Gothenburg continues to rank among the top when around 100 destinations around the world are evaluated in the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index). In 2025, Gothenburg placed second, once again proving the city’s strong international standing. The results were announced on 23 September. 

“Warm congratulations to Helsinki on securing first place. We continue to demonstrate that Gothenburg is one of the world’s leading destinations when it comes to sustainability. Many events and meetings choose Gothenburg precisely because we are frontrunners in sustainability, so it’s highly significant for the city that we remain among the best,” says Peter Grönberg, CEO of Göteborg & Co. 

The GDS-Index is both a development tool and a ranking system launched in 2016 by the Global Destination Sustainability Movement. Gothenburg has claimed the top position seven times and is still second after Helsinki, the same as last year.  

The ranking is based on nearly 80 criteria covering all dimensions of sustainability: environmental, social, and economic. This year’s results were close, with Gothenburg scoring 91,51 points, compared to 93.5 for Helsinki and 88,76 for Copenhagen. Around 100 destinations from across the globe participated in the ranking. 

“The GDS-Index is a highly effective way for all participating destinations to challenge and inspire each other to keep improving and to take further steps toward a sustainable transition. The fact that this year’s results were close, with several destinations achieving outstanding scores, is clear evidence of that. We look forward to continued collaboration in the future,” says Katarina Thorstensson, sustainability strategist at Göteborg & Co. 

For more information on the GDS-Index, visit: https://www.gds.earth/