Environmental Responsibility

Socially responsible operations to reduce environmental impact

The recognition of environmental impacts is a key part of our corporate social responsibility. Our objective is to be the most environmentally responsible operator in our industry. To this end we actively develop our operations based on our customers’ needs, official recommendations and our own values.

We measure our own performance, implement measures for achieving our set objectives and constantly seek new ways of improving our operations for the good of the environment.

We want to provide ecologically produced products and services while guiding our customers to make environmentally friendly choices. We also expect our suppliers to commit to reducing their environmental impacts.

The company’s management and entire personnel are committed to constantly improving the level of environmental protection of all our operations. All of our employees are encouraged to consider environmental aspects and to act accordingly. We strongly believe that committing to environmental values also improves employee satisfaction.

Our level of environmental management and the constant improvement thereof are steered by the needs of our customers and our own desire to improve. Our work for the good of the environment also contributes to the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, of which the following are the most relevant in terms of our environmental responsibility efforts:

Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Goal 13: Climate Action

UN goals followed by Grano to reduce the environmental impact of our operations

We are committed to complying with:

the principles of the ISO 14001 environmental management standard in our operations
the requirements and values of the Nordic Swan Ecolabel
the sustainable development principles and requirements of the FSC® and PEFC ecolabels
the laws, regulations, decrees and directives relevant to our operations.

The Grano Group’s environmental policy defines the Group’s objectives and focus areas regarding the reduction of environmental impacts and is observed at the following companies: Grano Group Oy, Grano Oy and Grano Diesel Oy.

Energy consumption

Objective: Improving energy efficiency and utilising renewable energy. We will use 100% renewable electricity and heating by 2025.

We monitor our energy consumption with the aim of reducing it and increasing energy efficiency. We take energy consumption into account in new investments with the aim of improving energy efficiency. We focus our efforts on increasing our use of renewable and low-carbon energy sources, which also contribute to reducing our carbon footprint.

Raw materials and material efficiency

Objective: We use materials efficiently and increase the proportion of renewable materials. All the paper material we use comes from forests that comply with the principles of sustainable development and are or will be FSC ® or PEFC certified by 2025. In packaging, we will only use packaging made of recycled or renewable materials by 2025.

We work tirelessly to be able to offer more environmentally friendly products and packaging to our customers. Our goal is to increase the recyclability of materials and the use of renewable materials and reduce the use of harmful substances in our processes. We constantly seek new innovative and ecological alternatives. To promote material efficiency, we focus our efforts on the constant improvement of our processes and the implementation of a quality-oriented approach.

Products with Ecolabel

Objective: Increasing the proportion of products and services that are ecolabelled.

We offer carbon neutral products, products labelled with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, the FSC® label and the PEFC label and encourage our customers to use these ecolabelled products. The FSC® and PEFC certificates ensure that our wood-based materials are sourced from forests managed in accordance with sustainable development principles. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is an impartial guarantee of the overall environmental friendliness of a product or service. The carbon neutral product label indicates an environmentally friendly choice.

Climate change

Objective: Carbon neutral business operations by 2030

The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is a global goal, in recognition of which we want to do our part to mitigate climate change. We measure the greenhouse gas emissions of our business operations on a regular basis and engage in constant improvement to reduce emissions. We also offer carbon neutral products and services to our customers, with the help of which they can reduce the emissions generated by their own operations.

Circular economy

Objective: Promoting circular economy and zero waste.

We focus primarily on reducing waste by streamlining our processes, optimising the use of materials and maintaining a high level of quality in our operations. We monitor the amount and quality of waste that we generate. We sort our waste according to instructions so that it can be recycled and recovered as efficiently as possible. In accordance with the zero waste concept, our aim is to eliminate all waste that cannot be recycled and reused.

Sustainable supply chain

Objective: A supply chain that takes environmental impacts into account

We favour environmentally conscious suppliers in all of our procurements and evaluate the performance of our suppliers. We require our suppliers to implement measures to reduce their environmental impacts and to comply with laws and contractual obligations. Key suppliers must be ISO 14001-certified. We favour local and ecolabelled products. We follow social responsibility principles in all of our operations and also expect our suppliers to comply with our ethical principles.

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is an objective indication of the reduced environmental impact of a product or service. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is the best-known environmental label in Finland. Its constantly tightened environmental criteria guarantee the environmental friendliness and high quality of the labelled products and services.

As regards print products and printing houses, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel focuses on reducing environmental and climate impacts and promoting a good working environment. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel imposes strict requirements on print materials, chemicals and energy consumption, among others. These requirements promote circularity, ensure the recyclability of print products and reduce the consumption of raw materials and the generation of waste.

Only printing houses that have been granted the Nordic Swan Ecolabel can produce products bearing the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel proves that the product is among the best for the environment.

FSC

The FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) certificate is a global certificate that guarantees that the wood-based materials used in the product were sourced from sustainably managed forests. Responsibility extends to three areas: natural and environmental values, social rights and economically sustainable forest management.

Forests are one of our most valuable natural resources. Managing forests in accordance with the principles of sustainable development mitigates climate change. Using the FSC logo on cardboard packaging or other paper print products is a good way of demonstrating that the product is sustainable. Compliance with the FSC’s requirements is monitored by impartial third party auditors.

