Radisson expands Verified Net Zero programme to major Nordic hotels - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

Radisson Hotel Group has added four major properties in Sweden and Denmark to its Verified Net Zero programme, bringing the total number of participating hotels across the Nordics and the UK to nine. The expansion moves the initiative beyond its initial pilot phase and into larger hotels with substantial meetings and events operations.

Three of the new properties are in the Stockholm area: Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel, including the adjacent Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre, Radisson Blu Royal Viking Hotel and Radisson Blu Arlandia Hotel at Stockholm-Arlanda. The fourth is Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel in Copenhagen.

The move is part of Radisson's ambition to operate 100 Verified Net Zero hotels by 2030. The latest additions are significant because they include established properties with complex infrastructure, large numbers of rooms and extensive conference facilities rather than purpose-built showcase projects.

Meetings put the model to the test

The Stockholm Waterfront complex provides the largest example. The recently renovated hotel has 414 rooms and suites, while the adjoining congress centre offers 14,000 square metres of event space across 24 meeting rooms. It can accommodate events with up to 3,000 participants.

The congress centre already incorporates several energy-efficiency measures. These include 1,040 square metres of solar panels and a cooling system using water from the nearby Klara Sjö. The building holds LEED Gold certification.

Nearby, Radisson Blu Royal Viking Hotel offers 15 meeting rooms, with its largest event space accommodating up to 180 guests. Radisson Blu Arlandia Hotel has 342 rooms and 24 meeting rooms with combined capacity for up to 771 people.

In Copenhagen, Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel has 544 renovated rooms as well as 14 meeting rooms capable of hosting more than 2,000 guests. The inclusion of such properties is intended to demonstrate that net zero operations can also be applied to hotels serving large groups, conferences and corporate events.

“For meeting planners and corporate buyers, the relevance is practical,” Radisson said, pointing to the ability of established venues to combine net zero stays and meetings with the capacity required for large business events.

Beyond energy consumption

Radisson's Verified Net Zero approach covers more than electricity and heating. The programme addresses emissions from hotel energy use under Scopes 1 and 2 as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, as well as operational and supply-chain emissions covered by Scope 3.

Properties use 100 percent renewable energy through electrification and/or renewable energy procurement. The programme also addresses waste, laundry, amenities, supply chains and food.

Food and beverage operations are another focus. Working with Swedish specialist Klimato, Radisson has analysed menus for breakfast, in-room dining and meetings and events. Dishes receive carbon labels ranging from A for the lowest footprint to E for the highest, while revised recipes are intended to reduce their carbon footprint by up to 40 percent.

Each participating hotel is independently verified by TÜV Rheinland against the Net Zero Methodology for Hotels.

“With four additional launches in Stockholm and Copenhagen, our Verified Net Zero program continues to gain momentum,” said Inge Huijbrechts, Chief Sustainability & Security Officer at Radisson Hotel Group. She said the inclusion of major meetings and events venues was particularly relevant for corporate customers and meeting planners seeking to reduce the footprint of business travel and events.

The four additions follow the recent inclusion of three properties in Norway. For Radisson, the next challenge will be translating the experience gained at these Nordic hotels into a much broader rollout as the group works towards its target of 100 Verified Net Zero properties by the end of the decade.

Image Credit: © AI generated illustration