"If my business grows, will it be better or worse for society and nature?"
This is a question that the managers of Bláa Lónsin asked themselves when they went through the B Corp certification process, but the company got the certification confirmed recently. The question is at the heart of the purpose of B Corp, whose mission is to change the way business is done globally. The purpose is based on the fact that all companies should measure and evaluate the impact they have, for example on the environment, individuals and communities on a par with financial profit.
Festa's member companies heard about this and other sustainability-related issues at the Connections meeting at Bláa Lónin this month, from Helga Árnadottir, Director of Sales, Marketing and Product Development, and Fannari Jónsson, Quality and Environment Manager.
Flest þekkja sögu Bláa Lónsins en tengja hana þó ekki við hringrásarhagkerfið. Lónið myndast út frá jarðvarmavirkjuninni í Svartsengi sem var sett á fót á áttunda áratuginum og skilaði afar kísilríku affalsvatni eða jarðsjó. Þegar jarðsjórinn kólnar aðskilur kísillinn sig og þéttir hraunið og því seitlast jarðsjórinn ekki ofan í hraunið. Þannig myndaðist Bláa Lónið. Út frá þessu affalli frá virkjuninni hefur skapast dýrmætt og eftirsótt vörumerki sem í raun og veru byggist á því að nýta það sem var “úrgangur” frá annarri starfsemi.
Annað dæmi um hringrás í rekstrinum er ræktun á örþörungum sem eru í jarðsjónum. Með umhverfisvænni tækni eru örþörungarnir fóðraðir á jarðvarmagasi sem er ríkt af koltvísýringi og kemur upp með jarðsjónum. Örþörungarnir binda þannig koltvísýring sem annars færi út í andrúmsloftið. Örþörungarnir eru síðan notaðir í nærandi húðvörur.
With the guiding principle "Wellbeing for People and Planet", Bláa Lónið has always focused on sustainability in operations, and this focus results in measurable results. In addition to the number of certificates that the Blue Lagoon has received, carbon emissions per visitor have decreased by 38% in the last two years and the use of fossil fuels has decreased by 30% since 2019. The plastic footprint in the visitor experience has decreased by 81% and the recycling rate has increased by 20 % from the previous year.
We would like to thank Bláa Lónin and all those who attended for a great time together.
