Altia to participate Baltic Sea Action Group’s Carbon Action pilot

Altia has made a new Baltic Sea Commitment to enhance sustainable agriculture in the production of its beverages. The new commitment continues the co-operation between Altia and Baltic Sea Action Group (BSAG) that was initiated in 2015.

The new Baltic Sea Commitment includes participation by Altia and selected contract farmers in Carbon Action pilot project, which is a collaboration between BSAG, the Finnish Meteorilogical Institute, and Sitra. Carbon Action studies how climate change and the Baltic Sea’s eutrophication could be mitigated by capturing carbon in soil through better farming practices.

As part of the commitment Altia’s selected contract farmers participate in the Carbon Action pilot by dedicating a section from their fields in order to study the impact of the farming practices on soil for a period of five years. Altia covers the costs from soil sampling and informs the contract farmers about the project’s results such as the ways to enhance soil carbon storage and improve soil health.

“We are happy to continue our collaboration with Altia in the form of the new Commitment. Participation in the Carbon Action pilot project is a logical continuation to Altia’s previous Commitment, and it will undoubtedly benefit the contract farmers as well as the climate and the Baltic Sea,” says BSAG’s Managing Director Johan Schmidt.

The key ingredients in Altia’s alcoholic beverage production are grain spirit distilled from Finnish barley, as well as pure groundwater. The barley used for the production of grain spirit at the Koskenkorva plant is bought from about 1500 farms, which covers approximately 2,5 % of the total field area in Finland.

Altia works together with contract farmers to promote sustainable agricultural practices and to improve material efficiency, aiming to continuously minimise the environmental impacts of Altia’s production.

“It is important to find such technical growing solutions and possibilities that can be applied on a large scale, so that soil fertility can be maintained and improved. It is truly wonderful to be able to study this together with our contract farmers and the Baltic Sea Action Group as part of the Carbon Action pilot,” says Kari Kiltilä, Category Sourcing Manager at Altia.

Further information:

• Kari Kiltilä, Category Sourcing Manager, Altia
• Hannamari Koivula, Corporate Responsibility Manager, Altia
• Contacts:  Niina Ala-Luopa, Communications Manager, Altia, +358 400 728 957, niina.ala-luopa@altiagroup.com

• Riku Venhola, Project Director, BSAG, +358 44 340 3522, riku.venhola@bsag.fi

Altia is a leading Nordic alcoholic beverage company operating in the wines and spirits markets in the Nordic countries, Estonia and Latvia. The company produces, imports, markets, sells and distributes both own and partner brand beverages. Altia also has production in Cognac, France. Altia’s own core brands are Koskenkorva, Chill Out, Blossa, Larsen, O.P. Anderson, Renault, Xanté and Valhalla. Altia wants to enhance a modern, responsible Nordic drinking culture. Altia has a corporate responsibility action plan for 2018-2020. One of the key aspects of the action plan is to promote sustainable agriculture with the contract farmers. www.altiagroup.com

Baltic Sea Action Group (BSAG) is an independent organization founded in 2008 and located in Finland. BSAG works to restore the Baltic Sea’s good ecological condition by bringing together relevant and influential actors – businesses, researchers, and policy makers. BSAG’s ambitious agenda includes promoting carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling in agriculture in the Baltic Sea region, and reducing the risks associated with hazardous substances. www.bsag.fi

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