Helsingin Sanomat is the leading newspaper in Finland, and largest in the Nordics by subscriptions. Its purpose is to make important matters interesting to the public and act as a counter-power to indifference. Within that role, it also has an essential societal role in holding those in power to their responsibilities. 

We’re living the hottest era of recorded history and the threat climate change poses on life on our planet is undeniable. While people are making smaller and bigger changes in their daily lives, the real impact in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions resides in political decision-making. That’s why in the fall of 2019, Helsingin Sanomat wanted to encourage politicians to make concrete decisions for mitigating climate change.

The pen has always been the journalists’ weapon of choice in bringing about change in the world, but only in policy-makers’ hands it has the power to truly fight climate change. So, Helsingin Sanomat decided to present decision-makers with a pen, but not just any pen. For the gift to work as intended, it needed to be a tangible reminder of the acute state or our planet. The Climate Pen was born – A pen designed to resemble coal, with ink made of carbon dioxide, given to decision-makers as a call for climate action.

The pen’s ink was produced in collaboration with the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) from carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas most responsible for man-made climate change. Thus every decision signed with the pen would symbolize the reduction of greenhouse gases. The pen itself was designed to resemble a piece of coal.

In September 2019, the pens were donated to Finnish MPs and G20 leaders. A multi-media advertising campaign was built around the donation, consisting of print, TV and digital advertising. The campaign earned over 25 million earned impressions with the media value of 235,000 €. It was also noticed in its primary target group. Helsingin Sanomat Senior Editor-in-Chief Kaius Niemi received a personal thank you letter from the French president Emmanuel Macron’s office, and most importantly, the campaign inspired a Finnish Member of Parliament to create, sign and put forward the first climate initiative.