Fortum's most important goal is producing electricity from fossil-free energy sources. However, as a major player in the Nordic region, Fortum also collaborates with several nonprofit organizations to back important initiatives that try to impact the climate or environment positively. For each customer who adds the Green Choice -value adding service, Fortum’s electricity companies make an annual contribution their respective partners, which we want to introduce in this article.
Protection of the Rainforest
— We are very proud and happy that so many of our electricity customers care for the environment and choose the services that support contributions to initiatives that try to impact nature, biodiversity and society positively. The collaboration with these organizations is an important partnership, and they all work to improve society in various ways, both locally and through international efforts, says Victoria Rypdal, who is responsible for Fortum's value adding services.
Fortum's electricity customers in Norway that have purchased the Green choice -service help us to protect large areas of rainforest every year. In 2023, this support corresponded to the protection of an area the size of Belgium (33,000 km²).
By selecting the Green Choice -service Fortum's Norwegian electricity customers support the protection of the rainforest through The Rainforest Foundation, to which Fortum has had a commitment to since 2010. The rainforest provides essential benefits for the planet, both to mitigate climate change and to ensure biodiversity.
— Fortum's electricity customers in Norway that have purchased the Green choice -service help us to protect large areas of rainforest every year. In 2023, this support corresponded to the protection of an area the size of Belgium (33,000 km²). We truly appreciate our meaningful collaboration, and we look forward to protecting even more rainforest together in the coming years, says Johan Rød, The Rainforest Foundation.
Clean Water and Combating Litter
In Sweden, the focus has been on providing clean water to some of the world's most vulnerable communities through WaterAid and counteracting local littering through Håll Sverige Rent .
By purchasing the Green choice -service Fortum's Swedish electricity customers support Fortum’s contribution to WaterAid and Håll Sverige Rent.
WaterAid tries to increase access to clean water and sanitation in schools and healthcare facilities in different parts of the world.
— It is fantastic that doing something as ordinary as paying their electricity bill, tens of thousands of Fortum customers contribute to providing tens of thousands of families with access to clean water. Water, sanitation, and hygiene are fundamental for poverty reduction, climate adaptation, women's rights, children's education, and people's health, says Olle Wallin at WaterAid.
In 2024, Håll Sverige Rent engaged over 100,000 adults, 600,000 schoolchildren, 100,000 educators, 185 municipalities, and over 300 companies, with thousands of employees participating in litter picking.
Håll Sverige Rent is a nonprofit organization that works towards the vision of no littering. Influencing norms and attitudes in society is an important part of their work.
— With the generous and continuous support from Fortum's electricity customers, we can engage lots of litter pickers all over Sweden, young and old, in big cities and rural areas. It means a lot to us and for the fight against littering, says Johanna Ragnartz, Håll Sverige Rent.
In 2024, Håll Sverige Rent engaged over 100,000 adults, 600,000 schoolchildren, 100,000 educators, 185 municipalities, and over 300 companies having thousands of their employees participating in litter picking.
Biodiversity and Climate Action
Oceans and forests are in focus in Finland, where Fortum’s electricity customers support the John Nurminen Foundation to protect marine nature and safeguard maritime culture in the Baltic Sea. Since 2005, Fortum’s Finnish electricity company, along with other companies, has made contributions supporting efforts that led to a 75% reduction in phosphorus load in the Gulf of Finland, according to the John Nurminen Foundation.
— Fortum has been our donor for many years now, and the partnership has been extremely important to us. Our mission is to save the Baltic Sea and its heritage for future generations. That mission requires result-oriented environmental and biodiversity work, but also raising awareness of the importance of the Baltic Sea. The cooperation with the Fortum team has always been very smooth, inspiring, and useful, says Johanna Suni, John Nurminen Foundation.
To stop the loss of biodiversity and mitigate climate change, everyone must play their part.
Finnish entrepreneur electricity customers who purchase the Green choice -service support Suomen Luonnonperintösäätiö who is working with the protection of Finland's wild forests.
—To stop the loss of biodiversity and mitigate climate change, everyone must play their part. Fortum has supported our efforts towards the permanent protection of several protected areas through the years, says Juho Hakkarainen, Luonnonperintösäätiö, and continues; — In total, the Foundation has protected well over 5,000 hectares of Finnish forests with the help of its supporters and established well over 200 protected areas around Finland.
Photo from John Nurminen foundation
Håll Sverige Rent
Photo from The Rainforest Foundation
Photo by WaterAid
Conservation area in Mäntsälä, Finland. Photo from Suomen Luonnonperintösäätiö.
Photo from John Nurminen Foundation
What is the Green Choice -service?
Green choice is an additional service Fortum offers its electricity customers in the Nordics, which means that the customer contributes to sustainability efforts in several different ways. The service varies in our different markets, but includes normally:
- Guarantees of origin on the customer’s electricity, securing that the equivalent amount of electricity he/she consumed is being produced from renewable sources (water, wind or solar)
- Professional energy advice for more efficient electricity use
- Fortum’s contribution per active customer with the service to a specified nonprofit organization that Fortum collaborates with
By purchasing certain value adding services Fortum's electricity customers in the Nordics support Fortum’s electricity companies to make contributions to their respective Good Cause Partners. The partners shall be in alignment with the intention of Fortum's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programme. Through the value adding services that support contributions to Good Cause Partners and the CSR Programme, Fortum enables our organisation to give back in an impactful way to the people and the environment.
The Green choice -partners of Fortum’s electricity companies in the Nordics:
- Håll Sverige Rent to counteract littering. (Sweden)
- WaterAid to enable access to clean water to the world's most vulnerable communities. (Sweden)
- The Rainforest Foundation to protect the rainforest and its biodiversity. (Norway)
- John Nurminen Foundation to protect marine nature and safeguard maritime culture. (Finland)
- Suomen Luonnonperintösäätiö for the protection of Finland's wild forests. (Finland)