The Scandic company provides an excellent example of how a company can be a major chain and really push the boundaries in terms of reducing their environmental impact. The key strengths of the Scandic's environmental commitment is that instead of seeing their sustainability programme as an “add-on”, they have put their sustainability programme at the heart of their business.  Ambitiously Scandic have taken the bold step of committing to cut their fossil-based CO2 Carbon Emissions, to zero by 2025.  

Environmental Awards

Each Scandic hotel either already has an environmental award or with the exception of newly opened hotels, is in the process of applying for one.  The deciding factor on the type environmental award, is geography, for hotels in Scandinavia it is the Nordic Swan Label, and for hotels outside Scandinavia the each hotel becomes part of the Eco Flower Award Scheme.

The Nordic Swan

Nordic Swan Label is an environmental award used in Scandinavian and Nordic countries.  The criteria for an award is under constant review so the award keeps pace with scientific developments in environmental protection.  Any new provisions are applied retroactively to existing award holders, ensuring their ongoing compliance with all elements of the scheme.  

The EU Eco Flower

The EU Eco Flower is an environmental award program developed and overseen by the European Union.  The European Union has undertaken studies to assess the environmental impact of accommodation providers and uses independent bodies to assess their environmental credentials.   

Both awards assess each hotels commitment to:

-Minimising energy consumption

-Sourcing wherever possible renewable energy

-Sorting of waste 

-Use of ecological cleaning agents 

-Adaptation of transport usage to lessen environmental impact

-Environmental considerations are included within business agreements with suppliers

Staff Involvement and Development

Scandic have trained their 11,000 strong work force to act in the best interests of the environment.  The company also values their staff's local environmental knowledge and as a result Scandic appoint a member of staff who is responsible for the environmental management of the hotel.  The staff member oversees the hotels environmental plan ensuring that it is adhered to by staff and also integrate environmental ideas and initiatives from members of staff, so they can be added to the hotel’s environmental plan. 

Water  

Since 1996 water usage has been measured on a monthly basis, the daily average water consumption has been reduced from 240 litres per day by using water efficient washing machines, low flush toilets, wash basins fitted with sensors, water conserving shower-heads to 209 litres per day, which is below the required standard of the Nordic Swan Eco Label.  

Scandic has taken the lead on their outlook towards water (Internal link), as a result in 2005 they set up the Stockholm Water Prize. The prize is awarded every year and recognises individuals or organisations who have made a exceptional contribution to the field of water conservation or water safety.  

Construction

When building new hotels as well as maintaining current hotels, Scandic work with their suppliers, builders and architects to chose the most sustainable options for each hotel.   

Their detailed construction policy includes the following elements: 

•The prioritisation of environmentally certified materials.

•All products and materials used, must be documented.

•All materials must be energy efficient and sustainable with regard to recycling, lifetime manufacture and transportation.

•No materials are used which contain agents on Swedish Chemicals Agency's restricted list or which are included on the Scandic warning list.  

•No potentially dangerous or environmentally hazardous substances or materials which cause allergies are used.  

•Every building site or existing hotel will maintain their own system for sorting all waste at the source.  

Food and Beverages

Scandic are careful to source produce that does not exploit the planet’s resources as a result they boycott jumbo prawns, and instead serve tasty crayfish instead.  They try to serve organic food wherever possible, as well as serving milk without lactose and gluten-free bread.   No genetically modified food is served in any Scandic hotel.  All Filter, cappuccino and espresso coffee served within Scandic hotels in Sweden is Fairtrade and within Denmark is coffee is UTZ certified.

Cleaning

Overall Everyday environmental Principles within Scandic Hotels

•All cleaning agents, are ecolabelled cleaning agents.

•All waste with the hotels is sorted into as many as 22 different categories.

•Room key to control the lighting is used to save energy.  

•The standard temperature within each hotel is at 21°C.  Guests can chose to alter the temperature by a few degrees up or down.

•In Sweden they have a company car policy which means in all cars purchased are "environmental cars".

•Scandic make demands of their suppliers in terms of environmental commitments and gives preference to suppliers with either environmental certification or a clear environmental policy.