The transformation of Djurgården began in 2016 when attractions across the island asked themselves: What is Djurgården? What values do we share? What can we achieve together that we can’t do alone?

The result was a bold departure from traditional branding. Instead of a marketing campaign, Djurgården adopted a non-branded identity rooted in collaboration. The guiding principle: act, don’t advertise. Shared sustainability goals — aligned with the UN SDGs and the GSTC Criteria — became the framework for action.

Today, Djurgården is a collective of champions and learners. A dedicated sustainability team, with members from across the attractions, leads strategy, measurement, and reporting. The sustainability portal provides full transparency, including carbon data, shared progress, and project updates. This openness has built trust — both among partners and with the public.

Collaborative Governance

The Royal Djurgården Society coordinates over 60 attractions — from large museums to cafés and gardens — enabling a unified approach to sustainability and placemaking.

Transparent Impact Tracking

All members report progress via sustainable.royaldjurgarden.se, including energy use, emissions, and shared goals aligned with the UN SDGs and GSTC criteria.

Global Recognition

From winning the Green Destinations Platinum Award to hosting GSTC2024, Royal Djurgården is firmly positioned as an international reference in sustainable urban tourism.

Royal Djurgården’s story was widely praised for its thoughtful structure, clarity of values, and evidence of real stakeholder alignment. Judges highlighted the initiative’s ability to drive collective action across over 60 diverse attractions — all without formal authority — as a standout achievement.

One judge noted: “This is an impressive story of collaboration, in pulling 62 attractions together to share and project their collective core values under four critical focus areas. If ever anyone needed evidence that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, Djurgården proves it.”

Judges also applauded the strength of Djurgården’s long-term strategy and its communications approach: “A very clear strategy and a great example of effective stakeholder involvement and good community work. Strong positioning and very strong communications strategy thought into the long term.”

The initiative was described as “well-structured,” “rich in learning points,” and “by far the best case — well documented.” The fact that the effort emerged from a collaborative society rather than top-down power structures was noted as both rare and inspiring.