The Nordic Council Nature and Environment Prize 2011 rewards sustainable tourism. The prize, worth DKK 350,000, went to Scandic Hotels, which have been a pioneer in sustainable tourism for almost twenty years.

It was an employee at Scandic who first had the idea of suggesting to guests that they could save on washing towels, and Scandic was also one of the first to use soap dispensers instead of lots of small, expensive plastic bottles. Small steps that have had a great effect and started a trend in hotels worldwide.

Video: Interview with Anders Ehrling, President and CEO of Scandic.

The Director of Scandic Norway, Svein-Arild Steen-Mevold, praised Scandic's employees in his acceptance speech also and struck a blow for other companies taking inspiration from the hotel chain's environmental policy.

"Systematic environmental work takes time and requires patience. If it is to succeed everyone must pull their weight, environmental work must involve all the staff and all aspects of the company", he said at the award ceremony.

"Our staff have contributed with commitment, suggestions and in particular determination. With their help, our work has left it's mark, not just in financial results, but also because we have been copied and have created industry standard the world over.

Since the hotel chain decided to become more environmentally concious in 1993, it has trained over 11,000 employees in environmental issues and built 19,000 rooms of sustainable materials. Altogether, 114 of the chain's 147 hotels in the Nordic Region have been awarded the Nordic Council of Ministers' ecolabel - one of the world's strictest environmental labels.

(video clip – Scandic concern)

Since 1994 water consumption at Scandic has been reduced by 17%, energy consumption by 22% and CO2 emissions by 38%.
The coffee you drink at Scandic is organic and fair trade, and the water does not come from plastic bottles. The latter alone saves 160 tons of CO2 in transport every year, according to Scandic's own environmental report.

At a press conference in conjunction with the award ceremony, Scandic's Danish Director emphasised responsibility for the future.

"We want to pass a better world on to our children and we do this in our daily work by making small and large efforts which contribute to a more sustainable world. We believe in the future and act today, and want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

More about Scandic's environmental work:

www.scandichotels.com/betterworld

http://www.scandichotels.com/settings/Side-foot/About-us-Container/Responsible-living/

About the Environment Prize

The Nordic Council Nature and Environment Prize is based on Nordic values of sustainability and respect for nature.

The prize is awarded to an enterprise, organisation or individual, which has integrated consideration for nature and the environment into its business or work, or which, in some other way, has made an extraordinary effort for nature and the environment.

The Nature and Environment Prize, like the prizes for literature, music and film, is worth DKK 350,000 (approx. euro 50,000) and is awarded at a special ceremony with the other prizes at the Nordic Council's annual Session, on 2 November 2011.

Michael Funch
Phone +45 33960332
Email mifu@norden.org

kristine.schaug@scandic.com

anette.larsen@scandic.com