and procurement. HimmerLand has worked systematically and actively to reduce its resource consumption and optimize its operations. We are very proud that our conference center, hotel, and three restaurants now meet the requirements of The Nordic Swan Ecolabel. Achieving The Nordic Swan Ecolabel means, among other things, that we actively work on food waste prevention, water and energy reduction measures, waste sorting, and the use of environmentally certified cleaning products. In HimmerLand, we take responsibility by implementing sustainable measures to minimize the overall environmental impact.
Green Key
At HimmerLand, we can be proud to work seriously with sustainability, and this effort was recognized in 2021 with HORESTA’s Green Key ecolabel. This means that we live up to a number of specific environmental requirements, which ensures that we make an extra effort to take care of the environment and work sustainably. Green Key is today tourism’s most widespread eco-label, with a focus on not compromising on customers’ good experience and quality. Green Key has a broad focus on sustainability, which has both a sharp environmental perspective in relation to the efficient use of natural resources and responsible production. This includes the main focus areas, sustainable energy, and water, waste as a resource, sustainable food, and a good working environment.
The Organic Food Label – Bronze
The Organic Food Label is a state-controlled labeling scheme for restaurants, which shows how much of the food and drink purchased at the eatery is organic. The Organic Food Label is available in three versions; gold, silver, and bronze. In HimmerLand, we have the organic food label in Bronze, which means that 30-60% of all purchased food and drink is organic. This ensures that we at HimmerLand take responsibility for a wide range of considerations within the environment, animal welfare, and biodiversity.
DAKA Refood
Through our agreement with DAKA ReFood, HimmerLand ReFOOD is certified. The FOOD label is a scheme for companies and organizations in the food and service sector that make an effort against food waste and recycling. As a member of the scheme, we in HimmerLand ensure that we work with a minimum of three food waste reduction initiatives and that we have a scheme for recycling food waste. This collects all our food waste and frying oil, which is recycled into green energy, nutrient-rich fertilizer, and biodiesel, with the aim of a more circular economy. The REFOOD label is a trust-based certification, which is based on a common vision of a sustainable food and service sector, characterized by less waste of resources and more recycling.