Sustainability.
Our work to "take care"
Environmental Lighthouse of the Year 2025 - Inspiration Award: Haaheim Gaard
It was Haaheim Gaard that took home the audience award “Environmental Lighthouse of the Year 2025”!
The Inspiration Award is an audience award, and Haaheim Gaard was one of four finalists who participated in the digital vote. Haaheim Gaard was very engaged and received by far the most votes from the finalists. This makes them the winner of the "Inspiration of the Year 2025" award.
- With a clear ambition to safeguard both people, nature and local culture, and as an Environmental Lighthouse since 2022, Haaheim has worked purposefully and structured to improve the environmental aspects of the farm's operation. This has yielded good results, and they are well-deserved winners of this year's inspiration 2025, says Ann-Kristin Ytreberg, CEO of Environmental Lighthouse.
Works concretely and purposefully
At Haaheim Gaard, they have defined some clear focus areas within the environment and climate, and are working concretely and purposefully with what they can influence here and now. Receiving an award for this work makes Torstein Hatlevik, who is a housewife and director at Haaheim Gaard, very happy.
No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. It is motivating to receive recognition for the efforts that the entire staff at Haaheim has made in recent years, and we would like to thank everyone who voted for us to be the Environmental Lighthouse of the Year 2025, says Hatlevik.
An important part of the environmental work at Haaheim Gaard is being Miljøfyrtårn certified. Through an established environmental management system, they work to continuously improve climate and environmental aspects, and specific requirements are set within the working environment, waste, energy, purchasing and transport.
- The efforts made for environmental work at Haaheim have yielded good results. For example, food waste per guest has decreased by 85% from 2022 to 2024, and the source separation rate has increased by almost 30% in just one year, says Hatlevik.
“Social sustainability is warm practice” The Environmental Lighthouse jury was also impressed by the great responsibility Haaheim Gaard takes for the local environment, and the people in it. “Social sustainability is warm practice”, is a motto at Haaheim. For example, they arrange heavily discounted evenings for the elderly, and contribute generously with gift cards to teams and associations.
- What Haaheim Gaard is doing is impressive. They are an old farm and have few employees, but they are enterprising, structured and dedicated to sustainability - both socially and environmentally. They take great social responsibility in the local community. Therefore, it is a true pleasure to present them with the diploma for the Environmental Lighthouse of the Year 2025 - the inspiration award, says Ytreberg.
TO TAKE CARE OF.
To contribute to the work of taking care of our earth, we as a small tourism business must take care of the things we can control.
No one can do everything, but everyone can do enough.
At Haaheim Gaard we have identified some focus areas and are working concretely and purposefully with what we can influence here and now. We must take care of the local community of which we are a part, we must secure jobs for our people, we must take care of nature, insects and species, we must reduce food waste and disposable solutions, we must think short-term and sustainable when we make purchases and we must save energy where we can.
We have come a long way with some - and some are just getting started.
MILJØFYRTÅRN
An important part of the work at Haaheim Gaard is being Environmental Lighthouse certified.
This means that we have established an environmental management system that governs our climate and environmental work and helps us achieve continuous improvement. The certification also contains specific requirements that must be met within the working environment, waste, energy, purchasing and transport. Every year we complete a climate and environmental report that provides a good overview of progress and improvement potential. The report is made publicly available. In order to reduce our negative environmental impact, we work both internally in the company and externally with important partners.
"To take care of"
"It's a lot about doing what grandma in Espevær did. She washed bread bags, darned socks, used shopping nets and made the most delicious dishes from leftovers. She never threw anything away. She took care of every little bit."
FATHER TORSTEIN
Specific focus areas
for Haaheim Farm.
Sustainable garden
We will increase the proportion of raw materials from our own garden and we will map out how this proportion will increase. No artificial poisons or fertilizers will be used and biological diversity will be further developed.
Reuse of furniture and materials
We will buy used where we can and we will maintain our house and garden for longevity and energy savings. We will choose suppliers who are actively working on sustainability.
Food waste
We will reduce food waste by 30% through optimal menu planning, good kitchens, storage and purchasing routines, and the use of seasonal ingredients and home-produced food.
Source sorting
We will further develop efficient and practical source separation. We will also be a driver for suppliers to sort out recyclable materials and not use unnecessary packaging.
Chemicals
We will keep statistics on chemical use and reduce the use of chemicals by 15%. We will use suppliers of chemicals that have eco-labels.
Organic, green, vegetarian menu
Our customers will be offered organic foods and vegetarian menus. We will use Miljøfyrtårn's eco-percentage guide to map the proportion of organic food
Internal culture, employees
We want the concept of "taking care" to be an attitude and value internally. Competence development, participation, training, conversations and focus are important elements in all the work we do every day.
Reduced energy consumption
We will reduce operating hours to times adapted to the actual use of rooms and premises: focus - indoor temperature, unnecessary light,
electricity for technical equipment, unnecessary water consumption
A local resource. Social values
We will engage in - and give positive power to - the local community and local cultural heritage, local jobs and local producers of food, services and experiences.
