Sustainability in companies and in your team… there is probably room for improvement. If you are planning a team-building weekend or thinking about how to make your work or product more sustainable, then read on!

This is the tenth in our series “Tips for a sustainable weekend getaway“. Every three weeks you can expect a new green idea on our blog!

Eco-friendly team weekend in the Black Forest

The Green PearlsⓇ Hotel SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA is considered a beacon in the green business events industry. The hotel has received numerous awards for its many green initiatives and can provide you with a certificate for your “carbon neutral business event”.

In the sustainably renovated building, owner Stephan Bode pays close attention to renewable energies, You and your team will find an ecologically inspiring environment that will make you think about things that are sometimes obvious and sometimes not, such as the snack garden with its many species conservation ideas.

Book eco-pioneer Stephan Bode as a speaker

As hotel owner Stephan Bode tells us in the interview, he is frequently booked as a speaker at business events.

The eco-pioneer and “self-made man” came to sustainability through “organic” and has many interesting and personal stories about how a company can become more sustainable.

Sustainability in business – what does it take?

As you probably know, larger companies (with more than 500 employees) in the EU are already required to produce a sustainability report (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive or CSRD).

For smaller companies, this is still voluntary, but in the future a CSRD report will be mandatory. If you want to establish this in your company now, it is best to follow the CSRD guidelines directly.

Of course, the opportunities to improve sustainability will vary depending on your company and product. If you want to use the team retreat as an opportunity to think about sustainability, consider the following:

• Energy and resource use
• Supply routes and suppliers
• Material use
• Communications (internal and external)
• Office space
• Catering
• Attitude
• Personnel (e.g. fairness, equal opportunities, etc.)

Even if you already covered the topic of sustainability, it is ALWAYS worthwhile. Because there is always something to improve and something is always changing (technical possibilities, available materials, means of transportation, etc.). You can also talk about things that have already been implemented. For example, has fair trade coffee worked? Or has it really been possible to reduce paper consumption through new technical solutions?  

New “Green Claims” rules against greenwashing

The new EU guidelines on green claims are also important. In the future, you will need to make sure that you can substantiate terms such as “eco-friendly,” “recyclable,” “sustainable,” etc. (We can only touch on this very important topic here, but you can read more about it soon on our blog!)

Sustainable team building opportunities in nature

Team building is about building cohesion. The members should get to know each other better, have fun together, learn to trust each other (even more) and develop a common vision for a goal (of the company).

For your team weekend in the Black Forest, we suggest a combination of:

 Team building in nature with a common activity

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Stay in a sustainable wellness hotel

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Team meeting / workshop on sustainability

Hiking is a classic team building activity

A group hike is an absolute classic that has worked for generations. Your grandfather may have gone on a hike with his colleagues, and modern companies still like to organize hikes for their departments (I know for a fact that Deutsche Telekom and Deutsche Bank do this, for example). It may not be as original as an escape room, but it has many advantages:

• Outdoor/natural exercise
• Works in any season and almost any weather (unlike other outdoor activities)
• Suitable for all ages and fitness levels
• Time for conversations and discussions that go beyond work issues, for which there is usually neither time nor space in everyday life
• Achieving a common goal (the end of the trail)
• Environmentally friendly and healthy

Hiking around the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA

There are many hiking and adventure trails around the hotel, and the team will be happy to advise you on which ones to take. Highlights include

• Monastery ruins & monastery trail Bad Herrenalb
• Black Forest treetop walk
• Falkenstein rocks & Mount Mercury

Green Meetings at the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA Campus

The hotel has 11 seminar and meeting rooms for your team meeting. All rooms are equipped with Wi-Fi and modern technology, including a projector, flipchart, screen, pin board and everything else you need for a successful meeting. You also have the opportunity to support a climate partner based on the CO2 emissions of the meeting (and travel).

Learn more on the hotel’s Green Meetings page.

Team building weekend in the Black Forest: What it could look like:

Friday (arrival)

We recommend taking the train for an environmentally friendly trip. The Bad Herrenalb train station is only 700 meters from the hotel and can be easily reached on foot.

At the hotel, everyone can check into their rooms (from 4 p.m.) and those who wish can explore the spa area with saunas and mineral pool.

In the evening you can meet for dinner at the hotel restaurant “La Vie” on the ground floor. Enjoy the fresh, organic cuisine, the panoramic views of the Black Forest, and the relaxed atmosphere.

Saturday (team building + meeting)

Saturday has two items on the agenda:

• Your Green Business Meeting and
• a team-building hike.

You will need to decide whether it makes more sense to have the meeting in the morning and the hike in the afternoon, or vice versa. You should also consider the weather forecast when making this decision 😉 In addition, the hotel owner, Stephan Bode, will show and explain the sustainable initiatives of the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA and give you valuable ideas for your own sustainable development.

Sunday (departure)

Before heading home on your last day (check-out time is 10:30 a.m.), enjoy the Zero Waste Breakfast at the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA. If you are used to pre-packaged meals in conventional hotels, you will be pleased to know that everything is served in small glass jars, which not only reduces waste but also looks much more appetizing.

Lots of small and large inspiration opportunities, a green atmosphere, and forward-thinking – we think you’ll find the best conditions for a team weekend here.

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