Stora Enso's Renewable Solutions Enhanced the Sustainability of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Lahti

HELSINKI, Mar 06, 2017

STORA ENSO OYJ  PRESS RELEASE 6 March 2017 at 9.00 EET

The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Lahti, Finland, finished yesterday 5 March 2017 with a closing ceremony. Stora Enso, the presenting sponsor of the championships, donated two shelters made of cross-laminated timber (CLT) to the City of Lahti at the end of the games.

The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Lahti drew crowds totalling 220 000 to the stadium, and reached a total television audience of 500 – 600 million people around the world. Stora Enso has been working closely with the Lahti2017 organisers to promote the extensive use of renewable raw materials and other sustainable solutions at the games. The event was awarded the EcoCompass environmental certificate, in recognition of measures taken to reduce environmental impacts.  

"In this event, we have built on our positive experience of sponsoring the Ski Championships in Falun in 2015.  We are glad to have had this great opportunity to show how everything that is made of fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow," says Karl-Henrik Sundström, Stora Enso's CEO. "We've been very happy to see how Stora Enso's renewable products were well used at the event, and how our employees and guests have enjoyed the great sporting spirit of Finland's Centenary Championships."

During the games, Stora Enso hosted one and participated in two sustainability round table discussions at the parallel events also held in Lahti. "At Finland100 Forum, together with Sitra and the Finnish Olympic Committee we challenged future event organisers to find more sustainable solutions to reduce the environmental impact of major spectator events," says Seppo Parvi, Stora Enso's CFO and Finland Country Manager.

Stora Enso will now look after the recycling or reuse of the products and constructions it has provided for the event. Two shelters made of Stora Enso's CLT elements have been donated to the City of Lahti, and all the used board collected for recycling at the championships will be utilised as raw material for new corrugated board products.