How the Nordic Swan Criteria and Scoring Work
Requirement Index
This article summarizes how the Nordic Swan criteria for hotels and other accommodation are structured. The criteria combine mandatory requirements (O-requirements) and point-scored requirements (P-requirements).
Mandatory requirements (O) must always be fulfilled.
Point-scored requirements (P) give points, and the hotel must reach the minimum required score.
Main Requirement Groups
- General requirements of the business: O1
- Environmental management: O2–O7
- Energy requirements: O8–O12
- Water requirements: O13–O16, P1
- Waste requirements: O17–O26, P2
- Sustainable food and drink: O27–O33, P3–P4
- Biodiversity: O34
- Consumption of chemicals: O35–O42, P5
- Purchasing of ecolabelled goods and services: O43, P6
- Summary of points: O44
How many points are required for Nordic Swan certification?
To obtain the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, hotels must meet all mandatory requirements and achieve a minimum number of points through additional sustainability measures. The minimum number of points depends on the country where the hotel operates.
Minimum Point Requirements
In addition to fulfilling all mandatory requirements, hotels must achieve a minimum number of points.
- Nordic countries: minimum 12 points out of a possible 28
- Germany and Poland: minimum 8 points out of a possible 19
Points can be achieved through the following categories:
- P1 Water-reducing measures
- P2 Measures to prevent and reduce food waste
- P3 Organic food and drink
- P4 Locally produced food and drink
- P5 Nordic Swan Ecolabelled laundry service
- P6 Purchasing of ecolabelled products and services
Water Requirements
What are the Nordic Swan water consumption limits for hotels?
The Nordic Swan criteria define maximum water consumption limits depending on the type of operation such as hotel stays, restaurant services, catering, and conference facilities. The limits are calculated per guest or per service provided.
O14 – Limit Values for Water Consumption
The company must meet the limit value for annual water consumption per guest or service type.
- Hotel: 150 litres per hotel guest
- Hotel with pool: 200 litres per hotel guest
- Restaurant: 30 litres per guest served
- Catering: 20 litres per catering portion
- Conference facility: 15 litres per conference guest
- External pool guest: 50 litres per external pool guest
If the company combines several operations, the total limit value must be calculated based on the number of hotel guests, restaurant guests, catering portions, conference guests, and external pool guests.
What water efficiency requirements apply to taps, showers, and toilets?
The Nordic Swan ecolabel includes technical requirements for water-using equipment in hotels. These requirements apply when purchasing new taps, showers, toilets, urinals, and dishwashers. The goal is to ensure that hotels install water-efficient fixtures that reduce overall water consumption.
O16 – New Purchases
Water efficiency requirements apply to new purchases of taps, showers, toilets, urinals, and the main dishwasher.
Mixer taps – washbasin in guest rooms
- Maximum 5 litres per minute at a pressure of 3 bar
Mixer taps – washbasin in public areas
- Maximum 5 litres per minute at a pressure of 3 bar
- Alternatively sensor-controlled
Showers
- Maximum 9.5 litres per minute at a pressure of 3 bar
Toilets
- Two flushing options: 3 / 6 litres per flush
- One flushing option: 4 litres per flush
Urinals
- Maximum 3.5 litres per flush at a pressure of 3 bar
Main dishwashers
- Hood dishwasher: 3.0 litres per rack
- Conveyor dishwasher: 2.0 litres per rack
- Undercounter dishwasher: 2.5 litres per rack
P1 – Water-Reducing Measures (Maximum 3 Points)
Own measures
- Own measures that reduce water consumption by at least 5% per measure
- Example: technical devices that reduce water consumption in water-intensive equipment
- Points: 1
Mixer taps
- At least 90% of all mixer taps for washbasins have a limited water flow of no more than 5 litres per minute
- Points: 1
Showers
- At least 90% of all showers are water-saving showers with a flow of no more than 9.5 litres per minute
- Points: 1
Toilets
- 90% of all cisterns for the company’s toilets have two flush settings, or a maximum consumption rate of 4 litres per flush
- Points: 1
Urinals
- 90% of all urinals have a maximum consumption of 3.5 litres per flush
- Points: 1
Main dishwasher
- In its final rinse cycle, the main dishwasher consumes no more than:
- Hood dishwasher: 3.0 litres per rack
- Conveyor dishwasher: 2.0 litres per rack
- Undercounter dishwasher: 2.5 litres per rack
- Points: 1
Note: Own measures must be submitted to Nordic Ecolabelling for approval. The measures must be measurable.
Waste Requirements
O17 – Sorting at Source
The company must sort all waste generated in daily operations into relevant fractions according to local recycling possibilities and waste contractor capabilities.
Typical fractions may include:
- Clear glass
- Coloured glass
- Metal packaging or metal waste
- Organic waste / food waste
- Garden waste
- Paper
- Corrugated board and paperboard
- Paper packaging
- Rigid plastics
- Soft plastics / plastic foils
- Ceramics
- Cooking fat or oil
- Textiles
The exact fractions may vary by country and by waste contractor.
