Our climate benefit increases as the business grows

The forest delivers the most benefit when it is put to use. With this at the heart of Holmen’s business, our goal is to increase our contribution to the climate transition.

1.5 million tonnes CO2e in net uptake when carbon stored in forests and products exceeds our emissions

We manage the forest with the goal of producing as much wood as possible. A positive side-effect of the high growth rate resulting from rotation forestry is that the forest binds more carbon dioxide. After harvesting, the carbon dioxide is stored in our processed products throughout their lifetime, while new forest grows on the harvested land.

Growing forests capture carbon

Carbon storage increases because forest growth exceeds harvest.

Carbon stored in sold products

Wood and fiber products store carbon throughout their lifetime.

Our total emissions

Group-wide emissions across the full value chain (Scope 1–3).

6.33 million tonnes CO2e potentially avoided emissions from products that replace fossil-based alternatives

The greatest climate benefit from forests lies in their ability to reduce society’s reliance on fossil fuels. The harvested raw material is used to produce wood and fibre products that can replace materials such as cement, steel and plastic. Holmen’s climate benefit is further increased through our production of renewable electricity from hydropower and wind.

Wood and fibre products

Wood and fibre products can replace materials like concrete, steel, and plastic.

Hydro and wind power

Renewable electricity enabling increased electrification.

Biomass for bioenergy

Sold biomass is used to generate heat and electricity

How we have calculated

Holmen has calculated the climate benefit of its operations since 2019, using a method that over the years has been refined together with researchers and industry stakeholders. 2025 saw the launch of ISO 13391, an international standard for calculating the climate benefit of the forest industry. This is the method that Holmen uses to calculate our climate benefit.

Holmen's climate benefit reporting

Emission reduction targets

As early as 2005, Holmen set the goal of reducing the use of fossil fuels by 90 per cent by 2020. Today, scope 1 emissions follow the required rate of reduction for the Paris Agreement's 1.5-degree target.

As part of Holmen's climate targets, Group Management decided in 2021 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030:

15 percent reduction in emissions from operations (scope 1 and 2).
22 percent reduction in emissions from transport (scope 3).
22 percent reduction in emissions from forest machines (scope 3).
35 percent of emissions from purchased goods and services must be covered by science-based climate targets by 2025.

Holmen's emission targets have also been certified by the UN-affiliated Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).