Partnership in practice: Mondi visits Värö

One recent practical example is the collaboration going on between Södra and its customer, Mondi. Together we have been looking at ways to cooperate more closely on sustainability.

Angeline Elfström, Customer Relations Manager, explains: “We began in May with a visit from several of our team to Mondi’s European head office in Vienna. We spent a day on workshops and then visited one of Mondi’s mills the next day. Then in October, a Mondi team spent two days with us in Varberg where they visited a nursery, forest and Södra in Värö. The forest is at the heart of our operations, of course, but it’s not the whole story. That’s why we then drew up a detailed agenda and delivered presentations on a variety of subjects, from our own sustainability targets and activities for reducing CO2 emissions from transport, for example, to sustainability strategies for the future, and expectations on Södra as a supplier. Certified raw material (FSC/PEFC), product stewardship and supply chains, biodiversity and sustainable fibre – all were on the agenda."

Martin Chovan, Pulp Sourcing Manager, Mondi: “We believe that sustainable development is fundamental to our future success. Mondi takes an active role in procuring renewable raw materials for our sustainable product solutions. The objective was to identify common topics and existing collaboration platforms where we can actively work together with various members of the value chain and improve both our position in the supply chain. We are happy to work with suppliers who have the same priorities as we do and show commitment to achieving sustainability targets in their own operations.“

 “Meetings like this are a great opportunity to understand what really matters most for the customer when it comes to sustainability, and to see how they can best use our sustainability credentials to their advantage,” adds Elfström. “We need to know what issues are top of the customer’s agenda so that we can make sure we are focusing on the areas that matter most from their perspective.”

The teams were meeting again for a third time to decide which areas to focus on in more detail. Elfström: “These very productive days are time well spent as we really gain an insight into what matters most for our customers and they understand what we can offer. Sustainability is such an important area and there are many aspects to consider for companies who want best practice when it comes to sustainable procurement. Close cooperation such as this can make a real difference.”