Purpose and Goal 

The purpose of this policy is to minimize the environmental and climate impact of our operations. Since Mindpark handles operations that are often open to the public, in the form of office rental services, conference venues, meeting rooms, and restaurant operations, we have the opportunity to inspire and influence other people’s standards through our choices.

Commitments

We have chosen the following measures to focus on to reduce Mindpark’s environmental and climate impact.

Sustainable partners and suppliers

• When selecting a new supplier or partner, we primarily choose suppliers from our network of small and medium-sized companies and other local companies in the growth phase. This is because we want to contribute to a rich local business community.

• We contribute with our expertise within sustainable operations to our network of companies and individuals through eg. lectures and collaborations. In this instance, we look at sustainability from both an environmental and health perspective. In combination with this, our focus also lies in how we create sustainable processes for individuals.

• We will prioritize climate-friendly collaboration partners when it comes to offers that affect our coworkers.

• We want to encourage our community and network of coworkers to share resources that can be shared, to reduce waste as much as possible.

Space-efficiency and concept

• Our business model is based on the fact that companies and people can use the same premises for different purposes. This means that our surfaces are very space-efficient. Co-utilizing workspaces and functions, in turn, reduces the need for premises for commercial purposes. It also lets the companies that work with us to share machines and functions such as e.g. printers, dishwashers, toilets, meeting rooms, etc, instead of every company having to use space and resources to buy their own. 

• We establish our locations close to public transport stations, to encourage the use of public transport instead of cars. 

Consumables and products 

• The food & drink products that are bought and processed in our bistros, cafés, and conferences should be as climate-smart as possible. This means that, whenever possible, we choose local suppliers and seasonal products. As there is uncertainty about which products are optimal from the climate point of view, it is standard that we serve plant-based products. This is because plant-based products on average always have a lower climate impact than animal products. We have chosen to focus mainly on consumable products with a CO2 emission of less than 5kg / 100g protein if solid, or 5kg / liter if liquid.

• Coffee, tea, and chocolate that we use and sell should always be Fairtrade labeled.

• We avoid selling water in plastic bottles wherever it is possible to get water from the tap.

• We will prioritize sourcing materials and pre-packaged products that have a low climate impact when we consider different alternatives, such as oat or pea drink before regular milk.

• Left-over food that is consumable should be donated to the needy, if possible. E.g. to aid organizations, digital services or other similar programs to reduce food waste.

• We strive to reduce the usage of disposable plastic in all our operations.

• CO2 labeling on food, drink, and other consumables are encouraged if possible.

Waste sorting

• We will always sort our waste as much as possible. If we experience a lack of waste sorting alternatives, then we will bring it up with the property owner.

• We should at least always sort, corrugated cardboard, glass, plastic, and metal. If we can sort organic waste, it is preferable.

• We should always have garbage sorting containers with multiple trays and avoid trash without sorting options.

Cleaning and detergent products

• The cleaning products and detergents we use must have an as little environmental impact as possible. Cleaning tools such as rags and similar should be made with materials that can be washed and reused.

Electricity

• If we sign individual power contracts for our properties, it should be with suppliers that offer renewable energy. In cases where the property owner has an agreement with an electricity supplier, we will infer that we prefer renewable electricity to the property owner.

Pension

• Funds invested in pension funds should be invested in funds that do not invest in oil, coal or other climate-disrupting activities. If possible, they should go to funds that invest in renewable energy.

Travel

• Longer business trips should preferably be made by train. If the journeys are carried out by air, the climate impact of the airplane must be climate compensated. Climate compensation is done through the service: https://zeromission.myclimate.org/en/flight_calculators/new. If possible, the climate compensation acts should be Fairtrade certified, or Gold Standard certified. 

• We encourage our employees, coworkers, and guests to use public transportation services whenever they visit our facilities. 

• We can offer rentable bikes to our coworkers, in case situations where they are requested. 

Furniture and decor

• When purchasing furniture and furnishings, we prioritize furniture with long durability and we prioritize local manufacturers whenever possible.

• We reuse and recycle furniture. We do this by buying already used furniture but also by reusing furniture that has served its purpose between our different operations.

• We repair and restore furniture if it is cost-effective.

• Our businesses should have a high number of plants to optimize air quality and a better indoor climate.