To broaden our Green Agenda, we have developed six key focus areas to reflect the most relevant and important aspects of sustainability across the entire organisation of Scandlines, its operations, and its stakeholders. In line with the ESG Framework, sustainability at Scandlines goes beyond climate action through our efforts to reduce emissions in our ferry operations. It covers additional aspects of environmental protection (E- Environmental) and includes social concerns in the company and along its supply chains (S-Social) as well as good governance (G- Governance).
We continuously identify and implement projects to achieve our missions within the agenda’s 2030 timeframe. We will communicate our achievements as we go and as part of our annual report.
1. Environmental Protection
We are committed to protecting the environment, particularly in relation to the preservation of our marine environment, by taking precaution to prevent spills on- and offshore.
We also aim to reduce our environmental impact in other areas, such as biodiversity, water and emissions.
2. Health and Safety
The safety of our employees, workers, customers, vendors, and other stakeholders are of paramount importance to us and we are committed to do everything possible to ensure their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
3. People
Being the principal employer in some of the regions where we operate, we have a high responsibility towards our employees and workers providing stable employment, decent work environment including equal treatment and provision of relevant education and development opportunities.
4. Customer Satisfaction
We engage with customers and support their aspirations to travel responsibly and we are focused on ensuring customer retention and satisfaction by providing safe and efficient transportation combined with a varied retail and catering offering and continuous efforts to further reduce our environmental footprint.
5. Compliance and Ethics
We never compromise on our commitment to honest and ethical behaviour, and we comply with all relevant anti bribery laws in all jurisdictions in which we do business.
6. Healthy Supply Chains
With more than 1,500 vendors, Scandlines has a responsibility to ensure fair competition and contracts, which consider environmental principles, ensure the health and safety of workers and employees of vendors and ensure that human rights principles are adhered to.
UN Global Compact
We are participants of the UN Global Compact. The UN Global Compact is the world’s largest and most important initiative for companies who wish to do business responsibly. By signing the Global Compact, we commit to integrating the 10 global principles within human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption into our strategy and daily business.
Through our continuous efforts and implemented projects in our six focus areas, we also contribute to the achievement of 13 of the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals within the agenda’s 2030 timeframe.
Read more about The UN Sustainable Development Goals
Annual and Sustainability report
In our Annual and Sustainability report you can learn more about our green investments and our initiatives to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Read the Annual and Sustainability report
To broaden our Green Agenda, we have developed commitments across the entire organisation in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Read more about our green agenda
Read all-
A fleet of hybrid ferries
The hybrid system on ferries is similar to that of hybrid cars, where petrol or diesel is combined with electricity.
-
Noise-reducing thrusters
One of the steps towards our zero emission strategy is the exchange of all thrusters – the ships’ propulsion systems – on Scandlines’ four hybrid ferries on the route between Puttgarden in Germany and Rødby in Denmark.
-
Powered by the wind
Since 2013, we have operated with environmentally friendly hybrid technology. In 2020, we installed a rotor sail on M/V Copenhagen and in 2022 on M/V Berlin respectively, which operate on our route between Rostock in Germany and Gedser in Denmark.
-
Green ferry operation
We already operate with hybrid ferries, which are much more eco-friendly than conventional ferries. However, our goal is ferry operation covered by pure battery power within a few years.
-
Sustainability in action
We reduce food waste by serving individual portions made to order, putting smaller amounts of food on the buffet at the time and by having less dishes from which to choose.
-
Zero direct emission-freight ferry
Scandlines has ordered a new zero direct emission-freight ferry for the Puttgarden-Rødby route. The ferry will be inserted in 2024 and will launch the next generation of ferries on the route.
-
Collaboration with external partners
For a number of years, we have cooperated with the German environmental organisation, NABU.
-
Reduction of energy consumption
Our current focus is on reducing our ferries' energy consumption per crossing. We are investing in energy efficiency and operational adjustments that lead to energy savings.