UPM has been involved in developing forest certification since the 90s, when work towards forestry standardisation began. UPM promotes all responsible forest certification schemes. All UPM forests are either FSC-certified, PEFC™-certified, or both, and the company purchases wood from both FSC and PEFC-certified forests. This will continue in addition to the partnership with FSC.
UPM's target is to increase the use of certified wood so that all wood used by the company will be certified by 2030. Reaching this target requires both active participation in the development of standards and including forest certification in the range of forest services offered to forest owners.
UPM can offer FSC its know-how of best practices for wood production in plantations and northern forests, in addition to the use of native tree species. UPM also has extensive experience of group certification in several countries. Group certification is an effortless alternative for forest owners, as UPM manages the certification and ensures that all activities comply with certification standards.
FSC's global strategy provides the opportunity to develop and test new ways of implementing certification in a more cost-effective way and increase credibility in the eyes of stakeholders. As a result of the new partnership agreement, UPM and FSC will be able to work on certification-related matters more closely than before. Developing forestry practices, transparency, stakeholder engagement, and taking environmental issues into consideration are essential themes in the strategies of both FSC and UPM.
UPM has experience of FSC certification in several countries, but has been focusing on Finland and Uruguay in recent years. In Finland, UPM has been implementing FSC certification since 2011. Over the years, the company has learnt that FSC certification provides an excellent framework for modern, responsible forest use, but that it also requires continuous development. Now is the time for bold and fresh innovations for implementing forest certification. Successful certification benefits all parties and stakeholders, both working closely with the forest and in the supply chain. It also ensures that future generations will inherit, in many aspects, a better forest.
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Main picture: Kim Carstensen, Director General, FSC and Sauli Brander, Forest Director, UPM
