Shaping a better future with the United Nations

Setting the standard for UN Sustainable Development Goals

Population growth and climate change are two of the most significant challenges we face today. The need to act responsibly has never been greater.

The United Nations took action in 2015 by launching the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 carefully selected Goals serve as a blueprint for progress by addressing social, economic and environmental challenges and turning them into opportunities.

Achieving the greatest positive impact

UPM’s Biofore Beyond Fossils thinking guides every action the company takes. Our ambitious responsibility targets for 2030 strongly and clearly support the SDGs that present the best opportunity for UPM to improve and make a positive impact through its actions.

UPM has actively worked with other global sustainability leaders within UN Global Compact to develop SDG reporting. The work involved also a number of LEAD Companies that were nominated by Global Compact as demonstrating world-class commitment to corporate responsibility.

Focusing on the most relevant SDGs

UPM aims to support the SDGs at every opportunity. Here are just some examples of how our commitment to the Goals is backed up by concrete action:

• Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation:
  2030 target: Reduce effluent load (COD) by 40%*
• Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy:
  2030 target: We aim to improve our energy efficiency by 1% annually.
• Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth:
  2030 target: Every employee has individual goals and a development plan set annually.
• Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production:
  2030 target: No process waste sent to landfills or incineration without energy recovery by 2030.
• Goal 13: Climate action:
  2030 target: Reduce CO2 emissions from fuels and purchased electricity by 65% and the emission levels of supply chain by 30%**
• Goal 15: Life on land:
  2030 target: Net-positive impact on biodiversity.

_{*from 2008 levels
**from the levels of 2015 and 2018 respectively}