INTERVIEW MIA PETTERSSON
100% Fossil-Free Transport
At Forbo Flooring Systems, sustainability is not an abstract ambition, it is something we work on every day, across all parts of our business. One area where we know we can make a real and measurable difference is transport.
In Sweden, that belief has now turned into action. By switching all deliveries, returns and logistics flows to 100% fossil-free transport, Forbo has reached an important milestone on its sustainability journey. Behind this achievement lies a great deal of commitment, collaboration and perseverance.
To understand how this transition came about and what it means in practice we spoke with Mia Pettersson, Nordic Transport Manager at Forbo Flooring Systems, who has been closely involved in driving the project forward from the very beginning.
Mia speaks with pride:
“In May 2025, our transport operations from European Central warehouse in Netherlands to and within Sweden became completely fossil-free, primarily through the switch to HVO100, which has reduced CO₂ emissions by up to 90% compared to before.”
Since November 2025, the scope of this achievement has expanded. In addition to deliveries within Sweden, it now also covers returns and circular material flows, including Back-to-the-Floor waste material for recycling back to Forbo’s European warehouses. This marks a fundamental shift in how the company approaches logistics and sustainability.
Looking back, Mia explains that sustainability has always been part of both Forbo Flooring Systems and her own personal drive. She describes the work as both a responsibility and a commitment:
“Forbo Flooring is inherently an environmentally minded company, and I feel a great responsibility to follow that approach, especially since transport accounts for a large part of our emissions.”
Mia highlights the importance of transport within Scope 3 emissions, where logistics play a central role. She explains that the project was intentionally designed to be proactive — both in reaching Forbo’s 2030 climate goals and in supporting national emission reduction targets.
“We want to be proactive toward the 2030 goals and be a partner that contributes to and supports our collaborators in reaching the national target of a 70% reduction.”
The journey toward fossil-free flows required both knowledge and dialogue. Mia began by studying various fossil-free fuel alternatives and how they could be implemented within Forbo’s logistics network. Setting high ambitions from the start proved to be essential:
“I set ambitious targets early on because the opportunity existed, and I wanted to make a clear climate impact.”
For smaller carriers, Forbo switched to HVO100, a renewable diesel made from waste products such as used cooking oil and animal fats. It can be used in standard engines without requiring new vehicles, making it a simple and effective way to significantly reduce emissions.
“We set requirements for our partners and discussed which steps toward fossil-free deliveries we could take without creating too great an economic impact initially.”
For larger volumes and international transport legs, Forbo implemented a certified insetting solution in cooperation with a major logistics partner. This approach ensures traceability and delivers clear, measurable climate benefits — key factors in the decision-making process.
To clarify the terminology, Mia explains the difference between insetting, offsetting and nearsetting in a logistics context. “Insetting is a climate-action approach where we reduce or compensate emissions within our own value chain. Offsetting, on the other hand, means investing in emission reductions outside the company’s value chain, such as planting trees.”
In practice the Insetting approach is applied to international transport from its central European warehouses to Sweden through a verified HVO bank system. Each month, fuel usage is calculated and an equivalent amount of HVO100 is purchased, ensuring both transparency and traceability.
“Nearsetting focuses on organising logistics closer to the delivery destination. In addition to switching to HVO, we have optimised our logistics flows to reduce transport distances, which further lowers emissions.”
Mia is clear that the path toward the goal was not always straightforward, and the work was far from uncomplicated. Multiple challenges emerged along the way, including inconsistent emission calculation methods and differing cost assessments among stakeholders. In some cases, standards were lacking, requiring additional effort to explain why the transition was both feasible and necessary.
“Being able to drive a project that has such a large impact on the world has made all the hard work worthwhile,” Mia says.
The transition to 100% fossil-free transport in Sweden marks an important milestone for Forbo Flooring Systems, but it is not the final destination. Looking ahead, Mia remains focused on further progress.
“Our goal is to eventually manage all logistics flows to and within the Nordics with fossil-free transport. I’m also continuously working with Forbo Global Logistics to increase knowledge and implementation of fossil-free fuels - especially across Europe.”
With Sweden leading the way other markets are preparing to follow. It demonstrates that large-scale sustainable logistics are not just a vision, but a reality. This marks an important stepping stone toward the next goal: From Bank to Tank, where all transport runs directly on renewable fuel.