Sustainability Policy at Granö Beckasin

Granö Beckasin AB operates in a unique natural and cultural environment along the Ume River in Västerbotten northern Sweden. Our business is rooted in small-scale ecotourism, where we bring people into nature and teach them how to enjoy it responsibly. Our work is guided by a holistic perspective: we protect our surroundings, enhance our guests’ experiences and take responsibility for our global environmental impact.

We follow the GSTC global sustainability criteria, are certified by Nature’s Best and KRAV, and are members of STF, Naturturismföretagen, Responsible Tourism Västerbotten, Gold of Lapland, Visit Umeå, Visita, Svenskt Näringsliv, and several regional development initiatives.

Granö Beckasin has received multiple sustainability awards over the years, most recently the Ecotourism Award 2024, and was also nominated for the Sustainable Award 2025 by Restaurangvärlden.

Environmental Responsibility – Nature, Energy and Resources

Nature Conservation and Small-Scale Ecotourism

Granö Beckasin conducts responsible nature tourism in accordance with the criteria of Nature’s Best and GSTC by:

Working with small groups and trained guides.
Teaching all guests how to behave sustainably in nature, including the Right of Public Access, silence ethics, and respect for wildlife and natural environments.
Consistently communicating our overarching purpose of preserving and developing our local community—offering an alternative to mass tourism.
Maintaining agreements with all landowners whose land is used for guided tours.

Energy, Climate and Technical Investments

We actively work to reduce our climate footprint by:

Replacing all diesel vehicles with electric vehicles (2 of 3 vehicles already replaced; the goal is 100%).
Transitioning all snowmobiles to electric models—in partnership with local company Vidde Mobility, where we are in line for upcoming releases.
Encouraging guests to travel sustainably, ideally by train and local public transport, and advocating for improved transport infrastructure in our municipality.
Recycling all waste, composting, and investing in a food centrifuge to further reduce food waste and organic waste.

Major Strategic Environmental Investments

The ongoing investment in the new restaurant and conference facility (to be completed in 2027) has a strong climate focus:

Approximately 50% of the building consists of reused structures from the Volvo Ocean Race pavilion.
Climate impact assessments of the reuse component are included in the project.
The facility will be equipped with high-efficiency heating through a geoenergy storage system and heat pump, as well as advanced heat and ventilation recovery systems, including kitchen ventilation.
Granö Beckasin’s existing buildings will be connected to Granö’s new high-efficiency wastewater treatment plant.

Food & Restaurant – Local, Organic and KRAV-Certified

Granö Beckasin’s restaurant is KRAV-certified and operates according to the following principles:

A minimum of 25% organic ingredients, always met or exceeded.
Prioritisation of local and regionally grown produce whenever possible.
Active participation in “Eat All of Västerbotten”, the County Administrative Board’s chef network, and other regional food initiatives.
Collaboration with local producers and artisans such as Granö Bröd, Tegsnäsmusteriet, Saras Glutenfria, as well as local hunters, foragers and small-scale growers.
Structured food-waste reduction through menu planning, reutilisation of ingredients, and technical solutions for waste management.

Social Responsibility – Community, Staff and Culture

Support for Local Businesses and Community Life

Granö Beckasin actively contributes to community and rural development by:

Collaborating with and purchasing services and products from a wide range of local businesses such as GoMaten Granö, Spruce Island Husky, Akvafjell Photo Studio, and the Tegsnäspojkarna.
Participating in Vindeln Municipality’s business council, associations and regional networks.
Partnering with local initiatives and projects related to nature tourism, energy and culture.

This strengthens local employment, cultural heritage and the rural economy.

Staff and Work Environment

We provide a safe, inclusive and competency-building workplace. Our focus is on safety, gender equality, diversity and training in ecotourism, hospitality and environmental knowledge.

Guest Experience and Education

We ensure that our guests receive a sustainable, safe and educational nature experience by:

Employing guides trained in safety, hospitality and nature interpretation.
Always sharing information about local nature, culture, village history and how to behave responsibly in forest and river environments.
Serving as a role model in sustainable energy and sustainable lifestyles since our founding in 2007.
Being a partner of the World Forest Forum and an active participant in projects such as Reggae – Regenerative Nature Tourism.

Economic Responsibility – Long-Term and Circular Solutions

Granö Beckasin operates a financially sustainable business that enables reinvestment in environmental technology, building conservation, nature conservation and local economic development.

We choose sustainable materials, maintain long-term supplier relationships and invest in technologies that reduce energy and resource consumption.

Certifications, Memberships and GSTC Compliance

Our sustainability work is guided and quality-assured through:

Nature’s Best – Swedish Ecotourism
KRAV
STF – Swedish Tourist Association
Naturturismföretagen
Responsible Tourism Västerbotten
GSTC global criteria
Gold of Lapland
Visit Umeå
Visita & Svenskt Näringsliv
The Marketing Association of Umeå
World Forest Forum partnership

These networks and certifications ensure continuous evaluation and improvement of our operations.

Continuous Improvement and Monitoring

Granö Beckasin works systematically to:

Establish annual targets for energy, waste, transport, food, guiding and education.
Follow up and report progress in accordance with certification requirements.
Welcome external audits and actively participate in development projects for sustainable tourism.

Responsibility and Communication

All employees must be familiar with and adhere to this sustainability policy.
The policy is openly communicated to guests, partners and suppliers.
Management is responsible for ensuring that the policy is followed, updated and integrated into all operations and strategic decisions.

We work according to the Responsible Tourism Program, a framework developed to promote a more sustainable tourism where companies, destinations and municipalities work together for increased environmental responsibility, support more resource-efficient solutions, and strengthen local community development. The program is based on GSTC’s global standard for sustainable tourism.

Through the program, improvement initiatives are carried out that benefit visitors and residents alike, create jobs and viable businesses, and take place on the terms of nature and culture. This approach is increasingly important as more and more visitors seek to leave the places they visit in a better condition than they found them.

Granö Beckasin is an STF-affiliated hotel, meaning we meet the Swedish Tourist Association’s high standards for quality, service, and sustainability. As an STF-affiliated accommodation, we provide safe, nature-focused experiences while promoting outdoor life and responsible tourism in Sweden.

Our work with sustainability

Sustainability Policy

Sustainability Policy at Granö Beckasin

Environmental Responsibility – Nature, Energy and Resources

Nature Conservation and Small-Scale Ecotourism

Energy, Climate and Technical Investments

Major Strategic Environmental Investments