Danish EU Presidency Credited as ISO20121 Sustainable Event

19 June 2012

"The Danish Government has been dedicated to organize a sustainable Presidency. We are the first presidency, which is planned and carried out sustainably. The ISO certification is a pat on the back and shows our commitment to sustainability and green solutions. We have used the Presidency to show that Denmark has the political will to walk the talk and put action behind our words. It is wonderful that we in Denmark also have the businesses, which can deliver environmentally sound technologies and solutions," says Minister for European Affairs Nicolai Wammen.

The tap water presidency

The Danish Presidency has become known internationally as "The Tap Water Presidency" because all participants - including ministers - have been served tap water at meetings in Denmark. However, the sustainability efforts cover many other initiatives and sustainability has been an integral part of the logistical planning and execution of the presidency. The challenge has been to implement an effective and efficient presidency in a sustainable manner, without substantial additional costs.

"By rethinking all the processes and by constantly focusing on doing things smarter, we have reached our goal of being certified. An important lesson we have learnt is that you can get very far by demanding more of your suppliers, but even more important close cooperation with suppliers is a prerequisite for success. Many of our suppliers have launched sustainability initiatives in connection with the Presidency, and it is precisely this ability to collaborate and innovate, that makes it possible for Denmark to organize such a big event in a sustainable way, " says Nicolai Wammen.

Background

Prior to Denmark’s term as President of the Council, the Presidency's central logistical team in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs designed a concept that ensured a sustainable implementation of the Presidency, without entailing significant additional costs. This was done by making demands on suppliers, abandoning certain benefits (such as merchandise like umbrellas and key chains) and by entering into sponsorships with clean-tech companies. The logistical planning includes a number of initiatives, such as the following:

Environmental Certification of conference facilities
All guests stayed at the eco-labeled hotels
Ban on bottled water in conference centers
Use of public transport where possible
Limited gift policy
Sustainable meals
Sustainable office materials (blocks pens, copy paper)
Carpets made from corn
PVC-free cables
Reuse of admission cards and the cord used to wear them
Free bicycles for delegates in Horsens and at selected hotels in Copenhagen
Optimization of motorcade driving - fewer cars were sent on the road

The sustainability effort has also included a number of sponsorships:

The Danish Wind Industry has delivered green power to the Presidency
Danfoss has supplied energy-saving technology (thermostats) to the conference centers
DHL has supplied CO2 neutral shipping and handling
SAS has supplied CO2 compensation of flights with SAS and green take-offs and landings in Copenhagen.

Danish Sustainable Events Initiative

Furthermore the Ministry of Foreign Affairs took steps to set up a consortium with a wide range of partners to launch sustainability initiatives across the country. The consortium was named “Danish Sustainable Events Initiative” and members include Visit Denmark, Wonderful Copenhagen, Visit Aarhus, Visit Aalborg, Visit Southern Denmark, SAS, State of Green, HORESTA, MCI and Bella Center.

The Presidency has been certified by the London-based firm SGS, which has audited the sustainability efforts of the Presidency and found that the project is in compliance with the international ISO-standard.

Source: www.eu2012.dk