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Stockholm, Sweden

Contact: Jenny Berthling

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The GDS-Index is a destination-level programme that measures, benchmarks, and improves the sustainability strategy and performance of tourism and events destinations.

The GDS-Index is aligned with international standards; UN SDGs, GSTC Destination Criteria, UNWTO.

Click here to read more about the benchmarking methodology including data collection and verification, the four benchmarking categories, governance and criteria development and performance scoring methods.

This page highlights each destinations sustainability journey and will showcase their journey.

Performance Overview

The 2023 GDS-Index comprises 69 indicators across four categories. Here is the total score and the score for the four categories for this destination.

Total

0%

Environmental

Social

Supplier

Destination Management Organisation

Environmental

Includes a city's performance pertaining to its policies and infrastructure, such as climate change commitment, carbon emissions, renewable energies, resource and water management, public transport, and air pollution levels.

Social

Indicates the performance of the city against indicators of SDG integration, Corruption, Personal Safety, Access to Information and Communications, Health and Wellness, and Inclusivity, using external sources such as the Social Progress Imperative Index, and Corruption Perceptions Index.

Supplier

Addresses the sustainability commitment and performance of the local meetings' industry supply chain, including airports, events agencies, hotels, venues, and restaurants.

Destination Management Organisation

Indicates the sustainability commitment, including questions pertaining to maturity of a destination's sustainability and regeneration strategy, leadership, communication of sustainability initiatives (to support client planners), and the accuracy of their reporting on sustainability operations.

Sustainability Journey

Summary
Environmental
Supplier
Social

The City of Stockholm is an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable city where people want to live, grow old and raise their children. The city has actively reduced its climate impact and achieved strong economic development, and the Stockholm living environments are generally good and safe. Sustainability plays an important role in the city’s overall policy document: Vision 2040 Stockholm – City of Opportunities. This document outlines the city’s long-term ambitions with regard to sustainable development. The vision is based on the city’s three principal operational goals: • A modern city with opportunities for everyone • A dynamic and sustainably growing city • A financially sustainable and innovative city The City of Stockholm's sustainability report 2021 provides an overall picture of the city's sustainability challenges, where the city's three focus goals and the UN's 17 global goals for sustainable development are the starting point. The report reflects developments in the city and its activities as well as developments in society.

Does Stockholm Business Region have a Sustainability Strategy?

Does Stockholm have a sustainable destination certificate?

Does Stockholm Business Region report on its sustainability performance?

Stockholm was the first-ever city to be designated European Green Capital by the EU Commission in 2010. The main reason cited for the award was Stockholm’s integrated administrative system, which guarantees that environmental aspects are considered in budgets, operational planning, reporting and monitoring. Or in other words: just about everything that happens in Stockholm does so with sustainability in mind. Over 80% of all the hotels in Stocholm have a sustianability certification and 88% of the hotels are easily accessible, either within walking distance or by public transport to the major congress- and exhibition centers. Most of the venues are also certified, which makes it easier for meeting planners to organize sustainable meetings. Swedavia, who runs the airports has been a climate-neutral company since 2006. Just before the end of 2020, Swedavia became one of the first airport operators in the world to have the operations it runs under its own management at its ten airports be fossil-free. and Stockholm's goal, set by the City Council, is that Stockholm shall be fossil fuel free by 2040.

78%

OF ELECTRICITY
FROM RENEWABLES

31%

OF WASTE
RECYCLED

1099 ha

HECTARES OF GREEN
AREA PER 100 000
POPULATION

Stockholm was the first-ever city to be designated European Green Capital by the EU Commission in 2010. This was before sustainability became a major selling point for cities trying to attract meetings and events. And we are quite proud of the fact that Stockholm has stayed true to its unique approach to sustainability. You can rest assured that just about everything that happens in Stockholm does so with sustainability in mind.. In 2015 the first event that the City organizes themselves, the Stockholm Culture Festival, was eco-certified. But even without the aim to certify an event, it is easy to do the event sustainable in Stockholm, as this is the way we like to do it. Almost every corner of Stockholm is easliy accessible by public tranport, many of the major sites are within walking distance from the hotels and most hotels are sustainablity-certified. Our "Guide to sustainable events" has been created to help organizers hold sustainable events based on the City of Stockholm’s vision. The Guide integrates responsible social and environmental requirements to ensure that all events are carried out in a sustainable way.

50%

OF HOTEL ROOMS
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED

67%

OF VENUES
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED

0%

OF PCOS/DMCS
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED

The City of Stockholm works strategically around four different areas: A city that holds together where everyone can grow, a cohesive city bustling with life and movement in all parts of the city. The public welfare should be the basis for quality of life and security for residents in all stages of life. A climate smart city characterized by the stillness of nature as well as the intensity of a big city, and that has smart solutions that makes it easy to live environmentally friendly. An economically sustainable city where the starting point for economic policy is to create an equitable and sustainable city. Stockholm shall be characterized by a positive climate for innovation, and the city will be a key node in the global network of successful cities that attract international entrepreneurs, students and visitors. A democratic sustainable city where the locals are involved in the development of the city and feel connected to their city. Stockholm will set an example in the protection of human rights. All this is mirrored in many different rankings, where Stockholm often show very good results.

SDG IMPLEMENTATION SCORE

SCORE ON SOCIAL PROGRESS INDEX

SCORE ON CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX

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