Given our philanthropic history, social sustainability is particularly close to our hearts, but it is of course at least as important that our beautiful nature and archipelago environment is protected and nurtured for future generations to enjoy. Therefore, we do what we can to ensure that our operations leave as small a footprint as possible.
We take responsibility for a future for coming generations by actively working for ecological, economic and social sustainability and that together we will achieve the UN's global goals. We do this not least by following the strict requirements set by the Nordic Swan Ecolabel to ensure that our operations have as little impact on the environment as possible.
Given our philanthropic history, social sustainability is particularly close to our hearts, but it is of course at least as important that our beautiful nature and archipelago environment is protected and nurtured for future generations to enjoy. Therefore, we do what we can to ensure that our operations leave as small a footprint as possible.
You can also read about some examples of what we do below.
Here we try to answer everything you might be wondering about or need to know when you visit us - from directions to what equipment is in the villa.
Questions & AnswersThe Nordic Swan Ecolabel is the official ecolabel of the Nordic countries. The label makes it easy for you as a guest or customer to choose the most environmentally friendly products and services available. We are a Nordic Swan Ecolabeled hotel, restaurant and conference facility and have undergone an extensive certification process with documentation and controls to ensure that we meet the strict Nordic Swan criteria.
Read more about what it means to be a Nordic Swan Ecolabel site here.
Social sustainability is particularly close to our hearts. Our story began when Nils & Hanna Berg donated Marholmen to LO in the early 1900s to offer hard-working women and families a place to recover. Back then, in the early 1900s, families were invited to come to Marholmen to leave the hard work of everyday life and enjoy a week off a year, many years before we had statutory vacation in Sweden. In addition, a whole host of initiatives are taking place to reduce our footprint and protect our beautiful archipelago environment. Below you can read more about what we do to protect people and nature.
No child should live in poverty. But Save the Children's annual Child Poverty Report shows that around 196,000 children in Sweden live in a financial situation where the family has difficulty meeting its costs. Therefore, it feels natural for us to offer needy families "Family time at Marholmen" with accommodation, activities and meals in collaboration with RoslagsBlomman in Norrtälje
Launched in 2020, the project gives families who do not otherwise have the financial means to do so a chance to spend a few days off together. What is a matter of course for many families but can be an unattainable dream for others. Given our history, it is a matter of course for us to support vulnerable families and for us it feels meaningful to be able to contribute to more children getting away and changing environment together with their family.
About RoslagsBlomman
RoslagsBlomman is a non-profit organization that supports children and young people in financially vulnerable families in Norrtälje municipality. Based on the individual's needs, financial efforts are made to give the young people an active and meaningful leisure time. Read more about RoslagsBlomman
Since the outbreak of the war, medics and doctors working at the front in Ukraine have spent a week at a time with us at Marholmen for rest, recovery, security and rehabilitation.
This is a project close to our hearts and is done in collaboration with the Ukraine-based Repower Foundation, whose mission is to help active military doctors and medics get a break from their work in the combat zone at the Ukrainian front. They do this, among other things, by organizing rehabilitation trips to Sweden to give these brave men and women a chance to rest, recover and get psychological help to regain strength and motivation.
In addition to resting, sleeping, eating well, bathing and sauna, and participating in a range of activities, participants will also exchange knowledge with colleagues from Karolinska University Hospital, among others, and meet Swedish ministers and decision-making politicians. Pictured here is a group that visited us in January 2024 together with Minister of Defense Pål Jonson.
In collaboration with our local flower supplier Kärodlat, we will be planting "Beda's flower meadow" in spring 2024, our own flower garden here on Marholmen. The new flower meadow means that we will be self-sufficient in cut flowers all year round and can completely stop buying imported flowers. The cultivation is of course without pesticides and artificial fertilizers.
The new initiative also means that we can offer activities based on cultivation, such as courses in arranging flowers in vases and flower arranging, as well as self-picking.
- Through our local cultivation, we can completely opt out of the global flower industry's chemical use, high water consumption and long transportation. We can decorate the entire facility all year round with beautiful flowers that grow naturally here on Marholmen, while increasing biodiversity here on the island," says Marholmen's CEO Fredrik Utheim.
