The 2023 edition of Almedalen was filled with fruitful meetings and thoughtful conversations. Holmen, along with a large portion of the Swedish business community, was present in Visby alongside politicians, interest organizations, and an engaged public.
One of the highlights was the Swedish Forest Industries panel discussion on how the forest's climate and environmental benefit can increase in the future, where Holmen's CEO Henrik Sjölund participated as a panelist.
Henrik emphasized how Holmen's business model aims to create long-lived products from the forest, in line with the fossil-free society of the future:
"Our business model is to grow houses. Everything we do aims at getting as much raw material as possible to go through a sawmill and turn into as many long-lived products as possible," he said.
Innovative technology attracts young people to our industry
Sören Petersson, Business Area Manager Holmen Skog, was also in Almedalen to participate in seminars and panel discussions. He spoke about the forest´s important role in the green transition, but also about how digitization and the technology of the future can attract young talents to forestry jobs.
Stina Sandell, SVP Sustainability and Communications, participated in the Forest Industries' panel discussion about the future's major societal challenges. The importance of continuing to harvest the forest and replacing fossil material is key to cope with the transition, Stina emphasized and underlined that biological diversity is a fundamental part of forestry:
"Without the long-term work where both growth and biological diversity are in focus, our forests would not have been in such good condition. This does not mean that we can sit back and relax when it comes to working with promoting biological diversity. But the forests are doing well (according to the biodiversity index), which the debate does not always shows."
"The potential lies in how we can contribute to electrification"
Both Henrik Sjölund and Fredrik Nordqvist, Business Area Manager Renewable Energy, highlighted another side of what the forest can provide – how well it is suitable for wind power.
“In order to be competitive, we must be able to buy fossil-free electricity at competitive prices. Then onshore wind power is the answer," said Nordqvist.
Henrik Sjölund pointed out the great potential that Holmen has as a large landowner:
"Everyone is talking about change. We have already changed. Our great potential lies in how we can contribute to electrification," said Henrik.