Sustainability assessment models for forest-based businesses
Application period: 11 June – 10 August, 2026
Research project description
Ongoing development in business environment – for example changes in consumers’ behavior, green transition and requirements set by sustainable funding – highlight the need to carry out sustainability assessment of forest-based businesses on company level, including SMEs, MNEs and their value networks. Hence, effective and efficient sustainability assessment methods for forest-based businesses are needed.
Integrated with systemic understanding of sustainability transition in forest bioeconomy, quantitative measurement criteria and sustainability assessment models utilizing these criteria offers a novel approach to tackle the present sustainability challenges of forest-based businesses. When developing such models, special characterization of forest-based value creation must be understood. For example, timber production gives rise to several externalities related to other ecosystem services (carbon capture and storage, scenic beauty of forest landscape, social and cultural aspects etc.) and biodiversity. These externalities have very strong effects on the overall sustainability of the corresponding business activities. In this research project, effective and efficient methodology for sustainability assessment of forest-based businesses is developed. The methodology is also widened to the level of companies’ value networks. i.e., models for calculating the values of sustainability indicators on the level of companies’ value networks are developed.
Academic background and skills of the applicant
An ideal candidate holds a master’s degree in forestry, business administration, engineering, or a closely related field. The candidate is expected to have a basic understanding of sustainable business and forest-based value creation, encompassing both timber and non-timber forest products and ecosystem services. The position requires a strong interest in developing quantitative methods for sustainability assessment, such as multi-criteria decision analysis and the modelling of expert knowledge. The candidate should also demonstrate the ability to identify, integrate, and link relevant data sources with the sustainability assessment models under development. The selected candidate must fulfil the language skills requirements of the Doctoral Programme in Science, Forestry and Technology at UEF (see https://www.uef.fi/en/degree-programme/doctoral-programme-in-science-forestry-and-technology (Eligibility and admission criteria)).
Doctoral programme and research group
Doctoral education in the University of Eastern Finland is arranged in seven discipline specific or thematic doctoral programmes. This research project will be located in the Doctoral Programme in Science, Forestry and Technology, and the submitting department is the School of Forest Sciences.
The candidate will join the Forests and society research group.
Partners / Secondments
Potential secondments will be decided during the project.
Other interdisciplinary, international, intersectoral collaboration
Intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration is strengthened through DP-FOBI’s three summer schools involving academic supervisors, non-academic partners, and other stakeholders, enabling hands-on interaction and knowledge exchange.