President Halonen not to attend Stora Enso's Quality Award ceremony

President Tarja Halonen

print this

President Tarja Halonen will not attend the annual Finnish Quality Award ceremony at the Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa Hotel today - Thursday.
      The president withdrew her participation in the event when she heard that the award would be handed out to the Finnish pulp and paper company Stora Enso's Wood Supply Finland unit.
      Liina Aulin from the Office of the President confirms that Halonen had already promised to attend the ceremony, but recent news from Stora Enso made her change her plans.
     
Two weeks ago, Stora Enso announced its intention to close down permanently the Summa paper mill and one magazine paper machine at the Anjala mill, as well as its pulp mill in Kemijärvi. The total number of jobs lost in Finland will amount to more than 1,200 employees.
      In President Halonen's view, her presence could give the wrong signal and lead to mistaken conclusions.
      On the other hand, the Quality Award is to be granted to Stora Enso's Wood Supply Finland office - not to the corporation. Moreover, the president does not wish to question the unit's merits as an award winner.
     
The Imatra-based Stora Enso Wood Supply Finland is responsible for the group's wood procurement and transport to the company's Finnish mills.
      The annual Finnish Quality Award has been given by Excellence Finland, the Finnish organisation for quality, since 1991.
      According to Pia Kauma, the Managing Director of Excellence Finland, Stora Enso Wood Supply Finland has been systematically developing its operations in Europe, while having long prepared for the competition.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Minister says government is not to intervene in Stora Enso closures (6.11.2007)
  Stora Enso to shut down two factories in Finland and one in Sweden - 1,400 jobs to go (25.10.2007)

Links:
  Stora Enso Wood Supply Finland
  Excellence Finland

Helsingin Sanomat