ENVIRONMENT

Climate and Environmental Conditions

The global climate crisis poses a serious threat to children’s rights – both today and, increasingly, in the future. At present, one billion children are at risk, a figure expected to double by 2050. UNICEF is therefore working – and calling on all countries – to protect children’s lives by ensuring them a healthy climate and access to water, sanitation, healthcare, education, and social protection. At the same time, UNICEF is working globally to reduce the emissions that drive the climate crisis, which also means aiming to reduce its own environmental footprint.

At UNICEF Denmark, we strive to be transparent about how we, as an organization, impact the environment, with the goal of increasing environmental awareness and making conscious choices that reflect our overarching objectives and mandate. For this reason, we report on our CO₂e emissions from electricity consumption and air travel. Additionally, we describe some specific environmental initiatives at UNICEF Denmark’s office in Copenhagen.

Energy and Resources

We are working to reduce our consumption of heating and electricity wherever possible. Through small internal awareness campaigns, employees are encouraged to save energy. UNICEF Denmark also offers employees a lunch program that includes many vegetarian options, is over 50% organic, and follows seasonal ingredients. The lunch provider reports that waste is sorted, and all ingredients are used as efficiently as possible to avoid food waste.

We follow the municipality’s waste sorting regulations for businesses, and sorting bins for cardboard, paper, plastic, metal, and deposit-return items are available in central areas of the office.

The office has also partnered with an organic coffee supplier to establish an initiative for reusing coffee grounds, ensuring that nothing goes to waste.

Travel Activity

UNICEF Denmark operates in both Denmark and Greenland, and as part of an international organization, travel activities are necessary. A large part of our work involves maintaining relationships and building cooperation around the world, making travel an essential part of our value-creating efforts.

In Greenland, there are no roads between towns, so flights are required for activities and projects across locations. However, as part of a global organization, we frequently opt for online meetings instead of flying. To illustrate the environmental impact of our air travel, we collect data on our CO₂e emissions. For 2024, this includes data on domestic flights within Greenland. The methodology behind the reported figures is based on the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

UNICEF globally

Although Denmark may appear small on a world map, it holds a vital position within UNICEF. Located in Copenhagen’s Nordhavn district, the Global Warehouse is home to UNICEF Supply Division, which is the largest humanitarian warehouse in the world and serves as UNICEF’s supply and logistics headquarters. The facility spans over 20,000 square meters and can store up to 36,000 pallets of supplies, including clean water, sanitation and hygiene items, school and medical supplies, and medicines. Each year, essential supplies worth approximately 900 million DKK are packed and shipped from here to vulnerable children around the world.

Emergency aid is transported by truck, ship, and plane, and although CO₂e emissions are inevitable, UNICEF has taken significant global steps toward increased sustainability. UNICEF’s commitment to addressing planetary crises and moving the world toward carbon neutrality begins internally – with accelerated efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and environmental impact, and to prevent pollution, waste, and negative effects on biodiversity and ecosystems.

The scope and reach of UNICEF’s operations – spanning over 190 countries and territories worldwide – provide a unique platform for promoting sustainability and climate action across our facilities, operations, workplace policies, and our ability to influence the behavior of our own staff and our global network of partners and suppliers.

A central focus for UNICEF’s global operations is expanding the use of renewable energy, optimizing energy and water efficiency, minimizing waste, and promoting sustainable construction practices through green building certifications.

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SOCIAL

Social conditions

To fulfill our mission of creating lasting change for children and protecting their rights in Denmark, Greenland, and around the world, we need to attract and retain skilled employees. We aim to be a workplace where staff thrive mentally, socially, and professionally – a place with a positive atmosphere where people are motivated to show up and contribute.

A Work Life in Balance

To ensure a balanced work life with flexibility, employees are allowed to attend medical appointments and similar obligations during working hours. Additionally, there is an agreement allowing for two remote work days per week, provided the nature of the work permits it. In connection with parental leave, we offer 26 weeks of paid leave regardless of gender, as well as four weeks of pregnancy leave. All employees are also covered by a health insurance plan.

In 2025, a new workplace agreement will take effect, which includes two additional weeks of pregnancy leave, one extra week of parental leave, a 1% increase in employer-paid pension contribution, and a flexible employee co-payment option for pensions.

Each year, employees have the opportunity to participate in activities such as “We Bike to Work” and the “DBU Sponsor Cup.” In 2024, UNICEF Denmark staff also took part in the UN’s International Day of Play, where two hours of working time were dedicated to play. Additionally, we offer a massage scheme with employer-subsidized support and weekly meditation sessions during working hours for those interested.

