The Nordics

FOOD – THE NORDIC WAY

Nordic food has taken the world by storm.

From the underdog of the gastronomic world

to a global frontrunner, the Region is now recognised

for its ability to punch well above its weight.

TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT NORDIC FOOD

#1	New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto: The Manifesto was developed in 2004 and was signed by chefs representing the five Nordic nation states, as well as Åland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, creating a Nordic sense of ownership for the new ideology. It contains ten value-based principles that guided the development of a new approach to food and territory.
#2	Nordic food on the map: The Nordics have quickly gained a top spot on the global gastronomic map. In 2018, 64 restaurants received Michelin stars (a hallmark of fine dining quality and restaurants globally) in the Nordic region. There are over 260 Michelin-recommended restaurants across the Region.
#3	The Copenhagen effect: In 2007, the city of Copenhagen created the ambitious goal of converting to 90% organic ingredients in public canteens. Many other Nordic cities have followed suit by creating equally as ambitious plans. Denmark and Sweden are the second and third biggest
#4	New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto: The Manifesto was developed in 2004 and was signed by chefs representing the five Nordic nation states, as well as Åland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, creating a Nordic sense of ownership for the new ideology. It contains ten value-based principles that guided the development of a new approach to food and territory.
#5	Nordic food on the map: The Nordics have quickly gained a top spot on the global gastronomic map. In 2018, 64 restaurants received Michelin stars (a hallmark of fine dining quality and restaurants globally) in the Nordic region. There are over 260 Michelin-recommended restaurants across the Region.
#6	The Copenhagen effect: In 2007, the city of Copenhagen created the ambitious goal of converting to 90% organic ingredients in public canteens. Many other Nordic cities have followed suit by creating equally as ambitious plans. Denmark and Sweden are the second and third biggest
#7	New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto: The Manifesto was developed in 2004 and was signed by chefs representing the five Nordic nation states, as well as Åland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, creating a Nordic sense of ownership for the new ideology. It contains ten value-based principles that guided the development of a new approach to food and territory.
#8	Nordic food on the map: The Nordics have quickly gained a top spot on the global gastronomic map. In 2018, 64 restaurants received Michelin stars (a hallmark of fine dining quality and restaurants globally) in the Nordic region. There are over 260 Michelin-recommended restaurants across the Region.
#9	The Copenhagen effect: In 2007, the city of Copenhagen created the ambitious goal of converting to 90% organic ingredients in public canteens. Many other Nordic cities have followed suit by creating equally as ambitious plans. Denmark and Sweden are the second and third biggest
#10	New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto: The Manifesto was developed in 2004 and was signed by chefs representing the five Nordic nation states, as well as Åland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, creating a Nordic sense of ownership for the new ideology. It contains ten value-based principles that guided the development of a new approach to food and territory.

NORDIC FOOD EVENT CHECKLIST

Don't serve mediocracy. When planning your next function, use food to strengthen your initiative's message and agenda. Food is often seen as an accessory — something that is an afterthought or a last-minute add-on. But it doesn't have to be this way. In fact, food is so much more; food can embody the five Nordic values — openness, equality, innovative spirit, sustainability and trust. Food is a conversation starter, a connector and a way to make sense of complex concepts. Confused? We'll show you how! By following this guide, you can learn about the most important elements to include, adding value to your next workshop, meeting or high-level event. We'll show you how simple it is to be conscious of the food that you are serving, how your event is staged and how can it increase the impact of your flagship project. And finally, we'll show you how to ensure that food is never again a missed opportunity.

	Make food professionals like chefs, food designers and caterers a part of the planning process from the very beginning!
	Make a plan before the event to ensure that no food is wasted. This could be, for example, through donations to food recovery organizations or by avoiding the temptation to order surplus quantities of food
	Think carefully about where the food is coming from: choose local, seasonal and climate-friendly or foraged foods
	Involve and showcase women, young talent and other groups working with climate- friendly food. Don’t use the excuse that you cannot find them – you just need to look harder
	Strengthen your agenda through storytelling. Tell stories through food and involve the projects/ programmes that exemplify this
	Use reusable or edible cutlery and dishes when food is served
	Bottled water gives you bad karma: serve tap water in reusable cups instead
	Food/catering is generally a basic element of a budget. However, we also recommend that you include food and the staging of your event within the communications budget. Be ambitious and extend the reach of your event/initiative!
	Don’t just consider the food, staging is also key – consider a sustainable venue and be creative about using food as a means of delivering your message
	Consider incorporating circular economy into your event: from farm to fork and back again.

QUOTES TO USE!

