Two people with long hair sit indoors by a window, overlooking a cityscape. One points outside, while the other watches. A bowl of snacks is on the table in front of them. The scene conveys a relaxed, observational moment.

Sustainability in Arp-Hansen Hotel Group

ESG strategy 2024 - 2030

As a family-owned hotel chain, responsibility has been a keyword in Arp-Hansen Hotel Group since the company's inception in 1961. Taking responsibility by doing what is right, by making an effort, and by being ambitious.

We strive to make sustainable accommodation simple and accessible for all guests - regardless of budget, so you can enjoy your hotel stay with a clear conscience. Therefore, all of our hotels and hostels are Green Key certified, and we are committed to Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), which is the highest standard for companies that wish to set binding reduction targets for their climate foot print.

In our ESG strategy, you can read about the focus areas and efforts that Arp-Hansen Hotel Group work on to drive the development in the sustainability field.

For example, we aim by 2030 to reduce our water- and energy consumption further, reduce waste, and offer more green choices on the menu. In the social area, we are launching even more initiatives focusing on both employees, guests, and the local community.

Enjoy the read.

Read our ESG strategy 2024 - 2030
A hotel room door is ajar with a Please clean the room sign. In the background, a person is making the bed, smoothing out white sheets. The room features soft lighting and elegant decor.

Net 0 in 2050 in the value chain for hotel operations (scope 1, 2 and 3)

ESG report 2025

All effective strategies require continuous follow-up. That is why, in our annual ESG report, we review what we have achieved over the past year, the challenges we have encountered, and the progress we have made toward the targets set out in our ESG strategy.

(English version will follow).

Read our ESG report 2025 (Danish language)

Our focus areas

ESG-cases in Arp-Hansen Hotel Group

Below, we have gathered a selection of examples of sustainability initiatives within Arp-Hansen Hotel Group that have successfully been implemented over the years. A snapshot of our sustainability journey that hopefully can serve as inspiration and illustrate how we work to make sustainability a simple and accessible choice at our 14 hotels and hostels in Copenhagen, Gentofte and Aarhus.

Read about ESG-cases

Case: On the path to CO2-neutral district heating

Aerial view of a modern power plant with a sloped green roof, featuring a ski slope and viewing areas. The plant is surrounded by water bodies and urban landscape. Smoke rises from the plants stack, and there are roads and vehicles nearby.

Most of Arp-Hansen Hotel Group’s Copenhagen-based units receive their heat from HOFOR – Greater Copenhagen Utility. And this is good, because HOFOR currently only uses proven sustainable
biomass as fuel at Amager Bakke (depicted right) to create and supply heat to Copenhagen’s buildings. As a result, district heating in Copenhagen was 85% CO2-neutral as of January 2024.

HOFOR is not resting on its laurels, however, and to ensure increasingly sustainable heating for its customers, the utility company is further developing the way it produces district heating in Copenhagen. In the future, much of the city’s heat will thus come from HOFOR’s own electric heat pumps that use green electricity from wind turbines and utilise the temperature of surplus heat, seawater and wastewater to create the district heating that Copenhageners get in their radiators. The heat pumps will be spread throughout Copenhagen until 2033 and will have a combined production capacity of up to 300 MegaWatt, and they will also make a significant contribution to Copenhagen’s plans to become climate positive by 2035.

At Arp-Hansen Hotel Group, we are pleased that our heat supply is becoming greener and greener, while security of supply is becoming even higher.

At Wakeup Aarhus, 61% of the district heating comes from renewable energy sources, and the entire heat and energy supply in Aarhus will be climate neutral by 2030.

Case: Forgotten items becomes planted trees

The image shows the word aundit in bold, green lowercase letters, with an abstract, curved green shape on the left side resembling part of the letter F.
A white padded envelope on a gray surface, featuring green text that reads Just decided to stay a little longer with icons for shipment, plants, and recyclable materials. A leafy plant is partially visible in the corner.

It is both a hassle and inconvenient for hotel guests who forgets a personal item during their stay, but also a waste of resources when it needs to be shipped back.

Fortunately, Arp-Hansen Hotel Group’s partner, Faundit, has come up with an innovative solution to this challenge. They plant trees to compensate for the amount of CO2 required to transport forgotten
items back to their owners.

For example, avocado trees have been planted in Tanzania on behalf of guests who forgot something during their stay with us last year.

At group level, a total of 617 new trees were planted between August 2023 and August 2024, offsetting 56.7 tonnes of CO2.

Case: Nordic Ecolabelled key partners

Person vacuuming a carpeted room with a canister vacuum cleaner. The room features a bed with a patterned blanket, a rug, and modern furniture. Sunlight streams through a large window, creating a bright atmosphere.
A sleek bathroom features a marble countertop with a built-in sink. On the counter are toiletries, folded towels, and a wall-mounted phone. Above, a large mirror reflects the modern chrome fixtures, and there are additional wall-mounted towels.

In addition to all our hotels and hostels being Green Key certified, we also have a number of environmentally certified key partners and products. For example, the group’s suppliers of linen, Textilia and ELIS, and our long-standing housekeeping partner, De 5 Stjerner A/S, are Nordic Ecolabelled.

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel and the EU Ecolabel are the official ecolabels in Denmark. They both have the highest ranking as socalled Type 1 certifications according to the international standard, ISO 14024. Common to all Type 1 certifications is that they are lifecycle-based with the same high standards and criteria.

For example, the Nordic Ecolabel includes requirements for climate impact, biodiversity, hazardous chemicals, circular economy and product properties that ensure quality and durability.Type 1 ecolabels also require independent third-party certification and compliance is monitored. This provides security and peace of mind for us and our guests.

Case: Turning food waste into biogas and fertiliser

A white tray filled with croissants sits on a black counter next to a basket of apples and pears, with a person visible in the background near blocks of butter.
A buffet setup with various bowls of fruit, bread, and spreads on a curved counter. Below are neatly stacked plates and jars filled with cereals. The background features shelves with more jars and a dining area with tables and chairs.

According to the UN, a third of all food produced in the world is thrown away every year. But food waste is not just a waste of food. It is also a waste of CO2, a waste of time and a waste of good food
experiences.

That is why Arp-Hansen Hotel Group is working to reduce food waste.

We can minimise food waste by shopping wisely, planning meals and managing stock better. We downsize the dishes in the buffet when the majority of guests have eaten, so we avoid filling up large platters for few guests. We encourage our employees to take food home, and leftovers are given new life in new delicious dishes (e.g. our famous rum balls at Copenhagen Strand).

We sort the remaining food waste, and by sending the food waste for recycling in biogas plants instead of sending it with the residual waste for incineration, we can limit CO₂ emissions and at the same time return phosphorus and nutrients to the soil in the form of fertiliser. The latter is essential as phosphorus is an invaluable resource in our food system that is very difficult to replace and is only found in limited quantities in nature.

At the breakfast buffet in our hotels we usually say: ”Take all you want, but eat all you take.”

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