Responsibility
Responsibility at Piispala
Piispala is a Green Key awarded site. Green Key is an eco-label for tourism and leisure establishments and is awarded to establishments that fulfil a list of environmental requirements. Obtaining Green Key demonstrates the establishments’ efforts to develop an environmentally friendly, sustainable and responsible business. With the Green Key certification, we are committed to adhering to the strict criteria set by the Foundation for Environmental Education, for example, by raising the environmental awareness of our staff and customers, improving the efficient use of energy and water, and reducing the environmental impact of our accommodation operations.
Furthermore, we have been awarded the Sustainable Travel Finland label by Visit Finland. The label is only awarded for those companies and destinations that have undergone the entire Sustainable Travel Finland programme and fulfilled the criteria. The programme includes regular auditing and renewal of the label. Our values include equality, respect for life and environment and caring. Responsibility is included in these values. As a national Youth Centre, our mission is to show examples to our stakeholders and to other camp and youth organisations how to act responsibly. For years we have supported sustainable development in our activities and our aim is to constantly develop sustainability in our activities and to communicate about it openly. On this site we want to state to our customers how responsibility is taken into consideration in Piispala and how we intend to develop it further.
For years we have supported sustainable development in our activities and our aim is to constantly develop sustainability in our activities and to communicate about it openly
Click logos below to read more about Green Key label and Sustainable Travel Finland label:
Take the Pledge
Nature has taken care of us for millions of years and now it’s time for us to take care of it in return. By taking the Sustainable Finland Pledge, you make a promise to respect and treasure the Finnish nature, its inhabitants and culture during your visit. Show and share your commitment to responsible travel and sign the Sustainable Finland Pledge.
Environmental Policy
We attach great importance to environmental responsibility and take the principles of sustainable development into consideration in all operational activities. In Piispala, each of our departments takes this into account, and our customers are also encouraged and instructed to be environmental friendly during their stay. Piispala is committed to increasing the environmental awareness of our employees and customers, improving the efficiency of energy and water use, and reducing the environmental impact of accommodation operations.
Reduction of Biowaste
We strive to reduce the amount of biowaste from dining. The food waste is minimized by careful planning according to the amount of customers, and part of leftovers are taken to our Animal Home Pihka for the animals. Our customers are instructed to only take on their plate what they intend to eat and reminded that they can always pick up more from the buffet. We also have a cost-reducing biowaste system in use, with a device squeezing the liquid out of the biowaste for decreasing the amount of organic waste.
Waste Sorting
In line with the waste law and municipal waste management regulations, waste sorting in Piispala is properly handled according to the following categories: metal, glass, energy waste, paper, biowaste and cardboard. Waste is recycled and we intend to optimize our recycling in the future.
Our customers can deliver the waste to the garbage collection stations near the accommodation. They are instructed to separate the biological waste into designated containers, and leave plastic bottles, metal cans and glass bottles on the table, which will be delivered by our staff for recycling. Furthermore, they can send such hazardous waste as batteries to our Reception.
Energy and Water Consumption
The target indoor temperature in Piispala is +21 degrees Celsius, which has been proven to be the best temperature for human health and comfort. For energy saving, we give instructions to customers that it is important to keep the windows closed, not to keep the outside door open unnecessarily, and to turn off lights before leaving the accommodation place.
With respects to water consumption, we have set a target of 10% reduction annually.
For family holidays and other longer camps, we change towels as needed or upon request.
Responsibility
We use renewable energies when possible. On the roof of our ice rink in PiiSpa, we have a 75- kilowatt solar panel station with an annual electricity output of about 40,000 kilowatts. For years, our maintenance and cleaning teams have used electric cars to move around in the area. We recycle and encourage and instruct our customers to do the same. To our activities we have included sustainability and it is the main theme in some of them like Eco jewelry. Through our activities we teach children and young people the principles of sustainable development and environmental responsibility.
Staff Involvement
Our staff are trained to work in an environmental friendly way and we constantly strive to develop our actions to become more environmental friendly. To help ourselves in this, we have joined Visit Finland’s Sustainable Travel Finland programme in autumn 2020. The programme provides a free and concrete toolkit for sustainable tourism to guide through the programme. It also provides a business model for continuous development. Companies that undergo the entire Sustainable Travel Finland programme are awarded with the Sustainable Travel Finland label, which the company can use to communicate about its sustainability.
Social and cultural responsibility
Piispala operates on local, regional, national and international level. Since our aim is to mainly serve children and youth and develop youth work, by using our services you support Finnish youth work as well.
In our equality plan we take into account our staff, stakeholders and customers. The equality plan and its realization is supported by staff training, regular updating and development discussions.
Our activities support locality in products, services and hiring local work force when possible. We support local cultural events and traditions as well as serve the local residents. In addition, our services support other entrepreneurs. We for instance offer facilities to entrepreneurs.
Economic responsibility
Piispala strives for financially profitable business by improving competitiveness, increasing year-round jobs and developing our activities with the surplus. We take into account financial accessibility in pricing regarding children, youth, families and pensioners. We buy local products when possible and conduct co-operation with local companies for instance by buying their services and products. In addition, we sponsor local athletes and associations.
Ethical responsibility
In our activities we take into account in addition to physical safety also mental safety. Piispala has declared that we are a Discrimination-free Zone. The Discrimination-free Zone campaign is an information campaign to combat any form of discrimination, bullying or harassment. It enables organizations and work communities to declare their commitment to the principle of non-discrimination. Declaring a discrimination-free zone means opposition to discrimination, addressing the problem if one exists, and recognising equality between human beings. Such a declaration is also a signal to employees, job seekers and customers that the organization welcomes everyone irrespective of gender, age, ethnic background, religion or belief, opinion, state of health, disability or sexual orientation (https://yhdenvertaisuus.fi/syrjinnastavapaa.fi).
In Our Green Care activities, the wellbeing of the animals is in the centre and the activities follow Green Care principles, which means wellbeing from animals and nature to people but on the animals’ terms.
We strive to improve Piispala’s accessibility. We make evaluation on the accessibility in our area regularly. Piispala’s staff members participate in accessibility trainings to get a better understanding of the needs of the customers. Eventually we will conduct an accessibility mapping which will be the basis of our accessibility plan that will pin point the physical, social and digital development processes that we need to undergo.
Safety
Physical, mental and social safety form an entity that together form a safe customer experience. We follow the principles of law regarding safety instructions and regulations and for maintaining the safety in our processes and activities we have a risk assessment and a safety plan that is always up to date. Our staff undergo for example first aid training.