Flower decoration that follows the cycle of the year
When Sara at Kärodlat produces Marholmen's floral decorations, she works with fresh flowers from the orchards from June to October, the rest of the year with dried flowers, year-round greenery and what can be found in nature.
- There are so many beautiful flowers that can be grown locally here in Sweden, and I don't see the point in importing. The season starts with tulips, daffodils and wild raspberries, wild honeysuckle, moonberries, hazel and early perennials, and then it rolls on with ranunculus and anemones, the anuals such as larkspur, snapdragon, zinnia, summer mallow, asters, currant, amaranths, rosehips and eternelles, etc. In early August, the garden's prima donna, the dahlia, arrives. Something we are all looking forward to!" says Sara Lewell, Kärodlat Roslagen.
Photographer: Mia Lewell
Since the summer of 2020, our beehives have been a popular feature here at Marholmen and every year we throw honey several times a year that you as a guest can buy and enjoy.
The great thing about our bees is that they spread the biodiversity here on the island, while providing us with fantastic local honey that tastes different depending on the flowers that are blooming at the moment.
Did you know that:
Want to learn more about bees and beekeeping? Click on the link below to the All About Beekeeping YouTube channel where you can select episodes that interest you.
Here, 10,000 new zander fry swim out on an adventure in the Baltic Sea! Through a collaboration with, among others, the City of Stockholm and Fiskeguiderna, we release 10,000 pikeperch fry from our beaches here at Marholmen every year to help increase the stock of pikeperch in the archipelago.
The juveniles are released in several locations along the Baltic Sea coast to maintain the stock of predatory fish and balance the natural ecosystem. The juveniles are released into waters where they have direct access to protective reeds and jetties to increase the chances of not becoming bird food. In about two years, they are fully grown.
We are proud to be part of this great initiative and to contribute to a healthier environment in the Baltic Sea.
To reduce our food waste in the restaurant, we have enlisted the help of the organization Generation Waste, who are experts in the field. The very first step in reducing food waste is to start measuring it. This is both to create greater awareness within the organization but also to map where the waste occurs and thus be able to take appropriate measures to achieve a reduction.
"The basis for reducing food waste is to start measuring. What is measured is also visible" - Swedish National Food Agency.
Together with Generation Waste, we are working in three different steps to achieve greater awareness and ultimately change.
Nils Äppellund is the name of the old orchard here on the island, named after wholesaler Nils Berg who donated the island to LO a hundred years ago. Even today, the apple trees growing in the grove produce more apples every fall than we have time to take care of. But those we take care of we make a very good and appreciated apple must that we sell in our hotel shop and restaurant. It is both home-grown and delicious for real!
We invite guests and neighbors to pick the apples we can't take care of ourselves.
Tap water is much better for the environment than packaged water. Packaged water requires manufacturing and heavy transportation and causes unnecessary emissions and waste. Producing and delivering one liter of packaged water requires at least 300 times more energy than drawing one liter of water from the tap. Tap water is always locally produced and distributed in pipes, which is very energy efficient. That is why we have chosen to label Marholmen with the KRAN label.
Kranmärkt is a national sustainability label for businesses that choose tap water over bottled water. In a Kranmärkt business, no bottled or canned water is served in the workplace, at meetings, external conferences or training sessions. Instead, locally produced tap water is chosen, which is a far more environmentally friendly alternative. For us at Marholmen , it feels natural to serve the drinking water that is available in our taps and to encourage more sustainable drinking water use.
For us, it is important to make sustainable decisions. Every single day. When it comes down to it, it's quite simple - we need to be able to look ourselves in the mirror. In addition to what we've already told you above, here are some more actions we're taking to contribute to greater sustainability and a better society for future generations.
The list could be even longer! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by email or phone.
Follow marholmen.hotell for inspiration for your next trip.
