Christmas in the fortress offers a great opportunity to get to know Suomenlinna at the most atmospheric time of the year!&nbsp;The wintry sea fortress is a very special experience.During the Christmas season, the fortress is decorated with Christmas trees and lights. In restaurants, cafes and in the local bar you can feast on the flavours of the season. The museums have special program and longer opening hours, and the Suomenlinna Church has many Christmas events.&nbsp;You can also occasionally peek into the craftsmen's workshops and do local Christmas shopping. The Lighthouse Keeper's Route leads children and those who like adventures on self-guided tour. By the way, did you know that you can also stay overnight in Suomenlinna in winter? &nbsp;Suomenlinna Sea Fortress 25.11.2023-6.1.2024The winter ferry ride from Kauppatori to Suomenlinna is an experience in itself and takes only 15 minutes.More detailed day-specific programs and opening hours can be found in the event calendar.

Christmas in the fortress offers a great opportunity to get to know Suomenlinna at the most atmospheric time of the year! 

Christmas at the Fortress 2023

The operator might ask for an offer from Ekoenergia (<a href="https://www.ekoenergy.org/">https://www.ekoenergy.org/</a>), which has compiled a list of companies that offer sustainable energy. In addition, various energy companies offer different forms of sustainable energy.

There are many ways to offset one’s carbon footprint today and new products are being created all the time. Recommended ways are, for example, the Finnish Hiilipörssi (<a href="https://hiiliporssi.fi/">https://hiiliporssi.fi/</a>) and globally, either Gold Standard or VCS-certified offset models (<a href="https://verra.org/project/vcs-program/">https://verra.org/project/vcs-program/</a>).

Research shows that travelling to and from an event has an important impact on the carbon footprint of the event itself. Organisers can minimise the environmental impact of travel by, for example, adding parking space for bicycles and by removing or reducing the number of parking places for cars, and informing event visitors in their communications and on their websites where the closest bus and metro stops are. A reference for travel advice: Flow Festival <a href="https://www.flowfestival.com/en/flow-info/getting-there/">https://www.flowfestival.com/en/flow-info/getting-there/</a>.

The operator has a plan with quantified targets for reducing energy use. The operator is party to an Energy Efficiency Agreement. 

The possibility of compensating begins by determining the amount to be compensated. The ability to calculate the carbon footprint also increases awareness of the carbon footprint. There are numerous means of compensation today, and new operators are constantly emerging. Recommended means include the Finnish Carbon Market (<a href="https://hiiliporssi.fi/">https://hiiliporssi.fi/</a>) and international Gold Standard or VCS-certified compensation models (<a href="https://verra.org/project/vcs-program/">https://verra.org/project/vcs-program/</a>).

The criteria does not apply to straws and napkins, for example. Disposable utensils and packaging can be used in situations where takeaway food is sold to customers. However, they are still part of the throwaway culture, and operators are encouraged to find alternatives. Disposable utensils and takeaway containers generate significant amounts of waste and are a cost item for the company. New operating methods and changes in culture always require role models. For example, an operator may encourage customers to use their own containers by offering a discount.

Restaurants should primarily try to minimise the amount of leftover food. Buffets in particular can produce significant amounts of excess food. Apps for selling this food include ResQ Club and Lunchie Market (<a href="https://www.resq-club.com/">https://www.resq-club.com/</a> and <a href="http://lunchie.market/">http://lunchie.market/</a>").

The criteria for a balanced vegan option depend on the type of the operator. For a restaurant, this means having more than one nutritionally-balanced vegan dish available, which is a source of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Cafés should offer more than one vegan sweet or savoury baked item available, as well as a vegan alternative to milk, so an oat milk latte, for example, is possible. For bars, the vegan option criteria means that there are drinks available that do not contain ingredients of animal origin. If the bar also serves food portions or snacks, there should be a vegan option that is not significantly different from the non-vegan option.

The event or location should have a water point or water points where visitors can fill up their own water bottles or get water free of charge. The number of water points should be in relation to the number of visitors. Information about the possibility of filling up your own water bottle and the location of water points should be provided. For events information should be provided before and during the event.

