Finnish consumers have again ranked Valio as number one in the Sustainable Brand Index study measuring consumer perceptions of brand sustainability. The study is conducted annually in Finland and other European countries. The results show that Finnish consumers particularly value Valio’s domestic food production, healthy and high-quality products, and our work to improve animal welfare and the climate.

“For us, it is a great honor that Finnish consumers again perceive Valio as Finland’s most sustainable brand. We accept this recognition with sincere gratitude. Sustainability is earned through actions, not words. The perception of Valio as a responsible company is built every day, in every encounter, through Valio people and our products. Especially today amid a turbulent and changing world, it is even more important to ensure that the operations of companies withstand critical scrutiny,” says Annikka Hurme, chief executive officer, Valio.

“The interest in sustainability shows signs of increasing among Finnish consumers. This year 65% of Finns claim to discuss the topic regularly, last year it was 60%. We also see that the most devoted consumers, whom we call ‘Dedicated’, now reach 10%, an all-time high for Finland,” says Erik Elvingsson Hedén, founder, Sustainable Brand Index.

“During exceptional times, many have realized the strengths that having viable domestic agriculture and food sector companies bring amid crises,” Hurme notes.

Valio’s ambitious sustainability work will continue

The ambitious goal to zero milk’s carbon footprint by 2035 is at the heart of Valio’s sustainability work.

“Climate change, loss of biodiversity, and population growth are major challenges for food production. In the future, more food must be produced on fewer hectares of arable land than today. At the same time, the environmental and climate impacts of food production must be significantly decreased. We want to be a part of the solution to challenges: we are aware of our environmental and climate impacts, and we are taking active measures to reduce them through regenerative farming and carbon farming in grasslands, the production of manure-based biogas, energy efficiency, and emissions reduction actions at plants, and emissions reduction measures at the farm level. At the same time, we are determined to improve animal welfare and the well-being of people,” says Hanna Hiekkamies, senior vice president - Group Sustainability, Valio.

Valio is a cooperative that is owned by 3,700 Finnish dairy farmers; it pays out all its profits to the dairy farms. The fact that Valio’s products and production are local is important to Finns. When choosing a Valio product, you can be sure that the money stays in Finland, on Finnish dairy farms.

“We will continue our ambitious work to zero milk’s carbon footprint by 2035 and to improve the welfare of animals and the well-being of people,” says Hiekkamies.

The Sustainable Brand Index study measures people’s perceptions about brands, not the progress or success of the brands’ sustainability actions. You can read about Valio’s sustainability actions and their progress in the 2021 Sustainability Report. The 2022 Sustainability Report will be published later in the summer.