environmental management system (EMS) based
on the ISO 14001 standard the first of Telenor
Norway's subsidiaries to do so. You can read more
about the basis for standardised environmental
management work on another page in this chapter.
Clearing up at Radio Isfjord was made the highest-
priority environmental target in Telenor Svalbard's
process to achieve environmental certification.
Establishing an EMS in Svalbard is part of Telenor's
systematic environmental efforts on this northerly
archipelago. In recent years Telenor Svalbard
employees have done extensive work to reverse
the environmental harm committed in earlier
times. Today Telenor Svalbard places great
importance on protecting the environment and
our Svalbard employees have a good dialogue
with the Governor of Svalbard to ensure that
environmental protection provisions are complied
with. Svalbard has vulnerable and beautiful nature
and particularly good "environmental behaviour"
is required in order to avoid lasting damage.
The special conditions on Svalbard require
everyone conducting operations so far north to be
particularly attentive.
In 2011 Telenor Svalbard started a major clear-
up operation in the area around Isfjord Radio. At
the beginning of 2012 completing this clear-up
job was top of Telenor Svalbard's list of priority
environmental targets. Isfjord Radio at Kapp Linné
was for many years the single point of contact
between Svalbard and Norway. For many of the
years when the radio station was owned by Telenor
waste metal from the facility was deposited in a bay
north west of the station building. At Isfjord Radio
the beach was used as a storage area and rubbish
tip. Following the major clear-up there is no waste
left around the station. All the waste material
was delivered to an approved reception facility in
Longyearbyen in 2012.
Svalbard set itself was to clear up as much of
the waste as possible. The clear-up itself was
conducted in the summer of 2011. Waste metal
from several decades was cut up and packed,
and at the start of September 2012 the waste was
transported to a reception facility in Longyearbyen.
environmental award
Telenor Svalbard was declared our internal
environmental award winner for the second quarter
of 2012 for its efforts to clear up after the many
years of Telenor's presence in a vulnerable and
beautiful landscape.
Telenor's hisTory in svalbard sTreTChes baCk more Than 100 years. The maJoriTy
of norway's proTeCTed areas are in The arChipelago and The vasT maJoriTy
of The environmenT in svalbard is almosT unTouChed. Telenor's employees
in svalbard have made exTensive efforTs To remove TraCes of previous
generaTions' ConsTruCTion aCTiviTies.
svalbard