World BioEconomy Forum goes virtual
- live from Ruka, Finland!
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The program of the World BioEconomy Forum 2020 is balanced into four sessions ensuring the diversity of the viewpoints on the circular bioeconomy. We are pleased to see the same diversity among our participants: Currently, we have attendees from South and North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia!
Scroll down to find out what Walter Schalka, the CEO of Suzano, has to say about the circular bioeconomy and what he expects to gain from the World BioEconomy Forum 2020!
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Registration for the virtual event is currently ongoing - Save on your ticket price and sign up with Early Summer prices before 1st July 2020!
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See where the speakers and the participants come from!
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Interviewing Walter Schalka, the CEO of Suzano
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Walter Schalka
CEO
Suzano
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How important is the circular bioeconomy to your business and the industries you serve, and do you have a specific, inclusive, bioeconomy strategy for the future for the company you lead?
Suzano’s traditional business already has many attributes that support the circular bioeconomy. Our forestry practices rely entirely on a plantation model, essentially tree farming, where the trees are replanted every 6-7 years. Our traditional line of products includes market pulp, paper, fluff and tissue products. Beyond that, we have developed a “biostrategy” which aims to diversify our business through the greater use of our forest resources to make new materials that will displace fossil-carbon-based products. These include lignin and cellulose derivatives, which will be incorporated in formulations dominated today by synthetic materials.
Over the coming years, we will transform into a more diverse business where biomaterials will be contributing to the well-being of society. At Suzano we want to be protagonists in this journey, following one of our key drivers: “it’s only good for us if it’s good for the world”.
Do you see the circular bioeconomy as having an important role in the post Covid-19 world?
COVID-19 has had a radical effect on our lives in a very short time. We have changed the way we live and we work in order to save lives. As we emerge from COVID-19, there will be a legacy created which will be a demonstration of energy and capacity to change.
The circular bioeconomy is developing, but still below the necessary pace. To accelerate, as it needs to do, it will require society to adapt and to change our habits and, perhaps, to accept a less comfortable life for the greater good. I think that in the post COVID-19 world people will be more receptive to these challenges. Suzano wants to be part of this process, accelerating the development and production of products which will support the circular bioeconomy.
The World Bioeconomy Forum has a diverse range of high-level speakers and panelists, what are you hoping to achieve by taking part in the event, and what are your hopes for the future of the circular bioeconomy?
Diversity is key to the value and success of the World Bioeconomy Forum. No one has a monopoly on good ideas – no single company, institute, government or NGO has that. I am looking forward to learning from others and to finding and forming partnerships with entities through which we can move further and faster by working together.
My hope is that the circular bioeconomy will begin to dominate the global discourse in the way that COVID-19 has done over these past few months. The climate crisis is as critical to the human race as a pandemic – the pace of the crisis is very different, the impacts are more long term, but the danger is real and palpable. The circular bioeconomy is one of the most important ways in which we can slow and eventually reverse the climate crisis.
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We are glad to have our partners working together with us to make the virtual World BioEconomy Forum 2020 a reality! See some of our partners below:
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Host of the Session 2 - Global leaders and Financial world
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Award sponsor - Bioproduct of the year
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Our latest media partners
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