Displaying items by tag: upm

The ramp-up of the UPM Kymi pulp mill expansion has proceeded well on schedule. The EUR 160 million UPM investment project was started in the spring of 2014 and has now proceeded to final finishing work.

The new debarking plant started operation in June, the modernisation of the softwood fibre line was finished in August and the biggest project, the new pulp drying machine, started operation in August-September - approximately one month ahead of schedule. During the ramp-up, pulp production has exceeded expectations and the quality of pulp has improved. The entire Kymi pulp and paper mill integrate is benefiting from the improvements in energy efficiency and flexibility of operations.

UPM invests in the Kymi pulp mill to strengthen its position in the growing end-use sectors of the global pulp market.  As the result of this investment, annual production capacity at the Kymi mill will increase by 170,000 tonnes to 700,000 tonnes of bleached northern softwood and birch pulp.

The investment will have a positive effect on the employment rates and businesses in the region. The increasing use of wood in the mill integrate will bring wood harvest and transportation work for forest industry professionals and stumpage earnings for forest owners.

For further information, please contact:

Mr Markku Laaksonen, General Manager, UPM Kymi, tel. 0400 754 649, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mr Tero Ojala, Project Manager, UPM Kymi-700 project, tel. 040 7033817, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

UPM Pulp

UPM is one of the world's leading producers of northern softwood, birch and eucalyptus pulp supplying global customers mainly in the growing end use segments such as tissue, speciality papers and board through its own sales and technical service network close to the customers. UPM Pulp operates four modern pulp mills, three in Finland and one in Uruguay as well as eucalyptus plantations in Uruguay. UPM Pulp employs approximately 1,500 people.  The Kymi investment increases the annual pulp production capacity of UPM's pulp mills to 3.5 million tonnes. Pulp Business is part of the UPM Biorefining Business Area. To learn more, visit: www.upmpulp.com

UPM Kymi

UPM Kymi is an environmentally efficient mill integrate producing pulp, paper and energy. UPM Kymi employs about 650 people and is located in south-east Finland in Kuusankoski, Kouvola. Kymi produces bleached birch and softwood pulp as well as coated and uncoated fine paper.

UPM

Through the renewing of the bio and forest industries, UPM is building a sustainable future across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Paper Asia, UPM Paper Europe and North America and UPM Plywood. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. We serve our customers worldwide. The group employs around 20,000 people and its annual sales are approximately EUR 10 billion. UPM shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. UPM - The Biofore Company - www.upm.com

UPM is the partner sponsor of the 40^th FIPP World Congress, the world’s largest global magazine media event. The congress will be held in Toronto, Canada from 13 to 15 October 2015. More than 700 consumer and B2B magazine media publishers and other stakeholders are expected to attend the event. Over 50 industry leading speakers and expert panels will give extensive overview on the publishing industry and its future.

“The congress provides us the opportunity to gain deep insights into the international magazine industry in a time of rapid media change. Our role as a paper supplier is to act as a partner to brand owners – and that means understanding their challenges and helping to tackle them”, says Ruud van den Berg, UPM’s Senior Vice President for Magazine Publishing & Advertising.

UPM will host a panel discussion with focus on the enduring power of print. “Print remains in many sectors a crucial arrow in the publishers´ bow. Together with James Oseland, Editor-in-Chief of Rodale´s Organic Life, Joyce Nieuwenhuijs, Brand Director of Flow Magazine and Dan Wakeford, Deputy Editor of People, we will discuss why and how print continues to succeed in a world, where online and printed media complement each other”, explains Ruud.

Furthermore UPM will be an exclusive partner of FIPP’s Rising Stars in Media, a new initiative, which seeks to recognize exceptional young talents with drive and ambition within the international magazine media industry. The top three rising stars will be presented with an award. Ruud concludes: “We were proud to be a member of the judging panel. The high trust in the printed word, the strong performance of magazine brands and the remarkably high commitment that young executives show, makes us happy to support these young talents in the publishing business.”

