BENEFITS OF DOMESTIC CARBON SEQUESTRATION

On this page, we describe our collaboration with the Finnish carbon sequestration company Carboreal Ltd and highlight the social and environmental benefits of carbon sequestration.

Hesburger and Carboreal Collaboration

We collaborate with the Finnish partner Carboreal Oy. Carboreal is a Finnish carbon sequestration company that offers its corporate customers services related to afforestation projects. Afforestation involves planting trees in old fields that are no longer used for farming. This creates a new, diverse forest that binds carbon in trees and soil for the long term and improves the health of surrounding ecosystems. 

Afforestation sites are carefully chosen selected based on multiple indicators to maximize positive climate impacts at each location. Carboreal’s sequestration method has been verified by an external party. 

We believe that cooperation with Carboreal represents the next step in our long-standing responsibility efforts. Domestic carbon sequestration, carried out with the right partners, delivers impactful climate and environmental actions for a better tomorrow. 

Afforestation projects carried out in Finland create new carbon sinks by planting seedlings whose growth is easy to monitor, while also strengthening Finnish forestry expertise. 

Social Benefits of Domestic Carbon Sequestration

Thanks to afforestation projects in Finland, we can ensure that carbon sequestration is also carried out in a socially sustainable way:

  • Planting work is done in cooperation with local sports clubs, supporting children’s and youth activities.
  • Afforestation projects create jobs for local actors across Finland in various stages of forest management.
  • Land ownership is clear, as each site is registered in the real estate register for 99 years.
  • The projects generate additional tax revenue in Finland.
  • Arable land does not compete with food production, as new forests are planted only on land that is no longer used for cultivation.

Environmental Benefits of Domestic Carbon Sequestration

  • Forests planted on farmland diversify ecosystems, creating new habitats for numerous plant and animal species.
  • A diverse selection of tree species ensures earlier-blooming trees in spring, providing food for pollinators earlier in the season.
  • New forests reduce erosion, helping to mitigate climate change more broadly.
  • Afforestation improves water absorption capacity in the area, increasing groundwater reserves.
  • A diverse forest improves the condition of nearby water bodies, as nutrient runoff is reduced compared to agricultural use.
  • Forests act as nature’s own “air conditioning system,” cooling the air while increasing humidity.
  • Soil emissions decrease as former cropland is converted into forest.
  • Environmental benefits are secured for 99 years.

 

“It’s wonderful to be part of a long-term project that plants new, diverse forests in Finland.”

—Citation from Eeva Mäki, Global Sustainability Manager, Hesburger