The winner of the Finnish “Most Sustainable Product” competition is Järki Särki canned fish, while the People’s Choice winner is Vegvursti®️ Original and Pepper. Honorable mentions were given to Pure Waste t-shirts and the Pöhiskö solar air heater.
On Sunday, October 9th, 2022, the first-ever award for Finland’s Most Sustainable Product was presented at the Sustainable Living Event in Kattilahalli, Helsinki. The winner and the recipients of honorable mentions were selected from a pool of 291 products by an independent panel composed of long-term experts in sustainable production and consumption. The People’s Choice category allowed the public to vote for their favorite product from the selection on the ostavastuullisesti.fi website. The Sustainable Living Event was held for the first time.
“Fishing non-native species significantly reduces eutrophication in Finnish waters. Meanwhile, domestic canned fish is a good alternative to food products made from vulnerable fish stocks, like foreign tuna. From a carbon emissions perspective, Finnish wild fish is among the most environmentally friendly animal-based food sources. Furthermore, the use of Finnish fish provides work for locals. With this award, we want to honor both Järki Särki and the entire rising Finnish non-native species industry,” explained Professor Minna Halme, Chair of the Sustainability Panel and Professor of Sustainable Business at Aalto University, about the panel’s decision.
The competition also included a People’s Choice category. A total of 14,361 votes were cast, of which 13,527 were counted. After a tight race, Vegvursti®️ Original and Pepper was named the winner of the People’s Choice award. The vegan sausages made from wheat protein are produced energy-efficiently and provide a plant-based protein source. In second place was Lotus Luonnonystävän toilet paper, made in Finland from FSC-certified recycled fiber, while third place went to Sinituote’s biodegradable cleaning tablets, which replace cleaning products in disposable plastic bottles, reducing waste and transportation needs.
The honorable mentions went to Pure Waste t-shirts and long-sleeved shirts, as well as the Pöhiskö solar air heater. The Pure Waste shirts are made entirely from recycled fibers, making them a more sustainable choice compared to the majority of products available on the market. Additionally, the shirts are designed to be durable, aiming to reduce the biggest sustainability threat in the fashion industry: fast fashion.
The Pöhiskö solar air heater, developed as a supplementary heating source and to improve air ventilation, is powered by solar energy in an eco-friendly manner. The heater also helps maintain the structural health of buildings like summer cottages during winter by drying and warming the indoor air using solar power.
The first Finland’s Most Sustainable Product competition is supported by JCDecaux Finland.
Leading, Independent Experts on the Sustainability Panel
Finland’s Most Sustainable Product was evaluated comprehensively for its sustainability features. The evaluation considered factors such as climate change impact, environmental footprint, human rights, workers’ rights, local production, and business ethics. In addition, the sustainability was assessed in relation to other products on the market.
“All recent consumer surveys show the growing desire of consumers to make sustainable choices. With the Finland’s Most Sustainable Product competition, we aim to bring comprehensive sustainability thinking closer to companies and consumers,” said Tiina Saukko, CEO of Infine, describing the competition’s goal.
“The core of companies’ business, meaning their products and services, is the most important factor in corporate sustainability. My prediction is that only companies whose offerings align with sustainable development goals will survive in the future,” highlighted Markus Terho, Head of the Sustainable Everyday Life Project at Sitra and a member of the Sustainability Panel.
The winner was selected by a panel consisting of Professor Minna Halme from Aalto University, Professor Jyri Seppälä, Head of the Center for Consumption and Production at the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Professor Mikko Mönkkönen, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, Antti Majava from BIOS Research Unit, Anne Liimatainen, Senior Counsellor responsible for Climate Responsibility Education at the Finnish National Agency for Education (OPH), and Markus Terho from Sitra’s Sustainable Everyday Life Project. The expert panel’s assessment was supported by a sustainability evaluation conducted by Infine.