Varbergs Kusthotell is not just an individual company, we are part of a bigger picture, a society, a country and a planet. This is why we consider it essential that our sustainability work is linked to the shared global sustainability goals.

The global goals are the most ambitious agenda for sustainable development that the world’s countries have ever adopted and exist to achieve great things by 2030. Although the agenda is written for nations and governments, it is a shared responsibility. We all can and must work actively to achieve the fantastic goals on the agenda. 

Of the 17 global goals, we have chosen to highlight four goals that are closest to our heart, are most closely linked to our business, and where we have the greatest opportunity to make an impact. Our sustainability work is an integral part of our day-to-day work. Here we describe the measures we are already taking every day. 

In our own operations we must create clear purchasing procedures to champion ecolabelled, Swedish-manufactured and locally produced raw materials, products and subcontractors. We must also communicate our sustainable efforts to our guests, and make it easier for them to act sustainably when they visit us.

• NORDIC SWAN ECOLABEL Varbergs Kusthotell has long been a Nordic Ecolabelled facility and we follow the strict requirements set by the ecolabel to ensure that the environmental impact of our business is as low as possible.
• REDUCED ENERGY CONSUMPTION We are actively working to reduce our energy consumption annually through an energy optimisation action plan. We have a demand-controlled heating and ventilation system that is controlled by thermostats in the radiators and presence control via our booking system. The system saves a large amount of energy. All our light fittings use low energy bulbs. 
• REDUCED USE OF PLASTICS We prioritise the use of biodegradable disposable items and are phasing out single-use plastics. We do not use disposable plastic cups. Plastic straws and cocktail sticks will be replaced with paper or wood. Coloured napkins are being replaced with degradable napkins.
• REDUCED WATER CONSUMPTION We are working to reduce our water consumption annually through several initiatives. We are replacing old equipment with new energy-efficient fittings such as water-saving taps and toilets. We are reducing the amount of laundry by, among other things, eliminating table linen in our restaurant and encouraging our guests to use their towels several times. 
• REDUCED FOOD WASTE Our goal is to make optimum use of raw ingredients and to use up all purchased food. We grind the mince ourselves for all our mince dishes to the greatest extent possible and work actively with well-planned menus, which contributes to reduced food waste. By weighing the food waste regularly, we follow up on our efforts.
• ECOLABELLED CLEANING PRODUCTS AND LAUNDRY 100% of our laundry detergents and dishwashing detergents are ecolabelled. 95% of our cleaning agents are ecolabelled. Our laundry is ISO certified and has been granted the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. We make sure that we don't use more products than necessary. This reduces both our impact on the environment and on the people who use the chemicals. 
• ECO-LABELLED BEDS AND TEXTILES Guests can sleep well in our hotel rooms. All hotel rooms have Swedish-made beds from Carpe Diem which carry the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. All our bed linen is OEKO-TEX certified, which means that it does not contain chemicals in concentrations that are harmful to health. Our towels and bath mats are also OEKO-TEX certified and made of organic cotton. 
• ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY OFFICE SUPPLIES AND PRINTED MATERIALS We purchase environmentally friendly office supplies wherever possible. All our printed matter comes from ecolabelled printers and uses Nordic Swan Ecolabelled paper.

We must actively work to reduce our waste volumes and increase the proportion of reused and recycled material.

• FOSSIL-FREE ELECTRICITY Our facility runs on 100% renewable electricity, from wind power, hydropower and solar power. 
• FOOD RAW MATERIALS We are careful with the choice of ingredients for the restaurant and use local ingredients as much as possible. Halland has a fantastic range. It is a sustainable way of working.
• ALWAYS MEAT-FREE MENU OPTIONS Cattle emissions account for 14.5% of all greenhouse gases. By reducing meat consumption we can reduce this figure. That’s why we always offer exciting meat-free dishes as an integral part of our menus. 
• CHAMPIONING SWEDISH MEAT Sweden’s livestock farming has a low climate impact compared with other countries. Championing Swedish meat also ensures reduced transports and supports Swedish agriculture and Swedish animal welfare. There are several advantages to Swedish meat: Sweden has one of the world’s best animal welfare systems and the lowest use of antibiotics in all of the EU. Swedish meat contributes to grazing livestock being able to maintain our natural pastures, which have a high level of biodiversity. 
• SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL We promote sustainable travel by offering our guests free charging stations for electric cars and encourage guests to use public transport and travel here by bus and train. We want to be an alternative to holidays abroad and encourage sustainable travel and tourism.
• WASTE SORTING AT SOURCE We endeavour to reuse and recycle as much of our waste as possible. We sort all our waste at source as fractions: glass, metal, organic waste, paper, cardboard, hard plastic, soft plastic. Waste bins with compartments for different fractions are available in all conference rooms and hotel rooms, so that our guests can also easily sort their waste at source. 
• NO OIL-BASED TEALIGHTS We are replacing all our tealights with LED candles.