“Giving small-scale artisanal food producers a voice, as well as support and skill-training, is critical. If we don’t, few people will have an appreciation of diverse, nutritious, delicious and quality food”

-Bodil Cornell, Director of Eldrimner

“As Nordic chefs we find that the time has now come for us to create a New Nordic Kitchen, which in virtue of its good taste and special character compares favorable with the standard of the greatest kitchens of the world.”

- The 12 signatories of the New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto in 2004

“Many people look to the Nordic and Scandinavian countries for the social models that are here. I would love for us to become a leading star in equality in gastronomy, and be a role model for people to follow."

-Kamilla Seidler, Former Head Chef of Gustu Restaurant

GET INSPIRED!

Solutions Menu: A Nordic guide to sustainable food policy

– Explore 24 concrete examples of innovative food policy in action in an easy to read format

norden.org/solutionsmenu

New Nordic kitchen Manifesto

– Learn about the ten core principes of the Manifesto and how the New Nordic revolution got started.

norden.org/manifesto

New Nordic Food Programme

– Find out about the different projects that put the New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto into action.

newnordicfood.org

Click her to download a full list of suggested reading materials about Nordic food

TWEETS - TO - GO!

An oldie, but a goodie: for the past 15 years, the principles of the New Nordic Manifesto have inspired a sea change in the Nordic Region. Read more about them to understand how they can be adapted to your context here #TheNordics #nordicsolutions

From zero to hero: The Nordic countries have quickly become a culinary powerhouse. Learn about how it all happened starting here (pages 60-83) and here #nordicsolutions #TheNordics #solutionsmenu @The_Nordics

More than a decade ago, the Nordic countries set their sights on becoming one of the most outstanding and innovative food regions in the world. What are some of the secrets to their success? Read here

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FOOD – THE NORDIC WAY

Ten Things You Should Know about Nordic Sustainability:

#1	Long standing commitments: The Nordic countries have a long tradition in advancing the goals of sustainable development nationally as well as internationally – including the launch of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Stockholm 1972; the formulation and launch of the already “classic” definition of sustainable development in the “Brundtland report” and with important Nordic input to the Rio summit in 1992; to the establishment of the MDGs in 2000, the launch of the first Nordic Strategy on Sustainable Development in 2001; and eventually to the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015
#2	Global leaders: The Nordic countries are among the world's highest-ranking countries according to the 2018 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) that ranks 180 countries on 24 performance indicators across ten issue categories covering environmental health and ecosystem vitality. These metrics provide a gauge of how close countries are to established environmental policy goals
#3	Youth front and centre: The Nordic countries encourage the engagement of youth as consumers of the future and promotors of sustainability. Emphasis is placed on active efforts to ensure a sustainable future for today’s children and young people, thereby making them an especially important target group and participant in Nordic efforts related to Agenda 2030
#4	Label it: The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is the official independent and third party certified ecolabel of the Nordic countries. Tough requirements in all phases of a product’s lifecycle and the continuous tightening of these requirements are the foundation of the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, and what distinguishes the label from other labels
#5	Heightened awareness: The Nordic countries have a vision to be a driving force for a sustainable society and responsible lifestyle, and when it comes to health and environmental concerns, Nordic consumers are considered to be the worlds most conscious: 9 out of every 10 Nordic consumers know the Nordic Swan Ecolabel – and half of these look for it when they shop. Three out of every four Nordic consumers are concerned about what they can do themselves to take care of the environment
#6	Bioeconomy superstars: The Nordic Region produces approximately 30% of Europe’s forest production and more than 50% of the total marine harvest. This means that the Nordic countries – especially the rural regions – are highly dependent on the bioeconomy, which represents 15–20% of exports from most of the Nordic countries (a far greater percentage can be found in Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands), and approximately 10% of total economic activity in the Region
#7	Transiting to cleaner energy: When it comes to emissions reductions, the Nordic Region is leading the pack. Forty percent of the gross domestic energy consumption in the Nordics is from renewable energy. For example, Denmark gets around 40% of its electricity from wind; Finland’s and Sweden’s vast forests provide an abundant resource for biofuels; Norway and Iceland both get approximately 70% of their energy from geothermal or hydroelectric sources; and the Nordic region’s inter-connected electricity network offers opportunities to share clean energy across borders
#8	Awarding environmental stewardship: The Nordic Council Environment Prize – a 47,000€ award – was created in 1995 to celebrate companies, organisations or individuals for exemplary efforts in integrating respect for the environment into their business or work or for some other form of extraordinary initiative on behalf of the environment
#9	Greener cities: Across the Nordic Region people live closely together in densely populated cities that provide rich opportunities for human interaction and busy social lives. People also have easy access to nature and green open spaces within built-up urban environments. These green spaces are viewed as essential in promoting biodiversity and improving the health, living conditions and quality of life for Nordic citizens living in urban areas
#10	Changing the face of transportation: The Nordic countries hold the largest market share of electric cars. In 2017, 39% of all cars sold in Norway were electric. In Copenhagen – a city well known for its bikes – cycling has long encouraged the construction of complex bike path systems. In Helsinki, platforms for collaborative and efficient mobility are becoming more popular

