Impact Fund for Environmental and Community Initiatives
As part of its commitment to responsible and regenerative travel, 50 Degrees North donates 10 percent of annual profits to social and environmental causes through its Impact Fund.
The fund supports initiatives that align with the company’s core goals of protecting biodiversity, supporting local communities and cultures, and strengthening nature’s ability to absorb carbon, in line with its Climate Action Plan. Priority is given to projects that address the impacts of tourism, are visible to travellers, and give trade partners confidence that destinations are being supported beyond the journey itself.
The Impact Fund reflects a belief that tourism businesses have a responsibility to actively contribute to the wellbeing of the places they operate in. Through long-term partnerships, practical conservation action, and transparent funding, 50 Degrees North aims to support resilient destinations while offering clarity and confidence to travellers and trade partners alike.
Impact Fund total for 2025
In 2025, the Impact Fund totalled NOK 1.8 million, representing almost double the size of the fund in 2024. This increase has enabled 50 Degrees North to continue supporting long-term partner organisations while also forming two new partnerships focused on conservation and waste reduction.
2025 Impact Fund partners
La Humla Suse
La Humla Suse, La Humla Suse is a Norwegian non-profit organisation working to protect wild pollinators, particularly bumblebees, and to secure their habitats across Norway and the wider Nordic region.
Wild pollinators are essential to biodiversity and healthy ecosystems. Through continued support, La Humla Suse is able to expand conservation initiatives, deliver education and training, and strengthen advocacy work at both local and national levels.
In partnership with 50 Degrees North, this work also extends into carefully designed urban nature experiences in Oslo, where clients engage directly with pollinator conservation through expert-led, hands-on activities that bring sustainability to life in the heart of the city.
Nærøyfjord World Heritage Park
Nærøyfjord World Heritage Park works to balance environmental protection, cultural heritage preservation, and sustainable tourism within one of Norway’s most significant and most visited fjord landscapes.
As one of the most popular regions for travellers, the area benefits from active investment in visitor management and conservation. Support from the Impact Fund contributes to trail monitoring and maintenance, sustainable visitor management, cultural heritage protection, and community engagement, helping ensure this UNESCO World Heritage area can continue to be enjoyed responsibly for generations to come.
SeaForester
SeaForester SeaForester focuses on restoring lost kelp forests in coastal ecosystems. Kelp forests are among the most productive marine environments on the planet, supporting biodiversity, fisheries, and coastal livelihoods, while also playing an important role in carbon absorption.
Through the Impact Fund, 50 Degrees North supports SeaForester’s innovative restoration methods and has helped establish and advance its kelp restoration work in Norway, contributing to the regeneration of marine environments that underpin healthy oceans and sustainable coastal tourism.
Snowchange
Snowchange is a Finnish non-profit organisation working to protect threatened habitats by purchasing land that would otherwise be logged or drained for peat, and restoring it for conservation and rewilding.
Nearly 70 percent of Finland is covered by forest and peatland, ecosystems that historically absorbed large amounts of carbon and supported rich biodiversity. Snowchange works in partnership with traditional local communities, placing climate justice and nature-based solutions at the centre of its approach.
50 Degrees North’s support is focused on the Altto-oja project, a 73-hectare protected site just outside Ivalo in Lapland, selected specifically due to its proximity to a region visited by many of our travellers. The partnership reflects a deliberate approach to reinvesting in destinations where tourism activity is concentrated.
Funding from the Impact Fund contributes directly to the ongoing management and protection of the Altto-oja site. The project is the only conservation site in Finland that is co-managed by the Sámi, giving it significant cultural importance alongside its environmental value. Through this partnership, 50 Degrees North is supporting long-term conservation outcomes while contributing to biodiversity protection in the wider Inari and Ivalo region.
In the Same Boat
In the Same Boat is a Norwegian non-profit organisation whose mission is to remove waste from some of the Arctic’s most vulnerable and remote coastlines.
Using custom-built vessels designed for Arctic conditions, the organisation accesses areas that cannot be reached by road and are often overlooked in clean-up efforts. These include hard-to-reach coastlines across Norway, Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands.
By focusing on remote regions with high environmental sensitivity, In the Same Boat delivers targeted impact where pollution poses a significant threat to wildlife and fragile ecosystems.
Øyer community initiatives
The Impact Fund also supports local charities and community initiatives in Øyer, the small Norwegian community where 50 Degrees North’s headquarters is based. This reflects the company’s commitment to supporting its local home community alongside its broader regional sustainability efforts.
Whale and Dolphin Conservation
Whale and Dolphin Conservation is supported through a smaller contribution in recognition of its role in advising on the development of 50 Degrees North’s animal welfare policy. This support reflects the importance of expert guidance in shaping responsible wildlife practices.
2025 Impact Fund allocations
Main partners
- La Humla Suse: NOK 350,000
- Nærøyfjord World Heritage Park: NOK 250,000
- Seaforester: NOK 250,000
- Snowchange: NOK 250,000
- In the Same Boat: NOK 250,000
Additional support
- Øyer local charities: NOK 100,000
- Whale and Dolphin Conservation: NOK 50,000
For further information on our sustainable travel initiatives, please see our Sustainable Tourism page.