Valio sustainability report highlights key environmentally mindful product gains
Finnish dairy and ingredients group Valio has released its latest annual sustainability report, revealing a strong performance for the group, with net sales growth of 3% to €1.8 billion across its operations, which include confectionery applications.
As the company noted, many of its latest product ranges had responded to consumer demand for healthier and alternative eating options, including its Profeel puddings for the snacks, Oddlygood within plant-based products, and Eila NUTRI F+ milk powder for nutritional needs of the older generation.
The business said its core goal as part of its latest sustainability report remained one of cutting milk’s carbon footprint to zero by 2035, with its work focused on reducing reduce emissions, rather than offsetting them as has been pursued by some corporations.
Among its key achievements in the past year has been an initiative with the Baltic Sea Action Group, training 250 dairy farm entrepreneurs to become carbon farmers, which included starting using recycled plastic in packaging, developing a carbon footprint calculator, as well as being committed to setting scientifically assessed climate targets in line with the Paris Agreement.
The company, which has a number of solutions for the confectionery sector, noted that its biggest challenges are related to recycling manure as fuel and decreasing emissions from peatlands drained from wetlands, which it is working with commercial partners to explore solutions to these challenges.
As the business explained, it core ownership is structured through 4,700 Finnish dairy farmers operating through cooperatives. Its profits to milk producers are delivered through the price of milk, and it employs a total of 25,000 people at dairy farms. The business has 4,000 professionals working from different sectors, and its development has been based on strong consumer feedback and its own experience of more than 100 years.
Speaking on the release of the sustainability report, Annikka Hurme,CEO, said: “Finns ranked Valio as Finland’s most sustainable brand for the seventh time in the Sustainable Brand Index survey. People consider the Finnish origin of Valio’s products, animal welfare and sustainable packaging as especially important. We receive the recognition humbly, and we will continue the work to improve the wellbeing of the environment, animals and people. We believe there is a place for sustainably produced Finnish dairy products also in the future.”
