We care about environment and people

Suomenlinna is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is important to us to take care of our environment and ensure that our guests enjoy their time both at Valimo and at the Suomenlinna guest harbour. We are also on the path toward the Sustainable Travel Finland environmental certification.

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Responsible consumption

Responsible consumption starts with a menu of the right size. At Valimo, our menu is written on a chalkboard, which allows us to minimise food waste. For such a small menu, we offer plenty of vegetarian options as well as fish dishes. Based on recommendations from local people, we have introduced fish “traffic lights” inspired by WWF’s fish guide to guide the choice of fish and shellfish dishes. A green dot next to a dish means it is a responsible choice, yellow suggests consideration, and red indicates it should be avoided. By selling fish and shellfish dishes, we can also do our part in educating and increasing customers’ awareness of sustainable fish.

For children, we prepare half-portions on request. We do not have a separate children’s menu, which helps reduce stock levels and food waste.

At the guest harbour, we have aimed to reduce unnecessary water consumption. Washing boats with mains water is prohibited, and we have installed water-saving shower heads in the washing facilities.

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Cooperation and local engagement

In Suomenlinna, collaboration among businesses has always been important, along with cooperation with the Governing Body of Suomenlinna (Suomenlinnan hoitokunta). We always participate, whenever possible, in tourism-related events organised by the Governing Body as well as in events where the whole community contributes. A great example is the tourism morning organised twice a year for all operators in Suomenlinna, bringing together nearly the entire community and their ideas. At the same time, we explore different themes such as equality, accessibility, and current issues related to the World Heritage Site. We also support the evening chime that rings from the tower of Suomenlinna Church during summer evenings. The evening chime is organised by the Suomenlinna Society (Suomenlinnaseura), an invaluable organisation for the local community.

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Decent work

We hire people from diverse backgrounds and treat everyone inclusively and with respect. By doing so, we maintain a healthy and diverse work community where everyone enjoys their work — something our customers can sense as well. It is important to us that every customer feels welcome and valued when visiting Valimo or staying at the guest harbour. Our staff represents a diverse and inclusive group committed to providing a warm and friendly atmosphere for all guests. Our goal is to create a space where everyone can enjoy good food, ambiance, and togetherness without fear or discrimination.

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Life below water

Haukipullat — pike croquettes! “They’re so good that they’ll always stay on the menu, right?” — Yes, they will! And without rich underwater life, this wouldn’t be possible. Our collaboration with the John Nurminen Foundation and our role as an environmentally friendly Roope harbour help us support the Baltic Sea in our own way. The Baltic Sea is not doing well, and it is everyone’s responsibility to act sustainably so that we can continue boating, fishing, and enjoying pike croquettes. We as entrepreneurs are also passionate anglers and fish regularly.
(“Roope-satama” has no exact English equivalent; it refers to an eco-certified harbour as part of the ( “Keep the Archipelago Tidy” association.)

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Cultural heritage

It goes without saying that our location on the map of Finland is unique and quite different from many other places in the country. The history of Suomenlinna is fascinating and diverse due to the various ruling nations from the mid-1700s onwards. It is important to us to preserve this cultural heritage for future generations and to be part of a community that tells its stories to both tourists and locals.

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Climate actions

Viabar Oy is a car-free company. In Suomenlinna, we move by muscle power using an electric-assisted cargo bike or handcarts. We commute to work using public transport. We prefer responsible partners such as Kesko, Sinebrychoff and Brukett Oy, which supplies us with delicious products from the Suomenlinna Brewery and wines from around the world.

Each year, we collect support fees from boaters for the John Nurminen Foundation, and in the future we plan to build charging points for electric boats. A large part of this responsibility also lies with the pier owner, the Governing Body of Suomenlinna.

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Room for improvement

And there is always some. In the future, we aim to select even more responsibly caught and farmed seafood. In terms of logistics, we aim to optimise deliveries so that small loads are not transported unnecessarily. Our small storage spaces and curved walls pose challenges. We aim to improve storage solutions year by year and use our spaces more efficiently — without compromising cultural heritage.