STORA ENSO: Harvesting site inspections in Finland completed, harvesting resumed – Earlier notified stream site inspected by environmental authority

STORA ENSO OYJ PRESS RELEASE 6 September 2024 at 9:45 EEST

Stora Enso has completed its inspections of harvesting sites in Finland with high nature values. The inspections took place following the environmental violation in Hukkajoki, Finland on 15 August. The inspections show that no additional non-compliance cases have been detected in the assessed areas. As a result, harvesting operations at all inspected sites in Finland have been resumed.

During the inspections, the operational guidelines, harvesting plans, and risks related to the harvesting sites were reassessed. In addition to the site inspections, Stora Enso has initiated additional training on environmental policies, and the Company is carrying out a comprehensive audit with a third party of all wood procurement planning, implementation and control processes. Furthermore, the Company has completed an internal investigation into the Hukkajoki environmental violation.

Stora Enso had notified the environmental authorities of Kainuu ELY Centre on 28 August of one suspected non-compliance regarding crossing a stream inhabited by the freshwater pearl mussel. ELY Centre carried out an inspection to the stream site on 5 September. Kainuu ELY Centre carried out an inspection of the stream site in question in Puolanka, Finland on 5 September. Based on their observations, there has been activity at the site that violates the Nature Conservation Act, and this will lead to further measures. However, according to ELY Centre's press release of 6 September, the Puolanka site differs from the Hukkajoki site both in terms of the characteristics of the stream and its surroundings and the scale of the occurred activity, and therefore does not require the same type of acute restoration measures as the Hukkajoki site.

Part of the global bioeconomy, Stora Enso is a leading provider of renewable products in packaging, biomaterials and wooden construction, and one of the largest private forest owners in the world. We create value with our low-carbon and recyclable fiber-based products, through which we support our customers in meeting the demand for renewable sustainable products. Stora Enso has approximately 20,000 employees and our sales in 2023 were EUR 9.4 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Oy (STEAV, STERV) and Nasdaq Stockholm AB (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in OTC Markets (OTCQX) in the USA as ADRs and ordinary shares (SEOAY, SEOFF, SEOJF). storaenso.com/investors 

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