For further information please contact:
Ulla-Riitta Unkuri, Vice President, Stakeholder Relations, UPM Paper ENA, Tel. +358 2041 50619

The 2015 FIPP World Congress: the largest magazine media event in the world. With world-class speakers and expert panels from across the globe, the Congress agenda will again include many of the world's most prominent media names, giving personal insights on the industry and its future direction. A large commercial exhibition will provide opportunities to delegates to learn about new products and services, innovations in the pipeline and opportunities to exploit. To learn more about the 2015 FIPP World Congress visit: www.fippcongress.com

UPM Paper ENA (Europe & North America) is the world’s leading producer of graphic papers, serving customers in Magazine Publishing & Advertising, Merchants, Home & Office, and Newspaper Publishing. A leader in sustainable and high performance papers, UPM Paper ENA’s production is located in Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Austria, and the United States. With headquarters in Germany, UPM Paper ENA employs approximately 10,000 people. To learn more about UPM Paper ENA visit: www.upmpaper.com

UPM
Through the renewing of the bio and forest industries, UPM is building a sustainable future across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Paper Asia, UPM Paper Europe and North America and UPM Plywood. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. We serve our customers worldwide. The group employs around 20,000 people and its annual sales are approximately € 10 billion. UPM shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upm.com

UPM and the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) have been developing a method for assessing ecosystem services derived alongside the production of wood-based products. This pilot study focused on the environmental impacts resulting from the growth of trees used for the production of one tonne of pulp. In this study, the carbon sink effect, water protection and the sustainability of native forest species were analysed in detail. The study confirmed that the forest area from where pulpwood is sourced yields multiple benefits besides just wood raw material.

The study examined the amount of wood required for the production of one tonne of softwood pulp at UPM in Finland, as well as the time required for the trees to grow. The trees purify over eight million litres of water and absorb over 4,000 kg of carbon dioxide during their lifetime.

The majority of Finland’s 20,000 forest species also inhabit areas used for wood production. Hundreds of species, such as moss, lichen and insects, depend on trees used in pulp production. Forest renewal secures the long-term survival of these species.
UPM’s operations are based on using wood in multiple efficient ways to produce not only pulp, but also sawn timber, plywood, composites, papers and label materials. The company also uses industrial by-products and residues to produce energy, biochemicals and renewable diesel.

Pioneering perspectives on sustainability

“With the help of ecosystem services, the environmental impacts of land management and raw material production can be described in a more diverse manner. For our study, we selected indicators that relate to the most important global environmental issues, such as renewable natural resources, climate change, clean water and biodiversity. All in all, the benefits derived from forests are highly diverse, extending from products we can collect to recreational enjoyment,” says Timo Lehesvirta, Director, Forest Global, UPM.

“Projects like this are essential for the evolving bioeconomy in Finland. Companies should include the evaluation of natural ecosystem services in their management systems, and develop this into a responsible and productive business. The indicators or methods for measuring ecosystem services are not yet agreed upon anywhere in a commensurable fashion. Our research marks one step forward,” says Petteri Vihervaara, Senior Research Scientist specializing in ecosystem services, SYKE.

For further information, please contact:
Timo Lehesvirta, Director, Forest Global, UPM, tel. +358 (0)400 752 212
Petteri Vihervaara, Senior Research Scientist, Finnish Environment Institute, tel. +358 (0)295 251740

UPM
UPM leads the reformation of bio and forest industries. We are building a sustainable future in six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Paper Asia, UPM Paper Europe and North America and UPM Plywood. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. We serve a global base of customers. We employ approximately 20,000 people, and our annual sales are approximately EUR 10 billion. UPM's shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. UPM — The Biofore Company — www.upm.fi

Finnish Environment Institute
The Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) is a governmental research institute and a centre for expertise that provides information, knowledge and services essential for social sustainability. SYKE forms a part of Finland's national environmental administration, and mainly operates under the auspices of the Ministry of the Environment; however, the Institute's work on water resources is supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. We have the skills, ambition and courage to open new avenues for improving the environment. www.syke.fi

UPM and SYKE have a long history of co-operation with each other and other operators within the environmental and forestry segments on projects relating to topics such as responsible forestry, environmental management and preserving biodiversity.

