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Midgard & The Environment

Have a look at

Our Environmental and Sustainability Policy

Regenerative tourism goes beyond sustainability—it actively revitalizes the environment, supports local communities, and strengthens the economy. Our goal is to practice regenerative tourism, leaving the natural beauty of our surroundings in an even better state than before we arrived, while making a positive impact on both nature and society.

We believe that every individual can contribute to reducing our environmental footprint. That’s why we’ve integrated the Sustainable Development Goals into our environmental and sustainability practices.

Our commitment to reducing our environmental impact is unwavering, and we prioritize eco-conscious decisions across all aspects of our operations. As we continue this journey, we are dedicated to learning and evolving, and we invite our guests to join us by sharing the knowledge we gain along the way.

ENVIRONMENT AND RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

Food waste 

Globally, about one-third of all food is wasted, with industrialized countries responsible for a big part of this issue. Reducing food waste not only benefits the environment, but also brings about the greatest social and economic gains compared to other waste management strategies. At Midgard Restaurant, we are committed to minimizing food waste, and from 2023 to 2024, we reduced our waste by 5%. We’d rather run out of a dish than see good food go to waste.

How do we do it?

• We measure all food waste after breakfast and dinner. Our menu is designed with this in mind. We have reduced the number of dishes on our menu and optimized our ordering
• All organic waste is collected and used for compost
• For group meals we offer free refills rather than make too much, and anything leftover goes on a staff shelf for our staff to enjoy

Recycling

Our goal is to reduce waste for landfill. Producing less waste and recycling is a vital step to reduce landfill waste. Midgard completed a comprehensive waste audit at Pure North in July 2024. As a result, Midgard can set clear recycling goals. From July 2023 to July 2024 58% of the total waste was recycled. Our goal is to recycle 65% of our waste in 2025.

How do we do it?

• We recycle paper, plastic, beverage containers, organic waste, metal, candle wax, batteries, electric equipment, and glass
• We have waste bins in the hallway instead of bins in the bunk rooms to encourage people to recycle.
  
• Through our waste collection company, we collect data and monitor how much  waste goes into landfills versus recycling waste and monitor our waste management
• We try to find new uses for as many items as possible. For example: Our old jeep tires are reused as tables in the Midgard lounge
• We have redesigned our lunch boxes and the food we send out on tours with less packaging in mind to reduce waste
• Our guides carry bags with them on tours to be able to collect all the waste they see in nature and they encourage guests to do the same
• We hold an annual Sustainability Week, during which we organize lectures on various topics. This year, we featured a talk on the retreat of our glaciers and a presentation from the Icelandic Soil Conservation Service. As part of the week’s activities, we also cleaned the local black sand beach, collecting 1.5 tonnes of rubbish, and planted over 800 birch trees in the Midgard forest. Additionally, we took part in Plokkdagur, Iceland’s national day of rubbish collection, where everyone is encouraged to participate in cleaning up their surroundings.

Electricity

Iceland is a leader in renewable energy, with geothermal, hydro, and wind power serving as our primary energy sources. Over 90% of homes are heated using clean, sustainable energy. Even though our energy is green, we remain committed to reducing electricity consumption wherever possible, always striving to use resources wisely.

How do we do it?

• We shut down all energy-consuming appliances when not in use and we turn off lights when they are not needed
• We encourage our guests to do the same
• Wherever possible our lights have motion sensors

Water

Less than 3% of the world’s water is drinkable, and 2.5% of that is locked in Arctic ice! In Iceland, we’re incredibly privileged to have access to some of the purest water on the planet. We’re dedicated to safeguarding this precious resource by protecting our water sources and minimizing any pollution from wastewater. Our tap water is pure spring water, naturally filtered through centuries-old lava. In Iceland, there’s truly no need to buy bottled water.

How do we do it?

• We encourage our guests to drink tap water from reusable bottles or to fill their plastic bottles with tap water instead of buying new ones
• We don’t sell any bottled still water. On our tours we teach guests how to drink safely from rivers and streams
• We use as few chemicals as possible as well as using environmentally certified products that are emitted into the wastewater system.
• In the car cleaning area, the wastewater goes into an oil separator to prevent oil and other harmful chemicals from going into the sewage system

Purchasing

We are committed to responsible purchasing and promoting a circular economy. To reduce transportation impacts and support our local community, we prioritize sourcing locally whenever possible. We also strive to minimize single-use items, opting to reuse and repurpose wherever we can.

How do we do it?

