Martela participates in the Carbon neutrality empowered by handprint project

When can a company says it is carbon neutral? And by what means is it achieved? How to identify and show the positive environmental impacts of circular economy solutions? Martela is participating in a two-year research project launched by VTT, LUT University and Business Finland, the aim of which is to promote the competitiveness of Finnish companies in the international market.

Martela participates in developing a reliable way to showcase carbon neutrality and the environmental benefits of circular economy solutions

The project ‘Carbon neutrality empowered by handprint’ is advancing the business opportunities and competitiveness of Finnish companies by developing an international framework for companies to reliably and credibly show their 1) climate neutrality and 2) the positive environmental impacts (handprint) of circular economy solutions.

In addition to VTT, LUT University, Business Finland and Martela, a group of Finnish companies are taking part in the project: Neste, Fortum, Borealis, Konecranes, Hartwall, Urbaser, HyXo ja Höyrytys. Participating companies develop procedures in close co-operation with VTT and LUT University. Methods are developed and tested using companies' products and solutions.

“A clear, internationally accepted understanding of carbon neutrality and a reliable showcase of the environmental benefits of circular economy solutions will provide companies the means for building a reliable and coherent environmental strategy and for reducing emissions systematically in a business-friendly way. A holistic and science-based framework for the environmental benefits of circular economy solutions will foster the exports of such solutions. Both frameworks support companies in adjusting to alternating operational environments, help them stand out, and speed up the commercialisation and export of new solutions,” says project’s manager Saija Vatanen, at VTT.

To gain competitive advantage in a globally competitive market, one must stand out from the rest

Sustainability and responsibility are at the core of international business operations, and the pioneers in these topics need tools to showcase their efforts reliably. However, there has so far been no established procedure for determining the carbon neutrality of an individual operator. In the absence of a standardised and scientifically validated procedure, carbon neutrality has been pursued through very different approaches.

“So far, there is no established and comparable way to calculate the positive environmental impact of Martela's circular economy solutions. Through the carbon handprint project, we want to find new ways to communicate the positive effects of our solutions,” says Anne-Maria Peitsalo, Director, Sustainability & Quality from Martela.

The solutions will be developed for use both nationally and internationally, which will be ensured by an international scientific steering group and by participating in the ISO standardisation work on the circular economy and carbon neutrality.

More information:
Anne-Maria Peitsalo, Martela Oyj, anne-maria.peitsalo@martela.com
Saija Vatanen, VTT, saija.vatanen@vtt.fi
Kaisa Grönman, LUT University, kaisa.gronman@lut.fi

www.handprint.fi
www.handprint.fi/carbon-neutrality-empowered-by-handprint