For more information on joint projects:

Endangered white-backed woodpecker can thrive in commercial forests http://www.upm.com/EN/MEDIA/All-news/Pages/Endangered-white-backed-woodpecker-can-thrive-in-commercial-forests-001-Mon-15-Jun-2015-14-00.aspx

UPM taking frontrunner steps with global EMAS registration
http://www.upm.com/EN/MEDIA/All-news/Pages/UPM-taking-frontrunner-steps-with-global-EMAS-registration-001-Wed-12-Sep-2012-11-00.aspx

UPM has published a new version of the UPM paper product catalogue. The catalogue presents UPM Paper ENA (Europe and North America) product portfolio and relevant environmental information.

“The printed product catalogue is a valuable tool for our customers,” says Thomas Waltasaari, Area Sales Director, Magazine Publishing & Advertising, UPM Paper ENA. “It is easy-to-use and by presenting our paper portfolio in one glance, it can help to choose the right paper for every end use.”

Even more details on the papers are available from Online Paper Catalogue, providing up-to-date information about products’ technical target values, prepress guidelines, and certificates or ecolabels available for a particular product. If you want to access the catalogue with your mobile device, go to http://m.upmpaper.com/

The German, French and North American version of the paper product catalogue will be available later this year.

For further information please contact:
Tarja Sammalkorpi, Communications Specialist, UPM Paper ENA Stakeholder Relations, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

UPM Paper ENA (Europe & North America) is the world’s leading producer of graphic papers, serving customers in Magazine Publishing & Advertising, Merchants, Home & Office, and Newspaper Publishing. A leader in sustainable and high performance papers, UPM Paper ENA’s production is located in Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Austria, and the United States. To learn more about UPM Paper ENA visit: www.upmpaper.com/

UPM leads the reformation of the bio and forest industries. We are building a sustainable future in six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Paper Asia, UPM Paper Europe and North America and UPM Plywood. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. We serve a global base of customers. We employ approximately 20,000 people and our annual sales are approximately EUR 10 billion. UPM's shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upm.com

The UPM Foundation promotes education and entrepreneurship through joint work with social organisations and local representatives in Uruguay. It annually publishes a report presenting its objectives, operations and latest achievements.

“We are seeking to promote the long-term development and growth of these communities in cooperation with local stakeholders in rural areas. Our work is carried out in collaboration with social organisations, public institutions, departmental and national authorities and other social agencies,” says Magdalena Ibanez, Manager of UPM Foundation.

Established in 2006, the foundation’s mission is to bring together local stakeholders, communities and authorities especially in the fields of education and training in the departments where UPM is active.

“In rural Uruguay, some children finish school as early as age 12, which makes it difficult for them to enter professions that require special training. Through the UPM Foundation, we have been able to extend their schooling and thus improve their employment prospects in the future,” says Ibanez.

Thanks to the UPM Foundation’s work, the remote community of Clara, Tacuarembó, saw its first generation of young people complete their secondary education in December 2014. The aim of this public-private educational programme is to provide high-quality post-primary education throughout the region.

The Integrated Programme for Strengthening Rural Schools being implemented in all rural schools in Río Negro completed its second year in 2014. The programme updates traditional approaches to education, promoting more in-depth research and participation among both teachers and pupils.

The construction of a community orchard in the rural school of Queguayar has increased the variety to food with locally produced vegetables. The orchard also serves as an excellent teaching resource, bringing together families and school to work for their town.

