Neste’s business runs on data, especially in renewables, where the source of origin of raw materials and meeting compliance requirements determine the end product’s value for Neste’s customers. To move from fragmented systems to a truly business-driven approach, Neste embarked on a major transformation. Solita supported Neste in shaping a unified data ecosystem that reflects business needs and accelerates digital. The new platform replaces silos with sustainable and scalable data models, strengthens governance, and accelerates value across the company’s value chain, while laying a robust foundation for AI and data operationalisation.
Results
- From scattered data to one company-wide approach: Replacing fragmented, siloed practices with a unified governance model and consistent decision-making structures.
- From multiple sources to a single source of truth: Consolidating all relevant data into one platform to ensure transparency, compliance, and a foundation for scalable digital solutions.
- From inconsistent practices to data consistency and quality: Enterprise data models, clear ownership, and process-aligned KPIs improve quality and reduce rework.
- From hype to readiness for AI: A structured, governed data foundation enables safe and effective adoption of advanced analytics and AI-driven innovation.
- From isolated efforts to one-team collaboration: Open communication and shared responsibility between business, IT, and partners ensured trust and long-term success.
Making data serve Neste’s renewables-based value chain
Neste is the world’s leading producer of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel. The transformation at Neste began from a clear business need in the renewables segment – ensuring that sales volumes and compliance data were correct, timely, and high quality.
Before the joint program, Neste’s data was in multiple places and formats with no clear way of putting it to use. That limited scalability, transparency, and the ability to prove sustainability from feedstock sourcing through production, logistics, and sales.
Together, Neste and Solita shifted to a unified data platform that mirrors end to end business processes, aligns process diagrams with real world operations, and clarifies who collects which data, why, and how it’s consumed. The result: faster access to trustworthy information for compliance, sustainability claims, and day to day decision making across the value chain.
Better data modelling as a key practice
Neste’s data journey started in multiple fronts: architecture, applications, data management and governance, and development practices. The journey was never just about technology; it was about rethinking how data supports business.
At the heart of the transformation is a business and data architecture framework. Instead of one-off models per project, Neste now develops shared conceptual, logical, and physical models that reflect common business concepts and process information requirements. This approach improves business understanding, quality, accelerate the development, and enables a central repository for governance. Moving from “data in tools” to “data as products” on the platform has made it far easier to reuse, extend, and scale solutions across business domains.
Paving the way for AI with better data
AI only creates value when fed with high-quality, well-structured enterprise data. By standardising models, ownership, and development practices on a single platform, Neste now has the trustworthy data foundation AI needs for operational efficiency, safety, sustainability, or advanced analytics. The platform’s governance and lineage also help Neste respond to evolving regulation with confidence.
Solita was part of this journey where Neste created company-wide management of data assets simulating business models, scenarios, and new opportunities. Visibility, transparency, and accessibility of information have improved dramatically. This has laid the foundation for process owners to analyse performance and efficiency and brought the organisation closer to “a single source of truth”.
“There is still work to be done, but the technical foundation is now strong. The pace of development has increased. We can leverage what already exists more quickly, without having to start everything from scratch. This gives the business better visibility and makes development smoother and cost-effective”, says Janne Nikkola.
Trust and two-way communications as a recipe for success
Our co-operation treats internal and external experts as one team. Proactive, two-way communication – raising issues early, being candid about risks, and jointly resolving gaps between process designs and real-world data – has been essential. Over the years, Solita specialists have developed deep knowledge of Neste’s context, complementing internal capabilities and speeding up delivery without sacrificing quality.
“It’s been truly great to be part of this journey with Neste. They’ve managed a major shift from traditional process industry to renewables in a market that’s evolving at high speed. What stands out is how thoughtfully they’ve built the digital and data capabilities to support that transformation”, says Jyrki Nurminen, Sales Director, Solita.
Photos © Neste