This can mean, for example, recycling glass or biowaste even when the amount is less than 50 kg per week or arranging for plastic recycling. Further information about general waste management regulations for the Helsinki metropolitan area and Kirkkonummi: HSY waste management regulations (<a href="https://www.hsy.fi/en/waste-and-recycling/waste-services-for-properties/">https://www.hsy.fi/en/waste-and-recycling/waste-services-for-properties/</a>).

The operator uses eco-labelled detergents whenever there is such an option available for the product in question. If cleaning is outsourced, the operator should ensure that eco-labelled detergents are used. A list of approved ecolabels and certificates (<a href="https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/ecolabels-included-in-the-sustainability-criteria">https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/ecolabels-included-in-the-sustainability-criteria</a>).

The operator can have the most significant impact on sustainability by encouraging changes in the activities of other parties. For example, the operator may require its landlord or subcontractors to fulfil the same criteria.

A list of approved ecolabels and certificates (<a href="https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/ecolabels-included-in-the-sustainability-criteria">https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/ecolabels-included-in-the-sustainability-criteria</a>).

The events and venues use the same props for more than one event.

Good practices are, for example, placing the entrances, public toilets, water taps and other facilities so that they minimise erosion of the surrounding spaces. The criteria is also filled when an event takes place indoors, whereby the event does not have any negative effects on its surrounding green spaces.

These events include concerts and motorsports, for example. The earplugs do not necessarily have to be provided free of charge.

The operator must comply with existing health and safety guidelines: <a href="https://www.hel.fi/yritystenhelsinki/fi/matkailuelinkeino/turvallisuus/">https://www.hel.fi/yritystenhelsinki/fi/matkailuelinkeino/turvallisuus/</a>.

Charitable activities include, for example, recreational activities for children, the protection of endangered species, services for the poor, and the rehabilitation of natural or cultural environments. The Finnish Social Enterprise Mark can be held by companies that have been set up to solve social and environmental problems and dedicate most of their profits to this purpose. Further information: <a href="https://suomalainentyo.fi/en/services/finnish-social-enterprise/">https://suomalainentyo.fi/en/services/finnish-social-enterprise/</a>.

The event venue should be accessible to users of wheelchairs and other assistive devices. Information about the event should be available on different channels. Further information about accessibility at cultural events: <a href="http://www.kulttuuriakaikille.fi/accessibility_what_is_accessibility">http://www.kulttuuriakaikille.fi/accessibility_what_is_accessibility</a>.

Free activities can be part of the main event or a smaller side event outside the main event area, or some of the event should be livestreamed, for example. A series of events, such as a film festival, should have at least one free screening or performance.

The operator has taken active measures to make the location equal for all and communicates this visibly (e.g. rainbow flag, anti-discrimination area, family or child friendliness). The owner, together with staff, has created guidelines on how customers and staff should act in the event of sexual harassment, racist, homophobic or other discriminatory behavior or other inappropriate behaviour on the premises. These guidelines are clearly visible to the customer. Reviewing these guidelines is part of staff orientation (including subcontractors and temporary employees). At the basic level, the guidelines include informing the staff member or person responsible for safety of the situation. This staff member or person has a clear policy that is also communicated to the customer about situations in which the person accused of disruptive behaviour shall be removed from the premises. Assistance in developing these guidelines is available from the Valomerkki campaign (<a href="https://valomerkki.club/#yhteys">https://valomerkki.club/#yhteys</a>).

People who may otherwise be difficult to place in the work environment include, for example, the long-term unemployed (as defined, for example in the Public Employment Services Act, 1295/2002), those who speak Finnish poorly and those with intellectual disabilities. Genuine employment is important in this regard. These people must have an employment contract and be paid for their work. Incentive pay is not considered a wage.

Staff members should be allowed to spend, for example, 1 working day a year performing volunteer work or participating in a volunteer project, which can take place in cooperation with organisational partners. Volunteering during working hours benefits the operator, the wellbeing of its staff members and the voluntary organisation where the activity takes place. It allows staff members to learn new things and understand responsibility in a new way. In addition, volunteering has been shown to increase the happiness of those who participate in it.

Christmas at the Fortress 2023 completes 13/23 of the Think Sustainably criteria for events.

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Christmas in the fortress offers a great opportunity to get to know Suomenlinna at the most atmospheric time of the year!&nbsp;The wintry sea fortress is a very special experience.During the Christmas season, the fortress is decorated with Christmas trees and lights. In restaurants, cafes and in the local bar you can f...