“The UPM Foundation sees community development as starting with the advancement of individual and collective capacities, abilities and skills. The actions we carry out always focus on the long-term effect and the well-being of our reference communities,” states Ibanez.

In addition to its numerous projects, the Foundation last year organized open lectures and community workshops with local representatives, presented its operations in a photo exhibition and organised a visit for community leaders at the UPM Fray Bentos mill.  

Altogether over 308,000 people have participated in the UPM Foundation programmes in eight departments and more than 90 communities in Uruguay since it was founded.

For more information:
Magdalena Ibanez, Manager, UPM Foundation, tel. +598 9900 3828

Read more about the UPM Foundation’s work and projects in the latest annual report http://user-fudicvo.cld.bz/Annual-Report-2014

Watch the video on how the Clara project has impacted the lives of the young people in the rural community >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iM19NAR0f4A

UPM in Uruguay
UPM’s operations in Uruguay include the Fray Bentos pulp mill, the UPM Forestal Oriental forestry and wood sourcing company and its two nurseries, as well as the UPM Foundation, which works in cooperation with local organizations to contribute to education, entrepreneurship and improving quality of life through projects focusing on the rural areas where the company operates.

UPM Forestal Oriental owns 230,000 hectares of land, of which about 60% is planted with eucalyptus. The rest of the land is protected or used for forestry-related infrastructure, such as cattle grazing and other non-plantation operations. All of UPM’s forest plantations are certified to FSC® and PEFCTM standards.

The Fray Bentos pulp mill started operations in 2007 and remains one of the world’s most modern and efficient pulp mills. Its annual production capacity is 1.3 million tonnes of chemical eucalyptus pulp. Besides pulp, the Fray Bentos mill is a significant biomass-based energy producer, its electricity production accounting for 11% of Uruguay’s total energy production. The mill’s wood raw material comes from sustainably managed local plantations.

In Uruguay, UPM has 550 direct employees and the company indirectly employs around 3,400 people. UPM Uruguay’s value chain creates altogether 6,400 jobs and its contribution to Uruguay’s GDP is approximately 1.3%. www.upm.com/uy

UPM Pulp
UPM is one of the world’s leading producers of northern softwood, birch and eucalyptus pulp, supplying global customers in a variety of end use segments such as tissue, specialty papers, board as well as printing and writing through its own sales and service network. UPM operates four modern pulp mills, three in Finland and one in Uruguay as well as eucalyptus plantations in Uruguay. UPM Pulp employs approximately 1,500 people and has an annual pulp production capacity of 3.5 million tonnes. The Pulp Business is part of the UPM Biorefining Business Area. To learn more, please visit: www.upmpulp.com

UPM
Through the integration of the bio and forest industries, UPM is building a sustainable future across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Paper Asia, UPM Paper Europe and North America and UPM Plywood. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. We serve our customers worldwide. The group employs around 20,000 people and its annual sales are approximately €10 billion. UPM shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upm.com

UPM's FSC® group certification scheme for private forest owners in Finland has passed a milestone of 100,000 hectares of certified forest. Since 2012, UPM has offered an FSC forest certification service to private forest owners. UPM's FSC group certificate (FSC® C109750) provides private forest owners with a reliable and internationally recognised means of ensuring that their forests are managed responsibly and according to the latest practices.

The FSC certificate is mainly targeted at large and medium-sized forest estates, where it provides most benefits for the forest owners. "An increasing number of forest owners in Finland have become interested in certifying their forests to the FSC scheme. They know that the demand for FSC certified wood is high,” says Eija Kuusisto , Key Account Manager at UPM Wood Sourcing and Forestry. "UPM promotes the advancement of the FSC forest certification in Finland. FSC certified wood creates new opportunities for our businesses in the highly competitive end-use markets. We are looking to increase the share of FSC certified fibre in our operations, with an emphasis on sourcing near our mill sites.”

