Reykjavík Downtown Hostel, Vesturgata company
On the Green Map:
Certifications. Labels and Awards:
Green Hostel
All HI (Hostelling International) Hostels that fulfill certain criteria in environmental work are granted permission to be called Green Hostels and to use the Green Hostel environmental logo. This classification should make it simpler for customers to make a greener choice and also encourage hostels to constantly work on adapting and improving their green quality standards. The references used (for classification) are composed from the HI Iceland general quality standards, that all Icelandic hostels must fulfill. To gain the Green Hostel logo the hostels have to fulfill additional environmental criteria.
It is important to note that this is not a recognized environmental certification but standards that HI Iceland decides and supervises.
The Swan
The Swan is the official Nordic Ecolabel, introduced by the Nordic Council of Ministers. Nordic Ecolabelling has the comission to promote a more sustainable consumerism with the goal of creating a sustainable society.
This is done by a voluntary license system where the applicant agrees to follow a certain criteria set outlined by the Nordic Ecolabelling in cooperation with stakeholders. These criteria include environmental, quality and health arguments. The criteria levels promote products and services belonging to the most environmentally sound and take into account factors such as free trade and proportionality (cost vs. benefits).
The Nordic Ecolabel now covers 70 different product groups, for which it is felt that ecolabelling is needed and will be beneficial. These days, everything from washing-up liquid to furniture and hotels can carry the Swan label.