Press information
March 2008

Green News from Copenhagen's Meeting Industry

The meeting industry in Copenhagen keeps extending their initiatives within green meetings, from green flights to organic breakfasts.

SAS to reduce carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020
SAS is aiming to become one of the world's greenest airline operators with ambitious new environmental goals. The airline aims to reduce carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020. This is equivalent to a halving of CO2 emissions per passenger kilometer, assuming an annual growth of four percent. And that is just the beginning of SAS's 'zero-vision' of no emissions of environmentally damaging greenhouse gases by 2050, as set by the airline industry organisation IATA.

SAS's new environmental strategy is one of the most ambitious in the airline industry. To reach these goals SAS must implement a number of long and short-term initiatives in four categories: technical development; infrastructure; operational measures; and economic governance. Specifically, this means alternative sources of fuel; next generation aircraft with improved aerodynamics and more efficient engines; green landings; and reduced fuel consumption in daily operations achieved through e.g. the use of green vehicles as company cars. www.flysas.com/media

Scandinavian Airlines first in Europe to commence trans-Atlantic green flights
On 8 December 2007 SAS Scandinavian Airlines concluded Europe's first commercial trans-Atlantic green approach trial, designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. SK904, an Airbus A330 flying from New York's Newark airport, arrived early in the morning at Stockholm Arlanda Airport, following a successful Continuous Descent Approach (CDA).

With this initiative SAS is the first airline in Europe to realise its commitment to the emissions and noise reduction program, Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE) - a joint initiative by the European Commission and the US Federal Aviation Administration. SAS is carrying out the CDA program with partners Stockholm-Arlanda airport, Airbus and the Swedish state-owned aviation service company, LFV.

A trans-Atlantic green approach using an Airbus A330 is estimated to save initially approximately 150 kilos of aircraft fuel and 470 kilos of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2). Scandinavian Airlines will continue to test green approaches on trans-Atlantic flights from Chicago and New York to Stockholm arriving on off-peak slots. At present, this means flights arriving from the US on weekends. In a future optimised Air Traffic Management system, and assuming SAS International would conduct CDAs on all its approaches, an estimated 492 tons of fuel and 1,550 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) could be saved per year.

SAS has already carried out over 2,000 A-CDAs (Advanced Continuous Descent Approaches) on flights in Sweden with a Boeing 737, with each landing saving approximately 150 kilos of fuel and 470 kilos of carbon dioxide (CO2). SAS is the only commercial airline in the world to have invested in this environmentally conscious program and to have tested it over a number of years. www.flysas.com/media

Scandic awarded "Best CSR Programme" at Hospitality Awards, Paris
The Nordic hotel chain, Scandic, was awarded "Best CSR Programme" at the international Hospitality Awards which took place in Paris on 22 November for the seventh year running. The jury wanted to award a corporate social responsibility-programme that focuses on the environment; sustainability; community development; and human efforts, and this is exactly what Scandic does.

Scandic's CSR-programme covers many areas: Scandic in Society, with more than 500 ongoing activities in localised communities as well as a number of activities throughout the entire chain, such as the 12 million cups of Fairtrade coffee sold a year; Nordic support for the fight against cancer through Cancerfonden in Sweden and Kræftens Bekæmpelse in Denmark; and supporting "Right to Play", an organisation helping create a better life for children in Norway. Other facets of Scandic's CSR-programme include Availability, which addresses issues affecting the and hotel stays; and Health, which aims to give both guests and employees the chance to live a healthier life. Further environmental work within the chain includes Swan-labelling and recycling, both initiated in 1994. www.scandic-hotels.com/betterworld

Scandic to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 100% by 2025
In October 2007 the Scandic hotel chain presented its new environmental target: zero fossil carbon dioxide emissions by 2025. An interim target is to halve emissions by 2011, compared with figures for 1996.

"It's a challenging but fully achievable target," explains Jan Peter Bergkvist, VP Sustainable Business at Scandic. "However, for us to succeed we also have to encourage our partners and other players, for example local district heating suppliers, to phase out energy sources based on fossil fuels and to become more climate-conscious."

Through a strategy of "saving and changing" Scandic cut its fossil carbon dioxide emissions by 30% between 1996 and 2006. The strategy is based on completely phasing out fossil carbon dioxide, instead, for example, of joining any carbon offsetting system. In practice, this has so far involved training all 5,700 team members, with significant energy savings coming from changes in behaviour and a shift to occupancy sensors for lighting; thermostat-controlled heating; use of renewable energy; eco-friendly company cars; water-efficient taps, showers and toilets; organic food; waste-sorting bins in 23,000 hotel rooms; switching to hydroelectric power in Sweden and Norway; and the removal of all disposable individual packs.www.scandic-hotels.com/betterworld

ICS aiming to become Denmark's Leading conference service within sustainable meetings
International Conference Services (ICS) holds an environmental certification and is a member of Green Globe, an international organisation working for sustainable tourism. Throughout 2007 ICS has managed a progressive social responsibility policy emphasising, among other things, the reduction of CO2 emissions. ICS is now taking this responsibility a step further. Together with Rambøll Management it has developed a check-list for its customers to ensure that meetings and conferences are as environmentally sustainable as possible. The checklist includes reducing water and energy usage; choosing hotels within walking distance of the conference facilities; serving organic food; donating excess food and merchandise to charity; recycling paper, signs and boxes; and generally only choosing suppliers with a similarly environmentally friendly policy.

In 2009 the University of Copenhagen will host a World Congress on Sustainability with 4,000 participants expected to attend. They have chosen ICS to help arrange the event. www.ics.dk

An organic start to the day for seven million hotel guests
Choice Hotels now offers its guests an organic breakfast alternative. This is the largest organic initiative in the Scandinavian catering industry and will encompass all of the chain's 163 hotels serving approximately seven million guests each year.

In 2007 Choice implemented a pilot project serving organic breakfast at three of its hotels in Scandinavia, which turned out to be highly appreciated by the guests. However, Choice wishes not only to take care of its guests but hopes its large demand will push organic agriculture and production forward. Even though Denmark is a world leader when it comes to organic consumption this is the most comprehensive organic initiative in the hotel industry.

For more information about Green Meetings in Copenhagen
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