What is the maximum unsorted waste allowed for Nordic Swan hotels?
Nordic Swan certification requires hotels to limit the amount of unsorted waste produced during operations. The limits depend on the type of service provided such as accommodation, restaurants, catering, or conferences. The limits are calculated per guest or per service delivered.
O19 – Limit Value for Unsorted Waste
The company must meet the limit value for annual unsorted waste.
- Hotel: 0.10 kg per hotel guest
- Restaurant: 0.40 kg per guest served
- Catering / takeaway: 0.40 kg per catering portion
- Conference facility: 0.10 kg per conference guest
If the company combines several operations, the total limit value must be calculated based on the number of hotel guests, restaurant guests, catering portions, and conference guests.
Organic Food and Drink
How much organic food is required for Nordic Swan certification?
Hotels that serve food must meet minimum requirements for organic food and drink purchases. The required share of organic food depends on the country where the hotel operates. The requirements increase over time to encourage greater use of organic ingredients.
O28 – Limit Value for Organic Food and Drink
The minimum limit for purchased organic food and drink differs by country. The requirement increases over time.
| Country | Limit value 1 | Limit value 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 10% | 30% |
| Sweden | 10% | 15% |
| Germany | 10% | 15% |
| Norway | 5% | 7% |
| Finland | 13 products, or 5% | 19 products, or 7% |
| Iceland | 10 products | 16 products |
| Poland | 10 products | 16 products |
Limit value 1 applies to purchases from 2022 and is reported in 2023.
Limit value 2 applies to purchases from 2024 and is reported from 2025 onward.
P3 – Points for Organic Food and Drink
The company is awarded points if the share of purchased organic food and drink exceeds the mandatory limit value.
| Country | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark (%) | ≥ 30 – < 40 | ≥ 40 – < 60 | ≥ 60 – < 90 | ≥ 90 |
| Sweden and Germany (%) | ≥ 15 – < 25 | ≥ 25 – < 50 | ≥ 50 – < 90 | ≥ 90 |
| Norway and Finland (%) | ≥ 7 – < 15 | ≥ 15 – < 50 | ≥ 50 – < 90 | ≥ 90 |
| Finland (products) | ≥ 19 – < 25 | ≥ 25 – < 30 | ≥ 30 – < 35 | ≥ 35 |
| Iceland and Poland (products) | ≥ 16 – < 20 | ≥ 20 – < 25 | > 25 – < 30 | ≥ 30 |
Why This Structure Matters
The Nordic Swan certification is designed to ensure that hotels meet a documented environmental baseline while also encouraging continuous improvement through point-scored measures. The structure of the criteria helps hotels work systematically with energy, water, waste, food, chemicals, biodiversity, and sustainable procurement.
Requirement Summary
The Nordic Swan criteria for hotels combine mandatory requirements and point-scored improvements. To qualify, the hotel must fulfil all mandatory requirements and achieve the minimum required number of points.
Minimum Points Required
- Nordic countries: minimum 12 points out of 28 possible
- Germany and Poland: minimum 8 points out of 19 possible
Key Water Limits
- Hotel: 150 litres per hotel guest
- Hotel with pool: 200 litres per hotel guest
- Restaurant: 30 litres per guest served
- Catering: 20 litres per catering portion
- Conference facility: 15 litres per conference guest
- External pool guest: 50 litres per external pool guest
Key Water Efficiency Requirements for New Purchases
- Mixer taps in guest rooms: maximum 5 litres per minute
- Mixer taps in public areas: maximum 5 litres per minute, or sensor-controlled
- Showers: maximum 9.5 litres per minute
- Toilets: 3/6 litres per flush, or 4 litres per flush
- Urinals: maximum 3.5 litres per flush
- Main dishwashers:
- Hood dishwasher: 3.0 litres per rack
- Conveyor dishwasher: 2.0 litres per rack
- Undercounter dishwasher: 2.5 litres per rack
Key Waste Limits
- Hotel: 0.10 kg unsorted waste per hotel guest
- Restaurant: 0.40 kg unsorted waste per guest served
- Catering / takeaway: 0.40 kg unsorted waste per catering portion
- Conference facility: 0.10 kg unsorted waste per conference guest
Minimum Organic Food Requirements
- Denmark: 10%, rising to 30%
- Sweden: 10%, rising to 15%
- Germany: 10%, rising to 15%
- Norway: 5%, rising to 7%
- Finland: 13 products or 5%, rising to 19 products or 7%
- Iceland: 10 products, rising to 16 products
- Poland: 10 products, rising to 16 products
Main Point Categories
- P1: Water-reducing measures
- P2: Measures to prevent and reduce food waste
- P3: Organic food and drink
- P4: Locally produced food and drink
- P5: Nordic Swan Ecolabelled laundry service
- P6: Purchasing of ecolabelled products and services
In Practice
In practice, this means that a hotel must document its environmental work across management, energy, water, waste, food, chemicals, biodiversity, and purchasing, while also demonstrating additional improvements through point-based sustainability measures.