All UPM's forests in Finland have been certified to PEFC since 2000 and in 2011, UPM had nearly 400,000 hectares of its own forests certified to FSC. "By certifying our own forests, we ensure that our own personnel and entrepreneurs get acquainted with the FSC scheme. We then use this expertise to benefit our private forest owner clients," Kuusisto says.

The FSC certification is proof of responsible forestry. An FSC symbol on an end product means that the wood raw material or fibre used in its products has been responsibly sourced. UPM uses third-party verified environmental certificates and ecolabels to convey the environmental performance of its products, help clients choose the right products and provide information to its stakeholders. UPM offers a wide range of certified products.

"Consumer awareness and demand for FSC certified products is constantly increasing. FSC is a renowned scheme around the world, and we are happy to see its popularity growing in Finland," says Anniina Kostilainen, Director of the Office, FSC Finland.

UPM actively co-operates with FSC both internationally and in Finland to increase the use of FSC-certified wood in its production. It also aims to promote awareness of the FSC forest certification and related responsibility issues both in Finland and around the world. In Finland, UPM aims to make it easy for private forest owners to participate in the certification system and meet the related standards and criteria.

For further information, please contact:
Eija Kuusisto, Key Account Manager, UPM Wood Sourcing and Forestry, tel. +358 (0)400 156 284
Anniina Kostilainen, Director of the Office, FSC Finland, tel. +358 (0)45 801 4333

UPM Wood Sourcing and Forestry sources wood raw material for UPM’s sustainable and recyclable products. We take care of the growth and development of the forests and implement the forestry operations chosen by the forest owner in a professional and sustainable manner. Our forestry expertise is based on the experience and knowledge acquired in managing the UPM owned forests. UPM owns 765,000 hectares of forestry land in Finland. www.metsämaailma.fi (in Finnish), www.facebook.com/metsamaailma (in Finnish)

UPM leads the reformation of bio and forest industries. We are building a sustainable future in six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Paper Asia, UPM Paper Europe and North America and UPM Plywood. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. We serve a global base of customers. We employ approximately 20,000 people, and our annual sales are approximately EUR 10 billion. UPM's shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. UPM — The Biofore Company — www.upm.com

FSC is an international non-profit membership organisation dedicated to promoting environmentally friendly, socially beneficial and economically viable forest management. FSC certified products are produced using wood from responsibly managed forests or recycled materials. FSC Finland online: fi.fsc.org

UPM’s journey at the stock market started one hundred years ago. UPM's predecessor companies Aktiebolaget Walkiakoski and Kymmene Ab were listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange in August-September 1915. The listing is a significant example of Finnish industrialisation and economic growth as the First World War created a boom for the Finnish industry. Forest industry companies wanted to grow quickly and get additional funding for investments. Many significant Finnish forest industry companies such as Kymi, United Paper Mills, Kaukas, Kajaani, Schauman, Rosenlew, Raf. Haarla and Rauma-Repola have been merged into the UPM Group along the years.

UPM today is a global bio and forest industry company offering products made of renewable materials and low-emission energy. With good performance in the businesses, strong cash flow, and leading balance sheet in the industry, UPM can simultaneously distribute an attractive dividend, implement focused growth projects and act on strategic opportunities.

“Investors are always interested in how the company is creating value now and in the future. We create sustainable solutions and many of them replace non-renewable materials. We focus on growing and renewing our businesses and developing new products. The most recent example is renewable wood-based diesel launched in May”, says Mika Mikkola, Vice President, Investor Relations.

Interest in the company in transformation has continued. UPM's share is one of the most traded shares in the Helsinki Stock Exchange. It has a wide, 67 percent foreign ownership, while it has maintained a strong domestic private ownership. UPM has approximately 86,000 shareholders in Finland.

