BDP – Your Best Destination Partner
The cruise industry often faces criticism about being bad for the environment. The following interactive collection of the Baltic Sea Region’s, Copenhagen’s and BDP’s efforts aims to shadow the cruises’ reputation and compile our infographics about the positive economic contribution.
Danish Architecture is easily considered one of Denmark’s most influential international reputation. In 2019, two tremendous Bjarke Ingels projects reached the bay, the Ying Yang Panda Facility in Copenhagen Zoo and Copenhill. Bjarke Ingels founded BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group in 2005 after co-founding PLOT Architects in 2001 and working at OMA in Rotterdam. Bjarke defines architecture as the art and science of making sure our cities and buildings fit with the way we want to live our lives. Through careful analysis of various parameters from local culture and climate, everchanging patterns of contemporary life, to the ebbs and flows of the global economy, Bjarke believes in the idea of information-driven-design as the driving force for his design process. Named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by TIME Magazine in 2016, Bjarke has designed and completed award-winning buildings globally.
Tourists taking their compulsory selfies with the Little Mermaid might discover a weird, triangle-shaped metal building with chimneys in the background. Copenhill is not only the city’s brand-new urban mountain sports facility but an important milestone in reaching Copenhagen’s plan of becoming Co2 neutral by 2025.
Now all Copenhageners and visitors can hit the slopes in the flattest country in Scandinavia all year round! As a multifunctional urban mountain, Copenhill is placed on top of a state-of-the-art waste-to-energy plant, which is one of the best and most complex of this kind in the world.
Besides Skiing & Snowboarding, the visitor can run, hike and train as well as climb and round up the adventure in their cosy facilities and grab something to eat and drink.
The plant, ARC, produces environmental-friendly energy with the newest technology by burning waste and turning the exhaust into energy which yearly provides the city of Copenhagen with electricity for 30,000 households and central heating for 72,000 households.
“The arrival of the pandas and the opening of the Panda Facility is a historical event.” – said Jørgen Nielsen, the Administrative Director of the Zoo of Copenhagen.
The preparations to welcome the two panda bears from China started many years ago with the planning of the facility, preparing zookeepers to take care of the pandas and building the facilities. The Ying-Yang shaped Panda Facility were revealed in early 2017 and after 18 months of construction, Her Majesty the Queen, Margrethe II and Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess Mary amongst with other prestigious guests participated in the opening celebrity. Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark also became the protector of the Zoo as the pandas were state-present to the Queen.
Sustainability has been on the agenda for many years at BDP and in 2019, the company decided it was time to take the next step and become a certifiably sustainable company!
Travelife is a certification system, dedicated to achieving sustainable practices within the tourism industry. It provides companies with realistic sustainability goals, tools and solutions to implement positive change within their businesses and supply chains.
Becoming a Travelife Partner is a recognition BDPs commitment to long-term efforts within sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility.
BDP complies with more than 100 criteria, related to an operators’ office management, product range, international business partners and customer information. The Travelife standard is covering the ISO 26000 Corporate Social Responsibility themes, including environment, biodiversity, human rights and labour relations; and is formally Recognised as in full compliance with the UN-supported Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria.
Travelife is a certification system, dedicated to achieving sustainable practices within the tourism industry. It provides companies with realistic sustainability goals, tools and solutions to implement positive change within their businesses and supply chains.
Becoming a Travelife Partner is a recognition BDPs commitment to long-term efforts within sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility.
BDP complies with more than 100 criteria, related to an operators’ office management, product range, international business partners and customer information. The Travelife standard is covering the ISO 26000 Corporate Social Responsibility themes, including environment, biodiversity, human rights and labour relations; and is formally Recognised as in full compliance with the UN-supported Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria.
BDP is the 8th company in Denmark to have reached the Travelife Partner award and CEO, Hanne Nehmar is proud of the company becoming a frontrunner for the sustainable movement within the industry in Denmark:
“Sustainability has always been at the very heart of BDP. With the Travelife Partner certificate, we have been able to focus even more on our sustainable efforts. We are thrilled to be part of the Travelife movement, and hope to inspire others to contribute to minimizing the footprints of the DMC industry”
Travelife, which has been established with the support of the European Commission, is the leading international sustainability certification for the travel sector. They are excited about the development within the Danish market:
“I am delighted to see that sustainability in the tour operators sector is obtaining momentum. The award of the front runner BDP – Best Destination Partner will inspire other companies in Denmark to follow the same path” says Mr Naut Kusters, manager of Travelife for tour operators.
For BDP, becoming Travelife Partner is just the beginning. Hanne Nehmars has many more plans for becoming an even more sustainable company in the future. The next step is, to graduate even further in the Travelife auspices and become Travelife Certified. This process is already underway and in the meantime, the BDP team is celebrating the current Travelife Partner nomination with some sustainable muffins!