(UPM, Helsinki, 16 September 2015, at 10.00 EET) – 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, Media Desk
Tel. +358
(0)40 588 3284
Mon-Fri
from 9:00 to 16:00
media@upm.com
www.twitter.com/UPM_News
www.facebook.com/UPMGlobal
www.linkedin.com/company/upm-kymmene
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