Onninen Group and the John Nurminen Foundation have concluded a two-year agreement in support of the Foundation’s Clean Baltic Sea projects. The agreement is a continuation of the cooperation established in 2011.
According to the agreement, Onninen will donate a total of €100,000 to the John Nurminen Foundation’s Clean Baltic Sea projects in 2013 – 2014. The equipment support of €100,000, designated for use at two targets in 2011 – 2012, was changed in the newly-signed agreement to monetary support, which can be flexibly used by any of the Foundation’s phosphorus removal projects in the Baltic Sea catchment area. Maarit Toivanen-Koivisto, Chair of Onninen Group’s Board of Directors, and Juha Nurminen, Chair of the Board of Directors of the John Nurminen Foundation, signed the agreement on 27 May at the Vantaa head offices of Onninen, a company that celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.
Maarit Toivanen-Koivisto, Chair of the Board of Directors of Onninen, comments: ‘For us, the partnership with the John Nurminen Foundation is a natural way of doing our share for the status of the Baltic Sea. In addition to Finland, Onninen has offices in many other countries around the Baltic Sea. In the Baltic countries, Poland and Russia, for example, measures that boost the efficiency of phosphorus removal are crucially important if we want the Baltic Sea to achieve a good status. We are delighted that in addition to the monetary support, we can offer the valuable work of the John Nurminen Foundation visibility through our own channels, targeting our interest groups.’
Juha Nurminen, Chairman of the John Nurminen Foundation Board of Directors, says: ‘In recent years, the protection of the Baltic Sea has moved forward in great strides. The Foundation’s major project in St. Petersburg, completed in 2011, and curbing the discharges of the Fosforit fertilizer factory south of the Gulf of Finland have, jointly, led to a reduction of 60% in the phosphorus load of the Gulf of Finland. According to researchers, it is possible that such a major change will result in a visible, positive change in the status of the Baltic Sea already in the next few years. We have also achieved results in Latvia and Poland. We do, however, still have our work cut out for us, and are constantly looking for new projects in the entire catchment area of the Baltic Sea. We will continue to focus on decreasing phosphorus loads, as this is by far the fastest and most efficient way to prevent eutrophication in the Baltic Sea. The long-term support of Onninen Group and our other main partners is essentially important to the continuity of our operations.’
Further information:
Onninen Group
Reetta Hiltunen, Group Communications Manager
Tel. +358 40 520 9381
reetta.hiltunen@onninen.com
John Nurminen Foundation
Tuula Putkinen, Communications Manager
Tel. +358 400 907 809
tuula.putkinen@jnfoundation.fi
Onninen Group, a 100-year-old family business
Onninen provides comprehensive material and data flow services to contractors, industries, public organisations, technical product retailers and suppliers. Onninen is a family business established in 1913. Onninen’s operations in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Russia and the Baltic countries employ a total of 2,800 people. In 2012, Onninen’s turnover was €1.6 billion. www.onninen.com
The Clean Baltic Sea projects of the John Nurminen Foundation improve the status of the Baltic Sea. Eutrophication is the most serious environmental problem faced by the Baltic Sea. Signs of eutrophication include the blooms of blue-green algae encountered every summer. The most efficient way to prevent eutrophication is to cut the phosphorus loads discharged to the sea. The target of the Foundation’s phosphorus removal projects is to reduce the annual phosphorus discharges entering the sea by 2,500 tonnes by 2015: this equals one sixth of the total target of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission HELCOM. The Tanker Safety project aims at reducing the risk of oil spills with the introduction, to be implemented in 2013, of the new, enhanced navigation support information system ENSI for all tankers sailing the Baltic Sea. The Foundation finances its environmental operations with private donations and public funding. www.puhdasitameri.fi