We monitor employee well-being through regular pulse surveys, and in 2024, we continued offering debriefing sessions after crisis interventions. This initiative was introduced during our Gaza response, where the nature of images and stories had an emotional impact that required shared reflection and support.

My time in South Sudan was a wonderful and deeply enriching experience. It pushed me well beyond (what used to be) my comfort zone, both in terms of navigating the context and filling my role. I gained invaluable insights into the complexities of operating in a humanitarian environment and learned about the importance and challenges of integrated sustainable solutions – all whilst witnessing the tireless dedication of UNICEF colleagues. I return to Denmark with renewed inspiration and a deeper understanding of the critical work we do for children.

• Vivian Lara Pucher
• Global Partnership Manager
• UNICEF Danmark

Societal Impact

In collaboration with major partners such as the Grundfos Foundation, Novo Nordisk A/S, Pandora, the LEGO Foundation, the LEGO Group, and DSV as well as with support from other companies, foundations, and private donors, we help create meaningful change every year, both nationally and internationally.

In a time marked by ongoing crises and disasters, we remain committed to holding on to hope. Our future has not yet been written, and despite prolonged wars, a changing climate, and shifting geopolitics, there is still much we can do to ensure a better future for the world’s children.

The societal impact we create together happens close to home in Greenland and Denmark. It also takes place in countries like Ethiopia, India, Brazil, and Ukraine through initiatives that provide, for example, emergency relief, clean water, vaccines, and access to education. These efforts play a crucial role in our mission to contribute to a more sustainable societal development for children worldwide and to address some of the most pressing global challenges.

Below is a selection of initiatives in Greenland and Denmark where we made a local impact in 2024.

GOVERNANCE

Managerial aspects

In 2024, UNICEF Denmark has worked to increase transparency, establish more consistent structures, and improve internal communication. The goal is to become a more effective and well-managed organization, with a clear focus on ensuring children’s survival, health, and well-being.
 
As part of UNICEF, we are committed to upholding high standards of governance through the Principles of Good Governance for National Committees, which provide a framework to ensure that national committees maintain strong standards of strategic leadership, accountability, and ethical conduct. In addition, we follow the recommendations issued by the Danish Committee for Good Foundation Governance. In practice, this means we continuously work on professionalizing and strengthening the organization’s capacity.

Specifically, in the past year, several initiatives have been implemented to improve internal communication. Work has begun on developing an intranet, our staff meetings have been continuously adjusted to be more engaging and informative, and we have initiated structured knowledge sharing after relevant trips and conferences through Breakfast Briefings. At the same time, additional efforts have been made to strengthen foundation governance, increase transparency, and improve organizational structure.

UNICEF Denmark’s Governance and Management

UNICEF Denmark is governed by a Board of Directors, which serves as the highest authority in accordance with the foundation’s purpose as outlined in its statutes. The board operates on a voluntary and unpaid basis, with members elected for two-year terms and a maximum tenure of six years. Each member contributes valuable knowledge and expertise to the leadership and development of our efforts to support the world’s most vulnerable children. Every year, the board evaluates its work and reviews the principles of good foundation governance.

The board has established three committees: the Audit and Risk Committee, the Innovation Committee, and the Nomination Committee, to ensure the board is composed of individuals with the necessary qualifications and experience to meet the organization’s needs.

UNICEF Denmark’s daily operations are led by five directors and the Secretary General. The five directorates are: Partnerships, Private Fundraising, Advocacy & Communication, Strategy & Operations, and Finance.

Child Safeguarding

As an organization with children’s safety and rights at its core, it is essential that we protect all children who interact with us or our partners. We do this through our safeguarding principles. Therefore, we collect child protection certificates for all employees and relevant partners, and all new hires sign a safeguarding declaration and – depending on their role – participate in introductions and training on how we protect children. We also make a concerted effort to ensure that partners, influencers, and participants on UNICEF Denmark-sponsored trips complete safeguarding courses.

Fundraising Ethics

Fundraising is a major part of UNICEF Denmark’s work and helps us fulfill our mandate. As a member of ISOBRO (the Danish Fundraising Association), UNICEF Denmark adheres to the industry association’s ethical guidelines. ISOBRO works to ensure a responsible and transparent fundraising sector. This means that we always communicate the purpose of our fundraising activities and explain how the funds collected are used.

IT Security, Awareness, and Critical Information

In 2024, UNICEF Denmark initiated efforts to uncover the most significant IT security challenges. Additionally, a new mandatory awareness training program was launched for all employees, focusing on IT security and GDPR.

We have a whistleblower system in place that allows both employees and external partners to report critical information confidentially. This ensures that we can respond immediately if any critical issues arise.