Forward to a carbon neutral future

Climate change and global warming are significant challenges that are driving companies to rapidly transform and reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. Valmet believes that technology plays a key role in mitigating climate change and global warming in the transition to a carbon neutral economy.

Therefore, we have created an ambitious climate program − Forward to a carbon neutral future − which continues our comprehensive sustainability work. Carbon neutrality means a balance between emitted and absorbed carbon. Achieving zero carbon dioxide emissions is possible by eliminating or offsetting carbon dioxide emissions.  ​

Our climate program covers the entire value chain, and with concrete actions, we will significantly reduce our own carbon footprint and support our suppliers in doing so too.

Ambitious targets and concrete actions across the value chain

Valmet’s climate program includes ambitious CO₂ emission reduction targets and concrete actions across the value chain, including the supply chain, our own operations and customers’ use of Valmet’s technologies.

The program is aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement’s 1.5-degree pathway and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Valmet is also in the process of sending its climate targets to the Science Based Targets Initiative for validation.

“Our climate program covers the entire value chain, and with concrete actions, we will significantly reduce our own carbon footprint and support our suppliers in doing so too. Valmet is also strongly committed to being our customers’ preferred partner on their journey to carbon neutrality,” says Pasi Laine, President and CEO, Valmet.

Collaboration with suppliers       ​

Valmet’s supply chain accounts for approximately 4 percent of the carbon footprint of the company’s value chain. Our target is to reduce CO₂ emissions in the supply chain by 20 percent by 2030.

“We’re proceeding with a wide range of actions like decreasing the weight of our products, increasing the share of recycled steel they contain, and introducing alternative materials. We will support our CO₂-intensive suppliers in reducing their emissions and centralize spend on selected suppliers offering low-carbon transportation. We will also continue to develop freight planning,” says Jani Suomalainen, Vice President, Procurement, Valmet.

Jani Suomalainen, Vice President, Procurement, Valmet

Transforming our own operations     ​

Valmet’s own operations account for approximately 1 percent of the carbon footprint of the company’s value chain. We are targeting a reduction of 80 percent of CO₂ emissions in our own operations by 2030 without emission compensation.

“We’re driving this transformation by replacing fossil fuels with renewables in our locations, purchasing CO₂-free electricity and district heat, and implementing energy efficiency improvements. We are enhancing the use of digital tools and further developing remote working to reduce business travel emissions​. We will also promote low-carbon commuting,” says Laura Puustjärvi, Head of Sustainability, Valmet.

Laura Puustjärvi, Head of Sustainability, Valmet

Carbon neutral processes for customers​

As most of the carbon footprint of Valmet’s value chain originates in the use phase of Valmet’s technologies, the program emphasizes our current and future ability to enable 100 percent carbon neutral production for our customers.

Valmet’s current multifuel and bioenergy boiler technology already enables 100 percent fossil-free heat and power production today. Our target is to enable carbon neutral production for all our pulp and paper industry customers by 2030 as well. We will achieve this target by developing new technologies that enable fossil-free pulp and paper production when the customer is using carbon neutral electricity.

Our second target is to further improve the energy efficiency of our current technology offering by 20 percent by 2030. We will achieve this target by developing the energy efficiency of our portfolio, and offering our services and automation solutions to further optimize the production processes in the installed base.

“Today, customers’ chemical pulp mills utilizing our technologies are often more than 100 percent bioenergy self-sufficient already, and our current bioenergy boiler offering enables 100 percent fossil-free heat and power production. Our customers have set ambitious climate goals themselves, and Valmet has an essential role in helping to achieve them,” says Janne Pynnönen, Vice President, Research and Development, Valmet.

Janne Pynnönen, Vice President, Research and Development, Valmet