During the Bothnian Coastal Route (BCR) project, the team has been learning and working on work package 2, which has focused on sustainability. The BCR team has learned that there are differences in sustainability work between Finland and Sweden. Finland has the Sustainable Travel Finland program (national), and parts of northern Sweden have the regional Västerbotten Experience method.
Many Swedish and Finnish companies participating in the BCR project have taken part in either national or regional sustainable development programs, with both similarities and differences. We also know that the ambition of companies to achieve third-party sustainability certification is becoming increasingly important in the noise of consumer communication.
We have also learned that the upcoming changes in legal requirements at the European level, with the Green Claims and CSRD, will influence the content of existing national and regional practices and processes.
It was therefore crucial to consider how and with what the BCR project can best support companies, wherever they are located, and where preparatory pathways to certification are most appropriate for different actors. This includes considering specific activities, country, regional and national conditions, and other existing initiatives in the field.
It was decided that out of these different programs and methods, we want to find a method that is suitable for the BCR area and can be implemented with the BCR area companies, regardless of how far the individual company has progressed. The team went through a procurement process to find two consultants to identify the working method.
The Bothnian Coastal Route sustainability working method will support and complement the programs that already exist. This working method can even be the very first step for our companies and the start of their process towards sustainable thinking and behavior.
After the process, the chosen partners for this work are Jeppe Klockareson from Fair Travel and Anu Nylund from Mood of Finland. The first meetings have been held, and the work has started. The team, along with local project managers, will be trained in March, and the work with the Bothnian Coastal Route companies will start after the training.
So, if you are a tourism business and are keen on starting your sustainability journey or just want to know more, let us know! You might be a great candidate to be one of the first piloting companies for this work. Feel free to contact your representative at the Bothnian Costal Route team!
This is how Jeppe Klockareson and Anu Nylund commented this work: “We are delighted to have been selected as the Finnish and Swedish representatives, and it is great to start working with the BCR team. The cooperation that has now begun enables the kind of sustainable development work that we should be doing much more of, bringing together tourism industry players across national borders, exchanging experiences on best practices, and encouraging businesses to work with what’s already in existence. Working and learning together is a great opportunity to create positive change.”
Read more about the Bothnian Coastal Route project HERE and HERE.
Jeppe Klockareson from Fair Travel and Anu Nylund from Mood of Finland.
