Mid Sweden University

Sustainable development is an important concept for competitive advantage for all types of organisations and is often implemented by a top-down strategic approach. Forest owner associations are based on the co-operative idea and are therefore expected to include key stakeholders such as members in strategic decisions. A challenge is to incorporate strategic sustainability management in an organisation. It refers to considering organisational objectives, maintaining relations with key stakeholders and keeping the organisational identity. This study aimed to explore how forest owner associations position themselves for sustainable development. A qualitative case study based on semi-structured interviews, (including five employees and eleven members) and sustainability reports suggests that sustainable development is integrated to different extents in forest owner associations in Sweden. A strategic approach is deemed necessary for a dynamic incorporation of sustainable development that is structured and leads to the improvement of responsible practice in the organisation. This study highlights the importance of considering sustainability strategies and co-operative identity in the process of implementing sustainability management in forest co-operatives. Further research could focus on corporate strategies for sustainable development with an extended longitudinal perspective. 

Forest owner associations are co-operative organisations with democratic foundations based on one member -one vote. The members are forest owners who are organised in the associations as owners and also have the roles of suppliers of forest raw materials and customers of forest services. Generally, forest owners are changing from a homogenous to a more heterogeneous group based on socioeconomic and demographic transitions. Therefore, forest owners can be said to have increasingly diverse interests and values. This leads to different ways of viewing their forest ownership in relationship to sustainable development. These changes are also affecting their willingness and motives for participating in the governance of the co-operative organisation. An important aspect of sustainability management in forest co-operatives, is including the forest owners in the process. This thesis aims to increase understanding of how forest owners view sustainability management by analysing their various stakeholder roles in forest co-operatives. The studies compilated in this thesis consist of different perspectives of forest owners in their relation to the association. Study I focus on forest management certification as a sustainability management activity in forest owner associations. Forest owners are here seen as suppliers of sustainability-certified raw materials and customers of a sustainable service offering. Study II takes on the perspective of forest owners as members and owners of the association and how they are viewed to participate in sustainable development in the association. The findings suggest that the stakeholder roles that forest owners have need to be taken into consideration by forest co-operatives in sustainability transitions.

Traditional forest-management practices are currently being scrutinised. Forest certification may verify sustainable development practices in primary forest production. However, certification of privately owned forest lands cannot be taken for granted, as it is associated with the demands and challenges of forest management. Despite these challenges, some private owners of forest lands chose to certify their operations. The aim of this study is to explain these motives for certification. A qualitative approach, based on thematic interviews with selected forest owners, offers a context-bound and contemporary understanding. The implications of this research are seen in market development for certified forest resources and policy adaptations to support voluntary certification schemes.