What Finland's SPIRIT Program Can Teach Us About the Future of Plastics
Transforming the plastics industry is one of the defining challenges of our time. The path to a more circular, low-carbon future requires technological innovation, new business models and, above all, collaboration across the entire value chain.
One initiative that has demonstrated the power of this approach is Finland's SPIRIT (Sustainable Plastics Industry Transformation) program. Running from 2021 to 2025, the program brought together companies, universities, research institutes, start-ups and public stakeholders under a shared mission: accelerating the transition towards a sustainable plastics industry. The program was led by Jaakko Tuomainen and the team at Borouge International Finland (formerly Borealis), with Business Finland providing funding for the participating organizations. More than 100 partners participated in 21 ecosystem projects.
We spoke with Jaakko Tuomainen, Sustainability Manager at Borouge International Finland, about the program's successes, lessons learned and the role that industrial ecosystems can play in driving transformation.
Jaakko, what was the vision behind the SPIRIT program?
The idea was simple but ambitious: no single company, technology or research project can solve the sustainability challenges facing the plastics industry alone.
Through SPIRIT, we wanted to create an ecosystem where industry, academia, technology providers, start-ups and public-sector organizations could work together towards common goals. The program focused on replacing fossil feedstocks with renewable and recycled alternatives, advancing recycling technologies, reducing carbon emissions and enabling truly circular products and business models.
What makes the Finnish innovation ecosystem model unique?
Finland has a strong tradition in public-private RDI collaboration, where this ”leading company” funding model is a good example: companies can take the lead in creating large-scale innovation ecosystems around the larger themes, which are important for the industry development. We as Borouge International wanted to take the lead in Sustainable Plastic Industry Transformation. That is where the name SPIRIT comes from.
In the leading company concept, the RDI funding is allocated to a larger research theme, instead of isolated research projects. This helps to accelerate the innovation, boosts the cooperation and increases the likelihood that research results will eventually become commercial solutions and investments.
Why was it important for Borouge International Finland to take a leading role?
The program was closely aligned with our long-term sustainability strategy.
As we have communicated in the SPIRIT program, we do not need to change the plastic as a material, but the way how it is produced and its end-of-life.
As a major polyolefins producer with deep technical expertise, we felt we were well positioned to bring together different stakeholders and help accelerate industrial implementation. Collaboration is essential if we want to transform the plastics value chain at scale.
What were some of the most important achievements?
One of our biggest achievements was creating momentum and building a strong network.
More than 100 partners participated across 21 projects, generating valuable knowledge and helping to advance technologies related to renewable and recycled feedstocks, chemical recycling, carbon capture and utilization, electrification and hydrogen-based production solutions.
Perhaps most importantly, we demonstrated that collaboration can significantly accelerate innovation. By bringing together expertise from different sectors, we were able to identify bottlenecks and move promising solutions closer to implementation.
Were there any surprises or key lessons along the way?
A major lesson was that the transition to a circular plastics economy requires multiple solutions working together.
There is no single technology that will solve the challenge. Mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, renewable feedstocks, reuse systems and carbon capture all have important roles to play. We need a portfolio approach rather than searching for one silver bullet.
Another important insight was the value of ecosystem building itself. Technological progress is important, but creating strong networks and fostering collaboration may be equally critical for long-term success.
Looking ahead, what do you hope the legacy of SPIRIT will be?
The transition to a sustainable plastics industry is a long-term journey. SPIRIT has created knowledge, capabilities and partnerships that will continue generating value well beyond the program's official duration.
My hope is that the program serves as an example of how public funding, industrial leadership and broad ecosystem collaboration can accelerate transformation. The challenges we face are global, and partnership-driven innovation will be essential if we want to build a more circular and lower-carbon future.
A Model for Future Industrial Transformation
The SPIRIT program highlights an important truth: meaningful industrial transformation is rarely achieved in isolation. By combining public support, private-sector leadership and collaborative innovation, Finland has created a model that offers lessons far beyond its borders. A similar model is now coming to life in Austria as well – check out this trend. magazine article from 25 September and learn more about how lessons learned get shared across borders.
For Borouge International Finland and its partners, the program was not just about advancing technologies. It was about building the ecosystem needed to turn sustainable innovation into real-world impact.
