Tavolo Bianco / Säynätsalo Town Hall is now Biosphere Certified Company.
Develop responsible tourism with us!
The Säynätsalo Town Hall, designed by Alvar Aalto, is not and will not be a fenced area for tourists in the middle of the island community. The Town Hall building operators consciously develop activities so that the surrounding community, residents, and other entrepreneurs feel safe and comfortable and have the opportunity to find business and benefit from the area's uniqueness and attractiveness. After that come the comfort and needs of the tourists - in that order. Emphasizing the importance of the Aalto is not just a marketing ploy for individual entrepreneurs and communities but also a much broader thought and reflection on a path that goes hand in hand with responsible tourism values as a guide.
You can also learn from Aalto's architecture into a way of life. The harmonious interaction of man and the environment emphasized by Aalto can also be a way of life for modern-day locals and tourists visiting the islands.
"Tavolo Bianco Oy meets all the criteria set for the Sustainable Travel Finland label, and the company has thus been granted the right to use the Sustainable Travel Finland label as proof of valuable and long-term work for sustainable tourism."
https://www.visitfinland.com/sustainable-finland/sustainable-travel-destinations/
We believe that the development of tourism is more sustainable for our destination and the visitors who come here in terms of their comfort and well-being. We value and cherish our beautiful archipelago nature and Alvar Aalto's heritage, the area's residents' interests, and tourists' well-being arriving in the area.
Regardless of your profession, education, experience, or what stage of your life you are in, what mobility you have, or who you love, you are always safe and welcome to visit Säynätsalo Town Hall.
We strive to emphasize diversity, non-discriminatory culture, and equal opportunities to our customers, employees, and partners.
Promoting equality is an important part of our business values. Our goal is for all visitors and those at work to feel accepted and valued as their own selves. We turn the recognition of difference into an asset for our company. All customers are equal to us, regardless of gender, nationality, religion, age, or other personal characteristics.
- We actively communicate sustainable tourism actions to tourists, local residents, and our partners.
- We know the service and goods producers in the area and take advantage of their offer. We also encourage tourists to buy products from local producers.
- We respect the local culture (traditions, history, and stories) and make the most of it as part of our service offering.
- Year after year, we operate more and more all year round. We have developed e.g. our winter residency operations, we rent workspaces and meeting rooms, we create new events and activity products for all seasons.
Activities that support society
We are constantly working with local residents and partners.
We strive to carry out at least two community-supporting activities each year.
- cooperation with educational institutions, e.g. internships and introductions to working life and company presentations
- cooperation with local associations for recreational activities
- Participation in Säynätsalo days to increase community awareness and information on responsible tourism
- providing free / low-cost banquet facilities for local communities and residents
- free admission and guidance to local residents during events
Protect the cultural environment and nature with us!
- We are reducing our energy consumption in accordance with the goals of the City of Jyväskylä. We implement energy and water consumption-saving measures and encourage customers to act accordingly. We encourage our customers to consider the reasonableness of water and energy use in our accommodation.
- In cleaning, our partner is SOL, whose cleaning operations for Kunnantalo will change during 2021 to meet the "Joutsenmerkki" label's strict conditions for the entire life cycle.
- Our gude visitors and guests in sorting rubbish, and we also recycle and sort ourselves more and more accurately.
- We encourage customers to drink tap water instead of bottled water. We have placed information on the quality and safety of Finnish tap water in the rooms.
- The location of Säynätsalo Town Hall really enables the customer to come ecologically, for example by train and utilizing local traffic. We encourage the use of public transport, e.g. by providing tips on schedules on our website and in the arrival instructions that will be sent to guests before the visit.
- Guests are encouraged to move with low emissions, e.g. offering bicycles for rent and hire.
- At Säynätsalo Town Hall, visitors are offered ecological services, such as nature trips and lake nature experiences in cooperation with actors in the area.
- We utilize professionals from the area, such as nature guides, bakers, and craftsmen, to offer experiences.
- We use local labor whenever possible. We get laundry services from a neighboring company on a long-term basis and our SOL-cleaner lives right next to our property. The summer workers are local young people and students. We employ locals and increase the number of year-round jobs through cooperation between companies.
Säynätsalo Town Hall and another nearby Alvar Aalto site, the Muuratsalo Experimental House, are nominated as future UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Tavolo Bianco Oy is now developing its tourism services strongly and responsibly in order to promote tourism, attractiveness, and vitality in the region.
TAKE THE SUSTAINABLE FINLAND PLEDGE
Nature has taken care of us for millions of years, and now it’s time for us to take care of it in return. By taking the Sustainable Finland Pledge you make a promise to respect and treasure the Finnish nature, its inhabitants and culture during your visit.
On my journey, I pledge to be like a Finn,
and by this, I mean slowing down from within.
The wilderness lets me relax and connect,
I promise to treat it with the utmost respect.
Its forests and lakes should remain plastic-free,
so I will not leave any rubbish behind me.
The world-class tap water shall quench my thirst,
because in my choices the climate comes first.
In Finland, it’s our equal right to roam free.
This right should be enjoyed responsibly.
The berries and mushrooms are there to be eaten,
but I’ll stick to the paths that are already beaten.
Long before humans, the wildlife’s been there,
so I won’t set up camp just anywhere.
I shall also respect the lives of locals,
and will be considerate with cameras or loud vocals.
I know Finns can seem just a little reserved,
but with this pledge, their trust will surely be earned.
source: https://www.visitfinland.com/sustainable-finland-pledge/
