Lab

Forest bioeconomy, business and sustainability (FBBS) Lab


About the lab

Forest bioeconomy, business and sustainability-group, University of Helsinki

See more information:
https://www.helsinki.fi/en/researchgroups/forest-bioeconomy-business-and-sustainability/about-us

Featured research (14)

The housing construction industry can address sustainability issues by developing its business practices. This requires a shift from a firm-driven business logic to a consumer-inclusive approach where consumers and businesses together enhance sustainable development. By analyzing data from focus group discussions with both industry experts in the wooden multi-storey construction business and consumers residing in novel wooden buildings, this study examines how businesses can engage consumers in the development of sustainable housing. The results are presented as an iterative dialogue process that acknowledges consumers as important actors to whom innovative housing solutions should be appropriately introduced and whose lived experiences need to be understood. The findings indicate that consumer experiences can feed the creation and uptake of innovations that enhance sustainability in the construction sector. The study fosters the material aspect of sustainable housing and, by highlighting consumer participation and communication, proposes tools for its consumer-inclusive co-development.
This study examines the role of business organizations in co-governing biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES) using a phenomenon-based approach and bridging business management literature, ecosystem services literature and environmental governance literature. The empirical analysis includes twelve Nordic forest corporations considered market leaders in Finland, Sweden and Norway. Using content analysis of corporate sustainability reports and managerial interviews, we recorded 127 company-led measures addressing BES and we categorized them into seventeen types (e.g., land use planning and restoration, mobilization of financial resources for conservation, partner auditing, capacity building and consultation with stakeholders). For each BES measure, we also identified the BES issues being addressed (e.g., climate regulation, soil maintenance, cultural values); company motivation (i.e., compliance, strategic, profit-seeking); the stakeholders/beneficiaries involved (e.g., employees, forest owners, experts, local communities, public administration, NGOs); and the private governance instruments used for implementing the measure (i.e., regulatory, economic, information and rights-based instruments). The findings suggest that practices such as monetary valuation, biodiversity offsets and green bonds are emerging as profitable or strategically interesting options for Nordic forest companies. However, well-established practices, such as forest inventory, partner auditing and land sparing, continue to be the backbone of private BES governance among the leading companies examined. Although not directly motivated by compliance, private governance measures are largely nested in legislation. The contribution of this study includes reflections of relevance for both the scholarly and managerial realms. From a scholarly perspective, we further elaborate an understanding of BES management and governance from an organizational perspective. From a managerial perspective, we provide and discuss an overview of potential measures that forest companies can implement to address biodiversity and other socio-ecological issues at the land-use level.
Tea should be perceived more as a cultural product than a fast-moving consumer good with its roots deep in different cultures across nations. Nevertheless, consumer demands on tea have not been explored sufficiently from a cultural perspective. This research aims to examine motives that are driving Chinese tea consumption on two usage occasions, under the influence of the Chinese renqing , mianzi , collectivism, and man-nature unity culture. Linkage was established between Chinese culture and consumer motives. The factor analysis on 280 respondents identified five consumer psychological motives. Further logistic regression analysis suggested consumer motives and usage situations were related. The contribution of the findings is summarized. On one hand, this study adds to the limited understandings on consumer motives of tea in an emerging country from the cultural aspect. On the other hand, deep understandings of brand chasing, sustainability, and pragmatism motives should businesses to better serve consumers.

Lab head

Anne Toppinen
About Anne Toppinen
  • My current research projects deal with sustainability transition and responsible business management in the emerging circular and bioeconomy, forest industry internationalization and investment strategies, and how forest bioeconomy competitiveness is affected by international environmental policies. Also modelling sustainable consumer behaviour and developing service businesses based on sustainable use of natural resources are among our ongoing research themes.

Members (17)

Lauri Hetemäki
  • University of Helsinki
Dalia D'Amato
  • University of Helsinki - Helsinki Institute of Sustainability (HELSUS)
Minna Autio
  • University of Helsinki
Elias Hurmekoski
  • University of Helsinki
Ritva Toivonen
  • Professor and dean, forest economics and marketing, University of Helsinki
Lauri Valsta
  • University of Helsinki
Jaana Korhonen
  • Oak Ridge Associated Universities
Sami Berghäll
  • University of Helsinki
tuomo takala
tuomo takala
  • Not confirmed yet

Alumni (5)

Katja Lähtinen
  • Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
Heini Vihemäki
  • Lappeenranta – Lahti University of Technology LUT
Minli Wan
  • University of Helsinki