Academic article on transitions in the wild berry industry

15.4.2026 | News item

HEUNI’s Director Natalia Ollus, together with Nils Pettersson, has published a new academic article examining how sustainability transitions in the wild berry industry take shape through interactions between the state and industry actors.

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The article analyses how efforts to improve social sustainability in the wild berry sector, particularly for seasonal migrant workers at risk of exploitation, are shaped by relationships between public authorities and industry incumbents. Focusing on developments in Finland and Sweden, the authors show that these transitions are not linear or purely policy-driven, but emerge through ongoing interactions characterised by varying degrees of proximity and distance between actors.

By applying a spatially relational perspective, the study highlights how policies, labour market practices, and cross-border dynamics are interconnected and continuously negotiated. It also demonstrates how different national approaches influence the way sustainability efforts are implemented in practice. Overall, the article contributes to a more grounded understanding of how sustainability transitions unfold in complex, real-world settings.

Read the article (open access)

 
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