PEFC

The PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) is an international forest certification system promoting ecologically, socially and economically sustainable forestry throughout the world. Forests are an important renewable resource and serve as habitats for thousands of animal and plant species. Forests play a key role in climate regulation and also produce raw materials for a wide variety of products. To meet PEFC certification requirements, forest management must satisfy certain standards with regard to biodiversity, forest health and maintenance as well as recreational use.

The PEFC logo on a print or packaging product means that the wood used in the product has been sourced from sustainably managed forests. Compliance with requirements concerning wood origin tracking and traceability is monitored by independent auditors. The PEFC logo is an indication of the sustainability and origin of the product.

Carbon neutral product

Participating in the fight against climate change is important, which is why we want to offer carbon neutral products and services to our customers. Carbon neutral products are a better choice for the climate, as they do not generate emissions or contribute to global warming. By choosing a carbon neutral product, you can also reduce the carbon emissions generated by your own operations.

We compensate for the greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing by offsetting them through our partner Reforest. This results in a carbon neutral product with a net zero carbon footprint.

Carbon neutral products can be labelled to communicate to end-users that they are a climate-friendly choice. The label includes a unique certificate number assigned to Grano, which guarantees that Grano has calculated the product’s carbon emissions according to standards.

Labels for print products

As a customer of Grano, you can also demonstrate your own environmental responsibility by requesting that your print products be labelled with a label indicating sustainable forest management (FSC or PEFC), the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, the carbon neutral product label, the Key Flag Symbol or a combination thereof. If you wish to add these labels to your print products, please mention this when submitting your order or contact our sales staff.

ISO 14001

ISO 14001 is the most well-known environmental management system model in the world. It allows organisations to improve their environmental management in a comprehensive and objective-oriented manner while promoting sustainable development. The standard is suitable for organisations of all sizes in different industries, both in the private and public sectors.

Grano's environmental certificates

EcoVadis Sustainability Rating

EcoVadis is the most trusted company sustainability evaluator on the globe, as well as an independent and internationally recognised organisation. EcoVadis evaluates and rates the ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) performance of companies worldwide.

Grano’s carbon neutral product is a choice for a healthier environment

We at Grano want to play our part in mitigating climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We regularly measure the emissions of our business operations and work to reduce them. Our goal is to make our business operations carbon neutral by 2030.

We also offer carbon neutral products and services to our customers, with the help of which they can reduce the emissions generated by their own operations and communicate about climate-friendly choices.

Carbon neutral products at Grano

Why choose a carbon neutral product?

A carbon neutral product does not generate emissions or contribute to global warming. By choosing a carbon neutral product, you can also reduce the carbon emissions generated by your own operations. Carbon neutral products can be labelled to communicate to end-users that they are a climate-friendly choice.

Ordering carbon neutral services or products

Reforest – our partner for offsetting emissions

All the carbon neutral products that we sell are offset via Reforest. Since wood is a source of many raw materials for Grano, afforestation is a natural form of offsetting for us. As a Finnish company, we also want to promote the growth of forests in Finland.

Afforestation has also been proven to be the most effective way to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Reforest takes concrete climate action by reforesting wasteland and other non-productive land in municipalities and cities. This creates new carbon sinks in Finland.

Carbon dioxide sequestration through trees

A tree grows through photosynthesis, using sunlight to combine water with atmospheric carbon dioxide. The carbon in the carbon dioxide becomes the building material of the tree as the oxygen is released back into the atmosphere. About half of wood is carbon. One cubic metre of wood stores approximately 750 kg of carbon dioxide.
One tree sequesters approximately 259 kg of carbon dioxide over a 55-year cycle. Trees grow fastest between the ages of 20 and 50 years. During this period, the tree also absorbs carbon dioxide most efficiently. The better a forest is managed, the better the trees grow and absorb carbon dioxide.

For more information, please visit: www.reforest.fi (in Finnish)

Grano is participating in the Taimiteko initiative

Taimiteko – Seedling Action is an initiative aimed at offsetting the carbon dioxide emissions generated by both companies and private individuals by creating carbon sinks in Finland. The seedlings are planted by Finnish young people. In 2022, Grano supported the initiative with 10,000 seedlings.

The purpose of the Taimiteko initiative is to take concrete action to offset carbon dioxide emissions. Both organisations and individuals can participate in the initiative to offset their carbon dioxide emissions through the creation of carbon sinks in Finland.

Organised by the Finnish youth organisation 4H Finland, the Taimiteko initiative provides employment to young people under the age of 18, mainly comprehensive school graduates, and increases the carbon sinks of Finnish forests. It is this focus on young people that sets Taimiteko apart from other afforestation projects. Concrete actions have also been proven to reduce young people’s climate anxiety.

The initiative plants spruce and pine seedlings in areas that have not been in active forestry, agriculture or peat production for years or even decades. The aim is to plant 10,000 hectares of new forest by 2030, the equivalent of approximately 20 million trees.

Let’s work together on the most responsible communications in Finland!