For additional information:
Mika Mikkola, Vice President, Investor Relations, tel. +358 40 595 3202

UPM, Media Relations
9.00-16.00 EET
tel. +358 40 588 3284
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.twitter.com/UPM_News
www.facebook.com/UPMGlobal
www.linkedin.com/company/upm-kymmene

Through the renewing of the bio and forest industries, UPM is building a sustainable future across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Paper Asia, UPM Paper Europe and North America and UPM Plywood. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. We serve our customers worldwide. The group employs around 20,000 people and its annual sales are approximately EUR 10 billion. UPM shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upm.com

UPM opens an art exhibition by the Chinese contemporary artist Wei Qingji on 14 August at Bioforum, UPM’s showroom at the UPM Biofore House. The exhibition is part of the Helsinki Festival programme, and it is organised in cooperation with the Centre of International Cultural Exchange, Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China.

This year’s Helsinki Festival programme “Focus China” presents one of the most comprehensive looks into Chinese art and culture seen in Europe in recent years. This is the first time that the work of the leading Chinese contemporary artist, Wei Qingji is exhibited in the Nordics.

Wei's art reflects the opening of China to the world. "I tend to transform what I see every day into my own thinking. And I have to hold on to that thinking in order to express it,” says Wei Qingji. “What I express has to be related to the environment that I’m living in and what I see every day in different types of media. Today, the progress brought by modernisation has changed our way of life substantially. We have a different aesthetic approach to art so it’s necessary for me to adjust visually,” Qingji explains.
 
“Ink painting is the representative art form of traditional Chinese paintings. As a renowned Chinese contemporary ink painting artist, Wei Qingji has successfully integrated innovation into traditional ink painting by connecting the spirit of literature with post-modern art flavor and his close attention to the social changes of contemporary China,” says Yu Peng, Director-in-General, Center of International Cultural Exchange, Ministry of Culture of China.

"UPM has a long-term commitment to the Chinese market, and we are actively investing in China. We are happy to have this chance to bring Chinese culture to Finland. Moreover, the exhibition by the Chinese artist is also a perfect fit with the Helsinki festival's theme," says Elisa Nilsson, Vice President, UPM Brand and Communications. “The exhibition combines elements of Chinese and Western. New and old. Traditional and contemporary. Combining the traditional with the modern is also an important element in realizing UPM’s Biofore vision. Sustainable innovations are built on deep respect for the heritage combined with bold and open-minded visionary thinking,” Elisa Nilsson continues.

The exhibition is open for public between 14 August – 31 October 2015 at UPM Bioforum, Alvar Aallon katu 1, Helsinki. Opening hours: Tue - Fri 11-18, Sat-Sun 12-16. Additionally, the exhibition is open during the Night of the Arts, on 20 August until 22 hours. Free entrance.

For further information:
Elisa Nilsson, Vice President, Brand and Communications, tel. +358 40 500 3150
bioforum.upm.fi

UPM leads the reformation of bio and forest industries. We are building a sustainable future in six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Paper Asia, UPM Paper Europe and North America and UPM Plywood. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. We serve a global base of customers. We employ approximately 20,000 people, and our annual sales are approximately EUR 10 billion. UPM's shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upm.com

The Helsinki Festival is the largest multi-art festival in Finland, and takes place annually between late August and early September. The festival aims to offer unique art experiences to visitors from both Finland and from abroad. In 2015, the Helsinki Festival will take place between 14 August and 30 August. The Night of the Arts event will take place on Thursday 20 August 2015. Last year, the festival was attended by more than 230,000 visitors.

Centre of International Cultural Exchange (CICE) is a not-for-profit organization subordinate to Ministry of Culture, People’s Republic of China and a comprehensive institution engaged in cultural exchange programs. Aiming at promoting Chinese culture to the world and spreading the charm of Chinese culture, CICE has set up a close link with and provide essential support for worldwide Chinese embassies, consulates, and specially China Cultural Centres. Every year CICE organizes more than one hundred cultural events, including exhibition, performance and forum etc. in various cities, regions and countries.

