Finnish winners of the Business Awards for the Environment 2006

Press release 10 January 2006The Finnish national winners in the European Business Awards for the Environment 2006 competition were announced on 10 January 2006 in Helsinki by the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Mari Kiviniemi. Awards were given to the winners in four award categories, and there were five honourable mentions. The winners and the recipients of honourable mentions will also participate in the EU-wide European Business Awards for the Environment 2006 competition. There were 19 entries. – The competition showed a uniformly high standard. The assessment focused on how environmentally friendly and innovative the entries were and their performance in the markets, says Jukka Noponen, Executive Director, Sitra’s Environmental Programme. The Finnish winners of the European Business Awards for the Environment 2006 The Management Award for Sustainable Development The category Management Award for Sustainable Development was won by UPM-Kymmene, which has excelled in the global management of the chain of custody of the wood used at UPM-Kymmene’s factories. According to the jury, the chain of custody management system is the first and only global model that conforms to all certification systems. Product Award for Sustainable Development The Product Award for Sustainable Development category was won by Gasmet Technologies Oy for their gas analysers specifically designed for industrial and environmental applications. They are an innovation for the measurement of emissions, which the jury praised for its cost-effectiveness. The portable device can simultaneously measure 50 gas compounds on site. Process Award for Sustainable Development The winner of the Process Award for Sustainable Development category is the TrumpJet mixing technology by Wetend Technologies Oy. It is a mixing technology that significantly reduces chemical and water consumption in liquid processes. International Cooperation Award The winner of the International Cooperation Award category is YIT Construction Services, which was involved in the construction of the South-West Wastewater Treatment Plant in St. Petersburg, Russia. The jury praised the project for being a significant collaborative effort to protect the Baltic Sea and an excellent example of realising a demanding international multilateral partnership project in Russia. Honourable mentions Product category · Nokian Tyres Oyj, environmentally friendly tyres · Stromsdal Oyj, Tecta eco-packaging, dispersion coated barrier board for the food industry Process category · Fortum Power and Heat Oy, cleaning the flue gas of large incineration plants with advanced incineration technology · GreenStream Network Oy, practical implementation of climate policy, that is, emissions trading International Cooperation category · UPM-Kymmene, responsible wood imports from Russia Purpose of the competition Corporate social responsibility and adhering to the principles of sustainable development are success factors for today’s companies. At the same time, new practices and green innovations in business and industry are indispensable if we want to guarantee a clean future for generations to come. The European Business Awards for the Environment highlight companies that support sustainable development in their business operations. The awarded companies are pioneers in environmentally friendly policies, products and processes. The competition has two parts. The national competition is coordinated by the Finnish National Fund for Research and Development – Sitra. The winners of the national awards will then participate in the European Awards. The international competition is organised by the Environment Directorate-General. The winners of the international competition will be announced in Brussels in late May. Further information Mr. Jukka Noponen, Executive Director, Sitra Environmental Programme, tel. +358 9 6189 9430Ms. Laura Järvinen, Project Manager, tel. +358 9 6189 9407