Top 3 finalist: The Green Transition Award

15.09.2023

When The Danish Chamber of Commerce and EY yesterday handed out The Green Transition Award, Royal Greenland was one of the top three finalists in prestigious company with two, much larger, international companies that has done tremendous efforts to transform and reorganize their businesses in more sustainable direction; namely Maersk and Arla.

“We are proud to be recognised alongside much larger companies for our far-reaching sustainability initiatives. Our sustainable transition is deeply rooted in our strategy and we are making very concrete and measurable improvements” Explains Lisbeth Due Schönemann-Paul, Senior Corporate Sustainability Advisor.

The award is given to a company that contributes significantly to the green transition by transforming and reorganising its business to more sustainable solutions that show significant results.

Green transition at Royal Greenland

Royal Greenland's sustainability programme is based on the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals, four of which have been selected as special focus areas and adapted to our operations and the communities in which we operate.

In relation to the Green Transition Award it is our work and efforts with sustainable fisheries as well as our engagement in education- and healthy working lives in Greenland, that recognized us to be among the nominees for the award.

"Goal 14: Sustainable fishing" has since 2011 been a central focal point for the transition Royal Greenland has undergone in relation to documenting the sustainable management of our fisheries and implementing certification processes throughout our value chains.

The prawn fishery in West Greenland was MSC certified in 2013 as the first fishery in Greenlandic waters. Since then, a large number of other fisheries have been certified, so that 63% of Royal Greenland's raw materials will be third-party certified by 2023. 

The importance of sustainable fisheries in towns and settlements

Royal Greenland operates factories and landing facilities in 37 of Greenland's 65 registered towns and settlements. Local fishermen's trading opportunities are crucial to many local communities and to the livelihoods of families around the country. Up to 2,000 fishermen, the vast majority fishing from small dinghis or boats, trade their catches to Royal Greenland.

For fisheries with many active fishermen and small vessels, the road to certification is in some cases relatively complicated and it is necessary to implement Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIP) that improve data, reporting and management.

Royal Greenland plays an active role in these projects and the goal by 2030 is that more than 75% of Royal Greenland's fisheries are third-party certified, a work that is done in close co-operation with the country's many fishermen and local communities.

For Royal Greenland, the nomination for this year's Green Transition Award is not only a recognition of the long-term work with management and documentation, but also a broader recognition of the ongoing transformation of the fleet and the work with responsible footprints and the carbon footprint of product groups.