The recipient for the award is chosen from among the invited participants and their solutions, innovations or acts. An expert group consisting of representatives of LUT, the Marjatta and Eino Kolli Foundation and 2022 LAB University of Applied Sciences identifies candidates that have had a significant impact on the enhancement of value added from forests and invites the most promising finalists.
The final selection is made by a jury of external experts, who are separately nominated each year.
The following criteria are emphasized in the search for prize candidates:
- increasing value added
- more value per tonne, potential utilisation of side streams
- opening up new perspectives / innovativeness
- value being found where it has not been seen before
- concreteness
- opportunities to move from ideas to practical implementation, rapid applicability
- the scope of its potential at the social and international level
- the diversity of possible applications and the total volume
- the compatibility of the economic and ecological perspectives
In order to accelerate discussion on the potential of forests, we will publish introductory videos for all finalists during summer 2022. The winner will be awarded the EUR 30,000 prize in November 2022.
Also connected with the discussion around the value added from forest is the documentary Arvokas Metsämme (Our Precious Forests), which was commissioned by the Marjatta and the Eino Kolli Foundation.