Sustainable Tourism
The Aurora Borealis Observatory is a small family driven resort located at Senja Island in Northern Norway. The resort are owned and operated by Anders Hanssen, Kristine Hanssen Kjosnes and Magnus Hanssen. It is safe to say that we love the aurora and we feel lucky and blessed being able to live at such prime location. Conservation and sustainable use of resources- natural, social and cultural up here at the Aurora Borealis Observatory and Senja Island, is very important for us.
The Aurora Borealis Observatory is for those who really want to experience nature, silence and to get total relaxation, while hopefully enjoying the amazing Aurora Borealis.
At Aurora Borealis Observatory, we have had a strong focus on the environment and sustainability since we started. We have plans for cleaning / washing / use of water where we explain to our guests, among other things, why we do NOT change beds or wash rooms every day. This is both in terms of the environment and the economy, both of which are sustainability goals for us. In addition, we own and run our own spring water well system and are therefore careful about how much water we use. We trade with ISO-Certified companies and make sure to use eco-labeled products.
Environment, climate, social conditions and economy are in focus for our operations and we try to protect the environment as much as we can.
Most important of all is that we follow and support fair trade:
Fair Trade:
Through demands for raw material payments, safer working conditions and protection of the environment, production and trade according to Fairtrade standards contribute to a more sustainable agriculture and a better life for farmers and workers in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Fairtrade is the world’s most famous and recognized certification and labeling scheme for fair trade. Fairtrade facilitates closer contact between raw material-producing farmers and workers, commercial actors who buy and sell the raw materials, and consumers who buy the finished product.
ABO Masterplan
As written above we have always focused on sustainability, environment and have taken an active environmental responsibility towards the company. Among other things, the resort is the first tourism company in Senja municipality to have received certification and approval as an environmental lighthouse. In addition, work is being done to secure other certifications that contribute to a green transition and sustainable tourism.
New buildings are to be built to a good standard where the choice of materials with low emissions and long service life is intended to be used. When it comes to mass processing, the masses that have been extracted will be reused to establish, among other things, roads and the preparation of plots.
Relevant goals in our masterplan are sustainability goal 12 (responsible consumption and production): reduce waste and food waste by focusing more on reuse as well as sustainability goal 13 (stopping climate change): coordinate transport, focus on sustainable food, local resources etc.
ABO´s Sustainable Policy
Aurora Borealis Observatory (abo) works to continuously contribute to creating a more sustainable tourism industry and will through its own work inspire our staff and others to get involved in environmental and sustainability issues. We are committed to going beyond current laws and regulations in the area of environment and sustainability.
Environmental sustainability
We want to offer guests a sustainable stay and experiences as a guest at our company. To ensure quality in the environmental work, we are environmentally certified with Green Key.
We are committed to mapping and reducing our own environmental impact and are constantly working on improvements in the area of sustainability, among other things by formulating annual goals. We focus on educating and informing employees and others in the field of environment and sustainability for increased environmental awareness and commitment.
Our greatest direct environmental impact comes from the resource consumption in the business. We use renewable energy, environmentally friendly products and resource-efficient technology. We measure and monitor our water and energy consumption, and the amount of waste is regularly reduced to reduce our resource consumption. We also calculate our greenhouse gas emissions annually to reduce our climate impact.
We have a large indirect environmental impact in the choice of products and services, such as food, chemicals and laundry services. We are therefore committed to, among other things, buying as much organic and locally produced food as possible, working to reduce food waste and buying eco-labeled cleaning products. We also set sustainability requirements for suppliers and contractors we hire.
Social sustainability
ABO wants to make a positive contribution to the local community and works for social sustainability for employees, guests and others. We are committed to promoting local culture, including in the choice of food, design and products and strive to ensure quality in the business in terms of service, routines and purchasing.
All people should have equal opportunities to work in and visit our company. We employ in all positions without discrimination on the grounds of gender, ethnicity, religion or functional variation. We guarantee a safe and secure working environment and want to be an attractive and inclusive workplace that safeguards staff well-being and health. We do not accept any forms of harassment or sexual exploitation at our facility.
Economic sustainability
ABO works to use resources in a way that promotes environmental and social sustainability. Work on sustainability issues in the social and environmental area of sustainability is crucial to secure the company’s financial position in the long term.
ABO´s CSR Policy
Our company operates with quality and high morale towards society and the environment. We want to contribute positively to society by offering quality services and good service to our customers, contribute to economic growth and jobs in the local community and at the same time protect nature and the environment.
We are constantly working to become even better at the following points:
• Act with respect for customers, employees, stakeholders, and society at large. Topics included in this are non-discrimination, the right to privacy, employment contracts and maintaining a close dialogue between management and employees.
• Products and services provided by «our company must be subject to strict requirements for quality and safety.
• “Our company” will actively strive to protect nature and the environment in all operational activities and decisions.
• Maintain respect for cultural values and norms, and get involved in the local environment and contribute to maintaining a safe, healthy and social local community.
• To ensure responsible purchasing, the company must continuously promote a good standard in the supply chain and encourage other organizations to focus on environmental management.
We regularly update our website in accordance with environmental policy / sustainable tourism.
Important focus areas
Eco- Lighthouse Certified
The Eco-Lighthouse program has garnered great acclaim. Eco-Lighthouse, as the first national scheme in Europe, was recognized by the EU in 2017.
Certification 2022
Green Key is a environmental certification scheme for hotels, accommodation and other tourism companies. The purpose is to promote sustainable tourism.
Fair Trade
Through demands for raw material payments, safer working conditions and protection of the environment, production and trade according to Fairtrade standards
Environment
We try to run our resort in a way that is as gentle as possible to the environment around us. This is important today and even more important in the future.
Respect
Respect should be the norm, regardless of personal feelings. Employees and managers should respect each other as it creates a good work environment.
Clean Water
Safe and readily available water is important for public health, whether it is used for drinking, domestic use, food production or recreational purposes.
Annual Climate and Environment Report
The last updated climate and environmental report is for 2021. We emphasize that the figures will deviate from the normal year as we have had fewer guests in a pandemic than in a normal year. PS: Report in Norwegian!