Nordic Sustainability Event Checklist:

Remember to practice what you preach. From the plates that you serve food on to the gender balance of your speakers – it’s important to consider both the small and big details when planning your next event on Nordic Sustainability. Below are some suggestions to help you on your way:

	Bottled water gives you bad karma: provide tap water or water in glass jugs instea
	Procure supplies, food and other services that come from distributors that care about sustainability. Avoid waste by only purchasing what you need.
	Choose a venue close to public transportation
	If you are bringing in guests from out of town, consider offsetting the carbon emissions of their travel
	Pick a venue that is LEED certified (the most widely used green building rating system in the world) or similar
	If food is served, don’t leave it to the last minute. Aim for local, seasonal and plant-based food that represents the core values of the event
	Think long and hard about who you invite both as guests and to speak. Beware of falling into the trap of SMP (‘Stale, Male and Pale’) trap – diversity is the spice of life!
	When preparing your invitee list, consider which voices and perspectives are missing from the event. Give yourself ample time to find ways to include them!
	Go digital! We already have enough paper in our lives – don’t provide paper handouts unless 100% necessary
	Make sure to add your event to TheNordics.com and post some photos on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #TheNordics

QUOTES TO USE!

#1 “Giving small-scale artisanal food producers a voice, as well as support and skill-training, is critical. If we don’t, few people will have an appreciation of diverse, nutritious, delicious and quality food”		#2 “As Nordic chefs we find that the time has now come for us to create a New Nordic Kitchen which in virtue of its good taste and special character compares favorable with the standard of the greatest kitchens of the world.”		#3 “Many people look to the Nordic and Scandinavian countries for the social models that are here. I would love for us to become a leading star in equality in gastronomy, and be a role model for people to follow."
-Bodil Cornell, Director of Eldrimner		- The 12 signatories of the New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto in 2004		-Kamilla Seidler, Former Head Chef of Gustu Restaurant

GET INSPIRED!

Nordic Bioeconomy: 25 Cases for Sustainable Change

- Discover how the bioeconomy is creating a smarter, more sustainable and more inclusive society in the Nordic Region

norden.org/nordicregion

Nordic Best Practices on Sustainable Tourism and Consumer Information:

- Read about nineteen inspiring initiatives

norden.org/

10 Insights into the Nordic Energy System:

- Find out why the Nordics are global leaders in renewable energy

nordicenergy.org

Click her to download a full list of suggested reading materials about Nordic food

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Sustainability – The Nordic Way

The Nordic countries are often regarded as global leaders

when it comes to sustainability.

However, this title has been hard-earned.

Regional, national and municipal governments place

sustainability high on their agendas

and incorporate it into multiple aspects of daily life.

#1 “Once again, the Northern European countries [including the Nordics] come out on top of the SDG index… The implications are clear: The social-market philosophy of a mixed economy that balances the market, social justice and green economy is the route to the SDGs.”		#2 “We know that the creation of a sustainable society will always be a complex process. There is no single solution but rather thousands of small steps that need to be taken.”		#3 “It is great to see how the Nordic countries have adopted the sustainability agenda. Nordic design culture has huge potential to act as a prime mover as production and consumption systems adapt to more circular economies, for example by designing more flexible and multifunctional buildings, or textiles that last longer.”
- Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network		- Stefan Lövfen, Prime Minister of Sweden		- Ashima Sukhdev, Government and Cities Lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Restaurant

Bioeconomy represents a paradigm shift from the traditional sectors of agriculture, forestry & fisheries to a more holistic approach. “Nordic Bioeconomy: 25 Cases for Sustainable Change” highlights some of the best ideas & practices

here

#TheNordics #nordicsolutions

Want to learn more about #GreenGrowth, #SustainableDevelopment & Bioeconomy? Read the Nordic Council of Ministers quarterly web-magazine, “Green Growth the Nordic Way” to stay up to date

here

#nordicsolutions #TheNordics @The_Nordics

Since 2000, the Nordic economies have grown 28% and CO2 emissions have fallen by 18%. For more facts about Nordic Green, click

here

#nordicsolutions #TheNordics #climatechange #sustainabledevelopment #climatechange