WE SHARE A PASSION FOR PEOPLE AND THE PLANET
We care about people, the climate and our environment. That is why we work with a range of initiatives to improve the everyday lives of people, both close to home and across the world, and to contribute to putting more eco-friendly alternatives on the menu. We call this “We Care”, and below we present a few examples of what we do on a daily basis here at the Clarion Hotel Stockholm.
CARBON-OFFSET CONFERENCES
The Clarion Hotel Stockholm has a climate offsetting initiative for its conferences. This means that we provide financial compensation for the carbon emissions that each conference delegate produces when attending a conference. These funds are invested in a climate-friendly project in Panama that plants trees in the rainforest and improves the socioeconomic conditions for people living in the region. For this project, we are collaborating with Tricorona Climate Partner, who assist us in calculating the carbon emissions of our conference delegates. By working with Tricorona, we can ensure that the project adheres to the Gold Standard international emission reduction certification. As of 1 March 2019, climate offsetting is included in all one-day conferences booked at the Clarion Hotel Stockholm.
SÖDERS TRÄDGÅRD - A LOCAL HUB FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Söders Trädgård is a green oasis in the heart of Södermalm, with a garden for small-scale farming of vegetables, flowers, berries and herbs for our restaurants and bars, tended to by passionate hotel staff. The garden has been cultivated by a group of hotel staff together with Urban Garden consultants - Gatsmart - who carefully select each and every plant to suit the unique floral landscape. Here, sustainable initiatives are given pride of place and climate-smart activities are promoted in a space that is just waiting to play a role in the local environmental debate. We provide this space to companies and organisations with an environmental agenda that involves both the local and the global environment.
Söders Trädgård can also be booked for smaller events and activities, with or without catering. The garden is located on level 3 of the hotel, and the space can be accessed upon request.
For a viewing of the garden or any enquiries regarding events, please contact frida.berglund@strawberry.se.
REDUCTION OF FOOD WASTE
We are working systematically to evaluate our food waste and we are implementing a range of initiatives in order to reduce this waste. One of these initiatives involves reducing the size of the plates used for our breakfast and brunch buffets. By having smaller plates, we have managed to reduce our food waste by as much as 20%. Together with our neighbours at the Eriksdal allotment association and Lilos.se, our used coffee grounds are being given new life as body scrub called "Coffeemagic" made with purely organic and vegan ingredients. We also work closely with the food network Foodloopz, which helps us to locate and purchase food products that would otherwise risk going to waste. Our restaurant Eatery Social operates in association with Karma, where we sell food that would otherwise go to waste for a very reasonable price. All of our refuse is turned into biogas, thereby generating new sources of energy.
CLEANING WITH PURIFIED WATER
We clean the hotel’s 532 rooms with purified water instead of detergents that often contain a variety of harmful chemicals. By utilising biotechnology and good bacteria, we both reduce our environmental impact and improve our staff’s working environment.
ISO 14001-CERTIFIED
All hotels in the Strawberry group are certified according to environmental standard ISO 14001, which is an umbrella term for international standards within environmental management. Together they form a system that serves to continually improve companies’ environmental efforts. In order to be granted certification, companies must have a clear focus on environmental improvement measures, results must be registered, and the targets must be revised every year. In order to meet our ambitious targets, we have implemented specific routines and are systematically working with five cornerstones of operating a hotel sustainably: Water, Refuse, Chemicals, Electricity and Transport.
THE FOOD PLATFORM
The food that we serve our guests and our staff is extremely important to us - and in this area a little effort can make a big difference. In order to safeguard the rainforest, which is so crucial for the planet, as well as the working conditions of the people who work in it, we only use products containing certified palm oil. We only serve fish and shellfish that is ASC- and MSC-certified, and we also adhere to the World Wide Fund for Nature’s sustainable seafood guide. Our coffee is organic, Fairtrade and KRAV-certified.
SWEET DREAMS STAY
Throughout the Strawberry group we work actively to combat human trafficking. And this is something you, as a guest, can help us to achieve. If you are staying for more than one night, you can choose not to have your room cleaned during your stay. For every day you opt not to have your room cleaned, we will make a donation to our Sweet Dreams project, which we run in collaboration with UNICEF. The project aims to give children who are victims of human trafficking a safer life. Simultaneously, by reducing the amount of laundry, we reduce our electricity and water consumption and need for transportation, thereby helping the environment.
HOTELS AGAINST TRAFFICKING
Since 2015, we have been working closely with the Real Stars association and the Hotels Against Trafficking network. The Hotels Against Trafficking network is working to bring an end to human trafficking. As a hotel we have a policy to prevent prostitution, and we provide our staff with regular training on how to go about this.
SÖDERMALM YOUTH STATION / STOCKHOLM CITY MISSION
We want to offer a helping hand to vulnerable members of society in our local community here in Södermalm. This is why we have chosen to support Södermalm Youth Station, which is part of Stockholm City Mission that works with young children and youths who, for various reasons, find themselves on the fringes of society. As part of the 2018 “Lonely Christmas Tree" campaign, our guests, staff and Södermalm residents helped us collect 1,034 Christmas presents, which we were then able to donate to 500 families. Throughout the year we also run a range of projects together with Södermalm Youth Station, such as cooking courses for young men and women, communal meals for women and Easter brunch for children.
INTERNSHIPS
As a major employer, we also work actively to take on interns. In many cases we end up offering permanent positions to our interns. These projects provide the persons in question with help entering the job market, while we as an employer secure a supply of skills. We work with, among others, the Swedish Migration Agency, Samhall, IMT (the Fundraising Foundation Against Trafficking), the Swedish Public Employment Service and a range of catering and chef schools. If you are interested in joining us as an intern, please send an email to cl.stockholm@strawberry.se.