• All takeaway cups, containers, straws and napkins are biodegradable
• The menu is designed with local ingredients in mind. We buy local ingredients for Midgard Restaurant & Bar whenever possible
• All cleaning chemicals and candles are environmentally certified

Transportation

We recognize that most of our guests travel by airplane and car to reach us and that we use buses and super jeeps on our tours. However, we are committed to reducing the carbon emissions that we have control over. We have calculated our yearly carbon footprint from our fuel use, electric use, waste and compost and we are looking into local projects to support in return for our environmental impacts. We aim to reduce our carbon footprint from 2023 to 2024.

How do we do it?

• We ensure that we use the vehicle with the lowest fuel consumption for each trip and encourage our staff to come to work on foot or by bike.
• We participate in regenerative projects such as tree planting and waste collecting (see above)
• In July 2024 we collaborated with the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland on a regenerative research project. The Soil Conservation Service allocated an area on the way to Landmannalaugar for us to spread the liquid that came from our Bokashi compost from Midgard Restaurant as a fertilizer. In July 2024, 24 liters of this fertilizer were spread by our guests on our Landmannalaugar Highlands Tour. This was educational for guests but time will tell the results of regenerating the soil with the fertilizer.

Community

Community is at the heart of everything we do at Midgard. As a local business, many of us were either born and raised here or fell in love with this place and chose to make it home. We are deeply committed to supporting our local community in every way we can.

How do we do it?

• As a business, we are registered here in Hvolsvöllur and our taxes get put straight back into the local community. This is different from a lot of big tourism companies in Iceland which are registered in the capital
• We encourage our employees to settle in the area by creating year-round jobs.
• We host monthly events at Midgard where locals and travelers can meet, have fun and get to know each other
• Most of our guides are members of the rescue team and we support them. We also support multiple youth associations and sports organizations in the area
• We host educational events at Midgard for our employees and the local community

WELL BEING, GENDER EQUALITY AND DECENT WORK

Employment

At Midgard, we take great pride in integrating our employees into the local community. It’s important to us that everyone on our team feels a sense of belonging and becomes part of this place. We are fully committed to respecting workers’ rights and go above and beyond to create a healthy and positive work environment. The psychological safety of our employees is just as important to us as their physical well-being.

How do we do it?

• Employees get physical fitness grants
• Employees get free Icelandic lessons
• We ensure psychological safety with regular interviews and good communications
• Employees join our tours regularly to get to know the country better and they are encouraged to travel and join cultural activities in the area
• We have Occupational Health and Safety guidelines that address issues of bullying, harassment and violence.

Gender equality 

Iceland ranked first for gender equality in 2023, marking the 14th consecutive year it has topped the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report. Iceland has achieved over 90% parity, making it the global leader in closing the gender gap. However, there’s still much work to be done, particularly in areas like economic participation and political empowerment. At Midgard, we pledge to continue advancing gender equality and strive to be a role model for other businesses in this important work.

How do we do it?

• We pay equal wages for the same role
• We encourage all genders to apply for jobs at Midgard
• In cases where we have employees in non typical gender roles (example: female super jeep guides, female CEO, female owners) we do our best to bring this to the attention of the younger generation because we understand the importance of role models
• We offer women’s adventure trips with the focus of empowering women in nature and outdoor activities. When we started the company in 2010 there were few female guides in Iceland. Since then, things have changed and the number of female guides has increased and so has the number of women who practice outdoor activities. With these women’s trips, we want to help women become more independent in their nature exploration and empower them with knowledge and confidence.

EDUCATION AND INNOVATION

Continuous education and innovation

We are committed to continuously expanding our knowledge on environmental and sustainability issues. Educating and informing our team, guests, locals, and partners is something we take seriously, sharing what we know with pride. We remain humble in our journey, eager to keep learning and looking forward to the future. Innovation is our driving force—whether it’s creating new experiences or refining our operations, our foremost goal is always to prioritize the environment and sustainability.

How do we do it?

• We encourage our guests to recycle and we educate them on our Food Waste Programme
• Our guides talk about climate change, our “leave no trace” concept and focus on connecting with nature
• We encourage our employees to participate in projects connected to sustainability and the environment. These projects are often organized by entities such as The Iceland Tourism network
• We have a sign at the bar and information on our menu that says “Ask us about our sustainability policy and food waste program” to encourage a conversation about sustainability and to create awareness
• We have regular meetings and workshops with our employees on sustainability to educate and improve our policy

Thank you for reading our Environmental & Sustainability Policy. Want to learn more about us? Check out our awards & nominations!

We encourage you to take

The Icelandic Pledge

The pledge is extremely important to us at Midgard. When we travel the pledge
is our guiding light. We encourage all our guests to take the pledge and to be
responsible when exploring, not only in Iceland but everywhere they go.

>> Take the Icelandic pledge!

Drink responsibly!

The Icelandic “Kranavatn”