At Snowhotel Kirkenes, sustainability is a fundamental part of our identity. As a certified Eco-Lighthouse company, we are committed to taking care of the environment, reducing our climate impact and ensuring a good working environment for our employees. We are proud to share our work and achievements to promote transparency and awareness of sustainable operations, and to empower our customers and partners to make an informed assessment of our actions.‍

Our actions‍

To maintain a sustainable focus in our operations, we have implemented a number of measures that balance the preservation of the environment with the experience we offer:

• Energy efficiency: We use electricity from renewable sources provided by our local supplier, and we have installed energy-efficient heating and ventilation systems.
• Local and sustainable food: Our menus are based on local and seasonal ingredients, including Arctic delicacies such as king crab, which are fished sustainably.
• Minimizing waste: We have introduced strict routines for source sorting and recycling, as well as measures to reduce food waste through portion control and composting.
• Animal welfare: We take care of both our huskies and the reindeer that are part of the experience with us. The dogs receive first-class care and training, while the reindeer have access to large areas where they can move freely and naturally. Animal welfare is always our top priority.
• Eco-friendly transportation: Our snowmobiles and RIBs are modern and fuel-efficient, and we encourage guests to use eco-friendly transportation options.

Dog welfare policy‍

In our kennels we are doing our utmost to make sure that the needs of our dogs are met to the fullest, according to the framework of the five domains of animal welfare: nutrition, environment, physical health, behavioral interactions and the effect of all the above on the mental health of the animals:

• Nutrition: Our dogs are fed with high quality and high energy dry food tailor-made for racing and working dogs, providing the requisite amount of proteins, vitamins and minerals; we also feed our dogs a varied amount of locally produced meat and meat byproducts according to season, level of activity and the metabolism of each dog, to ensure their health and that they always maintain an ideal body condition on the corresponding 9-step scale. Access of fresh water is provided according to and above Norwegian regulations.
• Environment: All our dogs have their own secluded doghouse bedded with straw to provide them sufficient shelter and a comfortable resting and sleeping area and suitable temperatures, assisted by insulated houses and appropriate “clothing“ for selected dogs with more delicate thermoregulations. Premises are cleaned numerous times a day.
• Physical health: By thorough prevention, a strict vaccination regimen, daily checkups, frequent veterinary control, quick diagnoses, prompt, expert treatment and careful rehabilitation (including physiotherapy) we ensure that our dogs are always protected from disease, pain and suffering. We exercise caution in training and work to avoid injuries (including, but not limited to using textile booties to protect the paws when conditions so demand and using different types of harnesses ideal for each dog’s physical state).
• Behavioral interactions: We encourage our dogs to express normal, natural behaviour: they have every chance to interact with other dogs and humans in the kennels and on the tours. While living tethered, adult dogs receive the necessary amount of free running in our two fenced free run areas, and puppies and younglings are living free in pens , while getting the age-appropriate amount of exercise.
• Mental health: We foster and cultivate strong relationships with our dogs, based predominantly on mutual respect, care, sympathy and positive reinforcement. We do our best to reduce stress factors for the animals, providing a calm and safe environment and taking their individual temperaments into account when housing them or putting them into teams.

Our results‍

Through our actions, we have achieved significant results that strengthen our environmental work:

• Reduction of CO₂ emissions through the use of energy-efficient systems and renewable
  electricity.
• Reduction of food waste by over 30% through optimized routines and better planning.
• Implementation of comprehensive source sorting, with 85% of all waste either recycled or composted.
• Guest satisfaction rate of over 90% when it comes to environmental focus and sustainable experiences.
• Improved working conditions for our employees through systematic measures for health, safety and well-being.

Climate accounts‍

We prepare an annual climate account that maps our emissions, energy and resource use. This helps us identify new actions and targets for further improvement. Our key figures for the past year include:

• Energy consumption: 100% renewable energy used to operate our snow hotel and facilities.
• Emissions: Reduction in fuel consumption by 15% through upgrading our transport fleet.
• Waste management: 85% of all waste is either recycled or composted.

A responsibility we take seriously‍

As an Arctic tourism company, we have a responsibility to protect the unique surroundings in which we operate. We work continuously to minimize our impact and inspire our guests to take part in our sustainability work. Together, we can preserve the beauty of the Arctic for future generations.

We welcome you to Snowhotel Kirkenes – a place where unforgettable experiences meet a clear commitment to the environment.