Strategic Foresight for the Future of Wood Industry

Purpose

The wood value chain faces major changes and opportunities, where climate impact, circularity, competitiveness, and an increasingly regenerative approach are decisive factors for the future. Digitalization, sustainability requirements, and new business models are rapidly reshaping conditions for sawmills, wood material industries, timber construction companies, recycling firms, and property owners. Navigating this complex environment requires proactive and systematic foresight work.

RISE has extensive experience in leading foresight processes and environmental analyses in close collaboration with the wood industry. By identifying and analyzing megatrends, industry-specific trends, and development areas, we help companies understand which forces of change affect their part of the value chain. Our work is based on three perspectives: climate impact, circularity, and competitiveness – and we encourage companies to take the step toward a regenerative approach, where operations not only minimize negative impact but actively contribute to restoring and strengthening ecosystems and society.

The purpose of the service is to provide your company with a shared view of future challenges and opportunities, and to create a concrete foundation for strategic choices. By combining RISE’s expertise in wood technology with foresight and environmental analysis, you gain access to the latest knowledge and a structured approach to strengthen your long-term competitiveness and sustainability – and contribute to a wood value chain that gives more than it takes.

Method

Our method is based on a participant-driven and interactive approach, combining RISE’s foresight methodology with industry-specific knowledge and your own questions. The process can be adapted to your company’s unique needs and scaled up or down, but typically includes the following steps:

• Initial dialogue and needs analysis: We map the company’s current situation, strategic issues, and goals together with the management team or board, including ambitions regarding regenerative development.
• Environmental presentation: RISE presents current megatrends, industry trends, and development areas with a special focus on climate impact, circularity, competitiveness, and opportunities to create regenerative value – tailored to your part of the wood value chain.
• Foresight workshop: An interactive workshop (full or half day) where we jointly explore future scenarios, identify critical uncertainties, and discuss possible strategic choices based on your company’s own questions and goals.
• Analysis and prioritization: Together we prioritize the most relevant development areas and identify which competencies, collaborations, and innovations are needed to meet future demands and create regenerative value.
• Summary and feedback: RISE summarizes insights and provides recommendations for continued strategic work.

The method is based on proven tools for foresight, environmental analysis, and strategic dialogue, and can be complemented with in-depth desk studies and analyses if needed. The process is led by experienced facilitators from RISE with deep knowledge of the wood industry’s challenges and opportunities.

Delivery

The deliverables can be adjusted based on the scope and size of the work. A suggested delivery may consist of a concrete and useful basis for your company’s strategic work:

• Written report or PowerPoint presentation summarizing:
  • Identified trends and development areas for your part of the wood value chain
  • Analysis of the company’s current strategy in relation to future challenges and opportunities
  • Prioritized areas for continued development and innovation
  • Recommendations for next steps in your strategic work
• Workshop documentation with insights, discussion points, and priorities from the foresight workshop
• Action plan (if needed) with proposals for possible activities, collaborations, and competence development

The deliverables provide the management team or board with a robust decision-making basis and a shared vision of the future, strengthening the company’s ability to make strategic decisions in a changing environment.