"Profitability is sustainability:" framing of forest management practices by the Swedish forest industry

• This article investigates how the Swedish forest industry, as represented by the three largest Swedish private forest companies (Svenska Cellulosa AB, Stora Enso, and Holmen), through their main public relations (PR) channels frame the current dominant Swedish forestry model and alternative models that are promoted by the European Union (EU). The content analysis of the three companies' trade magazines published between 2019 and 2022 explores the patterns in the PR framing of the forest management models with respect to economic, environmental, and social aspects. The time interval is centered by the July 2021 announcement of the EU's new Forest Strategy for 2030. The magazines' target audience is private forest owners, from whom Svenska Cellulosa AB, Stora Enso, and Holmen buy 40-50% of the timber used in production. The main finding of the study is that these corporations did not present alternative methods as viable options to replace the Swedish forestry model. The magazines, with some individual variations, respond to the alternative methods promoted by the EU and environmental associations by an increased emphasis on the benefits, mainly environmental, of the Swedish forestry model - framing the model as not only the most profitable but also the most ecologically sustainable.

Ämnesord

LANTBRUKSVETENSKAPER  -- Lantbruksvetenskap, skogsbruk och fiske -- Skogsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES  -- Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries -- Forest Science (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv -- Nationalekonomi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business -- Economics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

PR framing

clearcutting

continuous cover forestry (CCF)

Swedish

forestry model (SM)

European Union (EU)

Forestry

Foreign Trade; Forest Management; Forestry; Methods; Models; Profitability; Public Relations; Swedish; Forestry; International trade; Profitability; Social aspects; Sustainable development; Timber; Clearcutting; Continuous cover forestry; Continuous-cover forestry; European union; Forest industry; Forestry model; Public relation framing; Swedish forestry model; Swedishs; Public relations

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)