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few large forest companies. Hence, the small forest farmers could not get fair prices
for their product or for their forests. As a response to this situation, their cooperative
soon developed to coordinate distribution, sales and processing of timber and other
forest-based products. Over the years many small forest cooperatives merged, and
the large cooperative association Södra was formed in 1938.
Today, Södra has 51,000 small forest owners as members/owners. A large majority of these forest owners are very engaged in sustainable forestry. Many of them
have been engaged even before sustainability was a concept in research and regulation. In fact, over time some of the forest owners have refused to manage their forests the way the authorities required, since the forest owners believed they could
manage their forests in more sustainable ways. Södra states that:
the overall mission of the owners is to secure the provision for the members’ forest raw
material and promote forestry profitability through advice and support, so that the members’ forests can be managed responsibly and with sustainability and to contribute to a
market-based return on the forest raw material.
The timber from the forest farms is refined in Södra’s industries for sawn and planed
timber products, interior wood products, biofuel and pulp for the market in the market. Södra runs one of Europe’s largest sawmill operations and is one of the largest
producers of softwood pulp. Södra also produces textile pulp of hardwood. Their
three pulp mills have almost fossil-free production and generate a large energy surplus. This bio-based energy is sold, among other things, as green electricity and
district heating. Södra also owns manufacturing company, which produces onefamily houses. Södra claims that they are focusing in innovation in order to develop
new products, based on the renewable wood raw material.
Södra is emphasizing sustainable forestry and a sustainable forest value chain.
This means, among other things, that efforts are taken to ensure that members’ forestry is conducted using methods that ensure the production capacity of forest land
and forests as well as conservation of ecosystem services and biodiversity. Södra
mainly uses biofuels for the industrial production processes. The energy surplus is
delivered in the form of electricity to the open market, district heating to places near
pulp mills and sawmills and solid biofuels for heating plants. Through the industrial
activities, the forest raw material contributes to the local community’s conversion to
a more sustainable energy use. Efficient use of the forest raw material from a material and energy perspective creates new conditions for sustainable products.
Even though Södra is based on small-scale forestry with strong local roots and
local relations, it has ascended in the forest value chain and developed to a large
international actor. A large majority of the small forest farms are run by owners who
regard themselves as stewards. The stewardship perspective is also clearly communicated by their large cooperative Södra. Södra is applying several sustainable business model archetypes besides stewardship, maximize, create value from waste and
develop scale-up solutions. Hence, Södra’s sustainability-oriented process is covering all three steps, encompassing system building.
P.-O. Ulvenblad
few large forest companies. Hence, the small forest farmers could not get fair prices
for their product or for their forests. As a response to this situation, their cooperative
soon developed to coordinate distribution, sales and processing of timber and other
forest-based products. Over the years many small forest cooperatives merged, and
the large cooperative association Södra was formed in 1938.
Today, Södra has 51,000 small forest owners as members/owners. A large majority of these forest owners are very engaged in sustainable forestry. Many of them
have been engaged even before sustainability was a concept in research and regulation. In fact, over time some of the forest owners have refused to manage their forests the way the authorities required, since the forest owners believed they could
manage their forests in more sustainable ways. Södra states that:
the overall mission of the owners is to secure the provision for the members’ forest raw
material and promote forestry profitability through advice and support, so that the members’ forests can be managed responsibly and with sustainability and to contribute to a
market-based return on the forest raw material.
The timber from the forest farms is refined in Södra’s industries for sawn and planed
timber products, interior wood products, biofuel and pulp for the market in the market. Södra runs one of Europe’s largest sawmill operations and is one of the largest
producers of softwood pulp. Södra also produces textile pulp of hardwood. Their
three pulp mills have almost fossil-free production and generate a large energy surplus. This bio-based energy is sold, among other things, as green electricity and
district heating. Södra also owns manufacturing company, which produces onefamily houses. Södra claims that they are focusing in innovation in order to develop
new products, based on the renewable wood raw material.
Södra is emphasizing sustainable forestry and a sustainable forest value chain.
This means, among other things, that efforts are taken to ensure that members’ forestry is conducted using methods that ensure the production capacity of forest land
and forests as well as conservation of ecosystem services and biodiversity. Södra
mainly uses biofuels for the industrial production processes. The energy surplus is
delivered in the form of electricity to the open market, district heating to places near
pulp mills and sawmills and solid biofuels for heating plants. Through the industrial
activities, the forest raw material contributes to the local community’s conversion to
a more sustainable energy use. Efficient use of the forest raw material from a material and energy perspective creates new conditions for sustainable products.
Even though Södra is based on small-scale forestry with strong local roots and
local relations, it has ascended in the forest value chain and developed to a large
international actor. A large majority of the small forest farms are run by owners who
regard themselves as stewards. The stewardship perspective is also clearly communicated by their large cooperative Södra. Södra is applying several sustainable business model archetypes besides stewardship, maximize, create value from waste and
develop scale-up solutions. Hence, Södra’s sustainability-oriented process is covering all three steps, encompassing system building.
P.-O. Ulvenblad