in content lists or on the content page.The National Natural Resources Strategy, which was coordinated by Sitra and the result of work by an extensive group of experts, has won first prize in the national competition of the European Business Awards for the Environment. The successful national entries for the competition will be submitted to the European-wide competition, which will be decided in June 2010. The jury considered the Natural Resources Strategy, which won the Management category, to be unique at the international level and an extremely topical environmental project.
“The National Natural Resources Strategy is unique because it examines natural resources and their inter-linkages across sector boundaries, and covers both the use and protection perspectives over a sufficiently long timescale. We received the award for the way in which the strategy was prepared. It is fantastic that this has also been taken note of in the EU’s environment competition,” says Executive Director Eeva Hellström, who managed the strategy process at Sitra.
Work started on the Natural Resources Strategy in autumn 2008 and involved an extensive group of representatives from politics, administration, business, research, organisations as well as the media. The group was supported by an expert network as well as online questionnaires open to all, and the themes presented in them were used in compiling the strategy.
“The preparation of the strategy was a unique process that arose from a genuine need and the desire of people and organisations working in the field to create a common vision on the sustainable and integrated use of natural resources. On its completion, the strategy was submitted to Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen,” explains Eeva Hellström about the prize-winning process.
The strategy emphasises the intelligent use of natural resources. Innovativeness together with sustainable and responsible operations are essential to future success. Natural resources can in this way be used as a source of diverse well-being and to create sustainable business operations that will also safeguard the natural environment and its diversity.
The European Business Awards for the Environment competition is looking for enterprises and organisations that are pioneers in environmentally friendly policies, products and processes as well as in international cooperation. The aim of the competition is to highlight actors whose business operations support the principles of sustainable development. The national coordinator of the competition is The Association of Environmental Enterprises.
Further information, please contact
Eeva Hellström, Programme Director +358 50 351 2412, firstname.lastname@sitra.fi
Sirkka Hautojärvi, Chair of the strategy group, +358 50 590 6809 N
National Natural Resources Strategy»
The Association of Environmental Enterprises / competition»