“Being listed as the top company in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index in Europe shows that we have been succeeding in our actions and engagement and that the results are also noted outside", says Pirkko Harrela, Executive Vice President, Stakeholder Relations.
"We believe that customers, investors and other stakeholders value our responsible operations that keep risks under control and create business opportunities. Innovations such as lighter publication paper grades, renewable diesel or biochemicals e.g. for medical end-uses create benefits to our stakeholders and the society, and thereby increase the company value”, she adds.
Valuable benchmark
UPM received high scores in many areas of the assessment. The company has traditionally performed well in the environmental responsibility and this was noted also in the assessment. Product stewardship, biodiversity, sustainable fibre and pulp sourcing, sustainable management of forests as well as environmental reporting all received maximum scores.
When it comes to social responsibility, stakeholder engagement, social impacts on communities and reporting were all noted with high scores.
In the economic aspects of responsibility, our supply chain management, codes of business conduct and tax strategy were highly valued in the assessment with scores over 90 out of 100.
“This is a very valuable benchmark for us and gives us feedback from how we operate in our everyday business. Being listed in the index, shows that we have consistently progressed well but at the same time we have to remember that the competition is getting tougher. Continuous improvement is important”, says Sami Lundgren, Vice President, Environment & Responsibility of UPM.
The annual Corporate Sustainability Assessment is conducted by an investment specialist RobecoSAM, and is based on a rigorous analysis of economic, environmental and social performance of the world's leading companies, assessing issues covering climate change strategies, supply chain standards, labour practices, corporate governance and risk management.