UPM receives a top score in the recently released WWF UK Timber Scorecard. The scorecard assesses more than 100 retailers, manufacturers and traders in the UK for their commitment and performance in responsible forest trade during the years 2013 – 2014. UPM was one of a small number of companies which received the highest score of 3.

The scorecard looks at companies’ practices and policies in relation to sustainably sourced timber and timber products, against a backdrop of increasing deforestation. The top-performing companies are characterized by the clarity and simplicity with which they report their timber and timber product purchasing and performance. They have made public commitments, and there is visible evidence that they have set up the right policies to ensure sustainable timber is being used as much as possible in their products.
 
“Tracing the origin of wood is a prerequisite for UPM,” says John Sanderson, Head of Environment, UK and Ireland. “We verify that the wood raw material supplied to our mills - whether in China, Uruguay, the US or Europe -  is sustainably sourced, legally logged and procured according to the basic requirements of international forest certification schemes and timber regulations. UPM’s tracing systems and chain of custody model cover the requirements for both PEFC™ and FSC® forest certification schemes, and 83% of UPM’s paper is produced using fibre that meets the criteria of one or both of these schemes. In addition, UPM has an FSC and PEFC Group Certificate in Finland and a UKWAS Group Certificate in the UK which private forest owners can sign up to,” he continues.

“In 2014, UPM sourced more than 26 million cubic meters of wood from around the world, of which almost 290 000 cubic meters comes from forests in the UK. In addition to the high percentage of sustainably managed virgin fibre used in our production, we are also the world’s largest user of recovered paper in the graphic papers’ production. And this combination makes us a truly responsible player in this field,” Sanderson concludes.

UPM
Through the renewing of the bio and forest industries, UPM is building a sustainable future across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Paper Asia, UPM Paper Europe and North America and UPM Plywood. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. We serve our customers worldwide. The group employs around 20,000 people and its annual sales are approximately EUR 10 billion. UPM shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upm.com

For more information
John Sanderson, Head of Environment, UK and Ireland, UPM, tel. +44 7714066919
Link to WWF UK Timber Scorecard

UPM has published the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) statements for the year 2014. The company has certified all its European pulp and paper mills, the UPM Fray Bentos pulp mill in Uruguay and the UPM Changshu paper mill in China in accordance with the EMAS.

Transparency and openness with stakeholders are an essential part of UPM’s corporate responsibility worldwide. The EMAS registration and third-party verified reporting promote continuous improvement.

“As a forerunner in the integration of the bio and forest industries, UPM is committed to innovation-driven future. We see circular-economy thinking – making more with less - as the future business model, Anssi Klinga, Senior Vice President UPM Pulp, Bernd Eikens, Executive Vice President, UPM Paper ENA, and Kim Poulsen, Executive Vice President, UPM Paper Asia state in the report.

“Sustainability-driven not only describes our solutions, but also our way of performing,” they continue.

EMAS requires participants to have an Environmental Management System and to publish a third-party verified Environmental Statement, which increases the credibility and reliability of environmental data. The corporate statement includes group-level information and core indicators on e.g. energy and material efficiency. The mill supplements deepen the corporate statement with local information, such as environmental targets and accomplishments.

In addition to the EMAS - in which the company has participated for about 20 years - UPM provides comprehensive environmental information assured by third parties from corporate level right through to the mills and individual products. Ecolabelled products, product declarations and certified operations are used to inform the company’s stakeholders about responsibility and transparency. 

The corporate statement and paper and pulp mill specific supplements are available on UPM web site.

For more information:
Päivi Salpakivi-Salomaa, Vice President, Environment and Responsibility, UPM, tel. +358 400 754 748.

UPM
Through the integration of the bio and forest industries, UPM is building a sustainable future across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Paper Asia, UPM Paper Europe and North America and UPM Plywood. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. We serve our customers worldwide. The group employs around 20,000 people and its annual sales are approximately €10 billion. UPM shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upm.com