We will contribute financially to environmental organisations in order to protect marine environments and, through actions and direct interventions, contribute to the dissemination of knowledge to staff and guests about the importance of a healthy sea.

• WE SERVE ONLY SUSTAINABLY WILD-CAUGHT FISH AND SHELLFISH All wild-caught fish and shellfish that we serve are MSC-labelled. The label shows that the fish is wild caught, comes from a viable stock and has been fished with consideration for the marine environment. The main focus of MSC’s fishing standard is to ensure that there is sufficient fish in the seas and that stocks are viable. MSC certification is based on science and fulfils best practice requirements set by both the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization and ISEAL, the global membership organisation for credible sustainability standards. Because all the wild-caught fish we serve is MSC-labelled, our restaurant guests can be assured that the seafood we serve is sustainable.
• WE PARTICIPATE IN THE COASTAL CLEANUP We participate in the Keep Sweden Tidy initiative “Coastal Cleanup” . On this day, volunteers from our staff and guests gather to clean up the coastline. Our goal is to make the “Coastal Cleanup” an annual event. Annual financial support to environmental organisations. Through various initiatives, we have made donations to the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation’s work to protect the sea.
• SHARING KNOWLEDGE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY SEAS Our relationship with the sea is strong, and the sea is central to many parts of our business and brand, from our coastal location that attracts our guests to the opportunity to go cold water swimming in the sea or our seaweed-based spa treatments. We want to be positive ambassadors for a healthy sea and communicate the importance of protecting the sea to our guests.

We want to be a safe workplace that promotes inclusion in our operations and assists young people who want to enter the workplace.

• SYSTEMATIC WORK ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT We are continuously working to create a sustainable work environment for our employees through systematic work environment management. This means we focus on health-promoting initiatives and take a process-oriented and systematic approach to working conditions, rehabilitation and skills development for all our staff. We have zero tolerance for abuse, reprisals and harassment. The work climate must be characterised by mutual respect and professionalism.
• JOB SECURITY THROUGH COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS Our business has entered into collective agreements, which means that we apply the collective agreements for Hotell- och Restaurangfacket (Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union), as well as Unionen, the trade union for salaried employees in the private sector, and Fysioterapeuterna (Swedish Association of Physiotherapists). 
• WINNINGTEMP The purpose of Winningtemp is to safeguard the wellbeing of our employees, facilitate job satisfaction and enable employees to achieve their full potential. But it is also a tool for becoming a better team leader and meeting employees' specific needs. 
• WELLNESS ALLOWANCE FOR EMPLOYEES In addition to wellness allowance, we offer free training at our training club with gym and instructor-led sessions. We also arrange joint staff sessions. We also offer the opportunity to visit our spa. For us, wellness also includes opportunities to get together as a community and to improve knowledge, which we offer through something we call Kustkalendern (Coastal Calendar). 
• WE ARE A LIA WORKPLACE Workplace training (LIA) means that vocational colleges offer workplace training as part of vocational training. For many years, we have supervised students who have carried out their training with us and we continue to welcome LIA students every year. By offering places to LIA students, we take responsibility for ensuring that a new trained workforce enters our industry and we give students the opportunity to try out their future professional role. 
• TRAINEES FROM VOCATIONAL PROGRAMMES We welcome trainees through our collaboration with the hotel and tourism vocational programmes at the upper secondary schools Peder Skrivare and Drottning Blanka. 
• WE ARE A SCHOOL-WORKING LIFE COMPANY We collaborate with two of Varberg Municipality’s comprehensive schools through SKAL (SKolaArbetsLiv). This means a systematic, long-term and recurring collaboration involving activities such as welcoming students for study visits and participating in educational fairs. The aim is to give students an idea of their strengths and abilities and to meet different professional representatives and workplaces.