Sustainability

For us, sustainability means concrete actions from the dairy farm to the dinner table.

We aspire to be part of the solution to global challenges. We are aware of our environmental and climate impacts, and it is our responsibility to reduce them. We reduce emissions, we grow carbon sinks, we work to increase biodiversity, and we create circular economy solutions. At the same time, we work purposefully to improve people and animal wellbeing.

Our nutritional innovations improve the health of people, and delicious tastes bring friends together around the same table. Valio is owned by Finnish milk producers through cooperatives, and we pay the profits from our operations to them. We create jobs around Finland. This way, we ensure that we will continue to have locally produced food, the origin of which we know.

Sustainability management

A cooperative approach and Valio’s shared values, mission, and vision are the cornerstones of our operations. Also Valio’s Code of Conduct and other policies guide our operations.

In line with the sustainability governance model, Valio’ sustainability is led by the head of Sustainability and Stakeholder Relations, who is also a member of the Executive Board. Valio has operative teams for environmental, social and economic responsibility issues, as well as various decision forums. The realisation of sustainability is regularly reported to the Valio Executive Board in the sustainability forum.

Focus areas of sustainable business

We have identified the topics that are especially important to Valio’s stakeholders and through which we create wellbeing for society. We also pursue business benefits from these areas. We want to be a frontrunner in promoting wellbeing and sustainable lifestyles, in advancing the target of a carbon-neutral milk chain, and in securing nature’s vitality.

We have set targets for each focus area have and linked them to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2016–2030 aim at eliminating poverty and improving wellbeing with the environment in mind. Read more

Read more about the advancement of the sustainability focus areas and our responsible operations in our Sustainability Report or through the following pages.

Co-operative foundation Animal welfare Sustainable milk production Transparent sourcing Innovations to promote health and wellbeing

Climate

Climate change is the global challenge of our era. Through our own actions, however, we can help to make things better. We are aware of the environmental impacts of our operations, and we want to be part of the solution. Our goal is not just to reduce milk’s carbon footprint, it’s to cut it completely by 2035.

Sustainability reports

We report annually on the results of our work in the form of financial statements and the sustainability report. We apply the Corporate Responsibility Reporting GRI Guidelines for Corporate Responsibility Reporting.

See reports