Elovena® considered one of the most responsible brands in Finland – our systematic responsibility work continues
Press release 21 March 2022
Elovena® ranked in the top three in the newly released Sustainable Brand Index. Every year, the survey examines Finnish consumers’ perceptions of the responsibility of brands. Elovena® ranked third this year.
At Raisio, responsibility is not only part of our strategy, it also reflects the way we do business.
“At Raisio, responsibility and its impact starts with the strategy. It is reflected in everything we do. Successful responsibility work requires effort and cooperation both within Raisio and with partners,” says Sari Koivulehto-Mäkitalo, Raisio’s CLO, legal affairs and corporate responsibility. “Our goal is to ensure that our products are responsible, so that consumers do not need to worry about it themselves.”
“We promote sustainability continuously, as an integral part of our everyday work. The key to systematic work is to have a well-thought-out approach to sustainability; clear policies, practices and objectives; and a constant dialogue within the company. With the changes in the world, responsibility work has become even more important than before. We are delighted that our work has also been noticed by consumers,” says Koivulehto-Mäkitalo. “We are constantly improving our operations to meet the perceptions and expectations of consumers.”
The Sustainable Brand Index measures consumer perceptions. It does not assess the actual responsibility of brands.
Recent key responsibility actions we have taken
Plant-based products from a new factory:
Our plant-based products factory, completed in 2021 in the Raisio industrial area that uses carbon-neutral energy, produces many new products that encourage plant-based eating that is good for the environment and people’s health. The raw material is Finnish, gluten-free oats.
Environmentally friendly packaging:
All packaging for Elovena® products is recyclable. Because we do not want to see plastic litter in the environment, especially on the seashore, we are among the first companies to produce drink packaging with caps that stay attached. The EU’s Single-use Plastics (SUP) Directive will require plastic caps to remain attached to the packaging in the future. This requirement for drink packaging will enter into force in July 2024, but we have already taken action on this important goal, ahead of schedule.
In 2023, the wrapping of Elovena® snack biscuits will be replaced by a material suitable for cardboard recycling. The new packaging will reduce the amount of plastic we use.
One of our key objectives is to encourage consumers to be responsible and recycle packaging. In addition to recycling labels, our products also include clear, written instructions on how to recycle the packaging.
Carbon neutrality: We have worked systematically to make our production facilities carbon-neutral. The Raisionkaari industrial area has long run on carbon-neutral energy, and the Nokia mill has started to produce heating energy from its own oat side streams: whatever does not end up in the products is used in the mill’s own energy plant. Our goal is for the Kauhava factory to also become carbon-neutral by the end of this year.
Biodiversity: We are involved in the Hiililounas project, which produces a knowledge base on the carbon footprint of domestic plant proteins and develops nutritionally balanced lunch options with a lower climate impact. In addition to the management of carbon emissions, the protection of biodiversity is important for the well-being of nature and a sustainable future. Scientific and reliable carbon footprint data is seen as a way to increase the use of local plant proteins in catering services and help consumers make responsible food choices. The main funder of the Hiililounas project is the ELY Centre of Southwest Finland, and Raisio is one of the participating companies.
Contract farmers: We buy our grain directly from farmers. Our contract options also include an advance payment contract, introduced last year, with the aim of helping farmers at a time when many primary producers are facing a difficult situation due to a number of overlapping crises. Under an advance payment contract, the farmer receives an advance payment for the autumn harvest before sowing has even started.
Health: Healthiness without compromising on taste is the basis of Elovena® products. The nutritional qualities of the products are so good that you can eat them without worrying. This is demonstrated by the Heart Symbol on the products, which indicates that they are healthy alternatives in their respective product categories.
A comprehensive overview of our responsibility work can be found in our annual review, entitled Raisio’s Annual Review and Corporate Responsibility Report 2022, to be published on 22 March 2023. The report will be available on our website from 22 March 2023 onwards: www.raisio.com.
Inquiries:
Sari Koivulehto-Mäkitalo, chief legal officer, legal affairs and corporate responsibility, sari.koivulehto-makitalo(at)raisio.com,
telephone +358 40 594 9512
RAISIO PLC
At Raisio, we make food from the heart, with the aim of bringing health to ourselves and the Earth. We keep creating better plant-based and heart-healthy products so that eating healthily and within the Earth’s ecological capacity can be a pleasure. Our strong brands, such as Benecol®, Härkis® and Elovena®, turn our ambitions into reality. Through our responsibility work, we make the hard choices for consumers, so that they can choose Raisio products with confidence. We have around 350 healthy food colleagues in six countries and export to more than 40 markets around the world. Raisio's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. In 2022, the Group’s comparable net sales for continuing operations were approximately EUR 221 million and the comparable EBIT was approximately EUR 18 million. www.raisio.com