Finally time for self-picking 🌷
It's time to harvest in Beda's flower meadow! This Saturday, 3/5 between 10-12, we open up for self-picking of free-grown tulips on onions. Sara from @karodlat.roslagen is on site and will welcome you.
The tulips cost SEK 25 each or 7 for 150 or 10 for 200 SEK. It will also be possible to buy already harvested spring twigs for those who want to tie a bouquet. Payment with Swish. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept cash or card payment.
Please note that the self-picking is only open during the times above.
marholmen #sustainability #norrtälje #roslagen #destinationroslagen #self-pick
Did you know that Marholmen is Nordic Swan Ecolabeled?
This means that we work actively to reduce our impact and that our operations are sustainable - from energy and water consumption to food waste and biodiversity.
Here are some of the efforts we make for the environment:
🌷Together with @karodlat.roslagen we grow our own cut flowers on Beda's flower meadow - completely without pesticides
🐝Our beehives spread biodiversity and give us local honey
✅ Together with @generationwaste_matsvinn we reduce food waste in the restaurant.
Because it feels good in magen❤️
@svanenmarkt #sustainability marholmen #närodlat #roslagen #cutflower cultivation #biodling #svanenmärkt
We 💚 Locally grown
Have you tasted our apple must? This home-grown goodness is made from our own apples in Nils Äppellund 🍎
The must is available for purchase in our hotel shop and restaurant.
marholmen #sustainability #near-grown
Christmas has moved in! ⭐️
Our (Christmas) star Sara is busy decorating and making Christmas pretty. The goal is a lot of stars, to let nature in and of course - to use what we have in a new and wonderful way.
Won't that be nice? ❤️
@karodlat.roslagen #sustainability #Christmas celebrations
New in Signes Handelsbod! ☕️
Apple cider from the island and our very own granola, have been given good company in the form of coffee from the Ostindia roastery in Vallentuna.
Perfect to buy as a memory from here 😋
#sustainability
Look how beautifully it grows and thrives in Beda's flower meadow! 🌺
We love that we are now self-sufficient in cut flowers all year round through our great collaboration with @karodlat.roslagen ❤️
On the dates below, self-picking is organized here - Do not miss it!
22/8 at 15-19
29/8 at 15-19
1/9 at 9-12
8/9 at 11-14
12/9 at 15-19
15/9 at 11-14
marholmen #roslagen #visitroslagen #norrtälje #visitstockholm #stockholmarchipelago #visitnorrtälje
#cutflower cultivation #cutflower growersSweden #cutflowers #sustainability #karodlat
Have you tasted our apple must? 🍎
The must is made from apples from Nils apple grove here on the island, made at @norrteljemusteri and is available for purchase in the restaurant or at our reception. Local & super tasty - just the way we like it! 💚
#sustainability
Now we have real spring beauty here at the hotel with beautiful and locally produced flowers from @karodlat.roslagen 🌸
#sustainability
Join us as Peter checks on our bees after winter! 🐝
Every year, our own bees here on the island deliver fantastic locally produced honey that varies in taste based on what the bees have feasted on. The honey is served in our restaurant and is also available to buy here on site.
In addition to creating wonderful honey, our bees also spread biodiversity here on the island. We are really happy about that! 🧡
marholmen #roslagen #near-grown #beekeeping #honey #spahotell #norrtälje @visitroslagen #sustainability
Now we can finally reveal that the old vineyard here at Marholmen will become "Beda's flower meadow" - a flower farm for cut flowers this spring!🌷
With this, we will be self-sufficient in cut flowers for the entire facility all year round and can completely stop buying imported flowers. In addition, we will be able to offer our guests activities such as flower tying, flower arranging and self-picking. As an added bonus, it will also increase biodiversity here on the island AND we can provide our wedding and party guests with flowers that are as locally grown as they can be.
We are doing this together with our phenomenal local flower partner @sara.lewell @karodlat.roslagen
Photographer: @mialewellfotograf
#skärgarden #Roslagen #hotel Marholmen #kärodlatroslagen #kärodlat #cutflower cultivation #near-grown cut flowers #near-grown flowers #norrtälje #sustainability