The UPM Forest Action programme outlines an ambitious agenda for us to maximize the positive impact of our forestry operations by the end of the decade. As an industry first, the programme takes a holistic, global view on the impact of forestry, combining measures on five factors: climate, biodiversity, soil, water and social contribution.

Net positive impact on biodiversity

Biodiversity is instrumental to maintaining healthy forest growth. Only by safeguarding robust and diverse forest ecosystems can we provide sustainable alternatives to fossil-based materials. Simply put: no biodiversity, no future beyond fossils.

At UPM, we have had our own biodiversity program since 1998. In 2018, we introduced a target of net positive impact on biodiversity (NPI), which means we take every action to ensure that our impact on biodiversity is positive.

Climate: Committed to 1.5°C

Climate change is a challenge of the utmost gravity. As carbon sinks and storages, or as bio-based innovations replacing fossil materials and products, forests play a vital role in the transition to a zero-carbon economy.

At UPM, we are committed to concrete, science-based actions to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. In 2021, we became the first forest company to join The Climate Pledge, a group of sustainability leaders dedicated to meet the Paris Climate Agreement’s decarbonization targets ten years in advance. 

Protecting water systems

Today, one in three people globally lacks access to safe drinking water. This inequality puts an obligation on companies to use water responsibly – and to protect water systems wherever they operate.

As part of a complex hydrological cycle, forests play an integral role in purifying water and regulating its movement. At UPM, our sustainable forest management practices prevents negative impacts on water systems and maintains the important role of forests for water-regulation.

Securing healthy soils

Discussions of atmospheric change rarely involve the ground beneath our feet. Soils, however, play a key role in the carbon cycle as the largest storage of terrestrial carbon and climate resilience of forests. Soil quality and health lay the groundwork for healthy forest growth. We secure healthy soils from the ground up: by matching the right tree species with the right soil type. Our sustainable forest management strategy promotes soil health and prevents damages.

Social contribution: Creating value and opportunities

The transition to a post-fossil economy can generate economic wealth and well-being for millions. Together, companies, governments and societies alike must work to ensure that the transformation is just and equitable – that local communities and populations stand to gain from the green transition.

Whether it is forests in Finland or Eucalyptus plantations in Uruguay, the positive societal impact of our operations is immense. Today, UPM employs around 16,600 people, with 54 production plants spread out over 43 countries, creating significant value through employement and tax generation. By working with forest owners, suppliers, partners and vendors, we create value and wellbeing through employment and tax income everywhere we operate. We aim to be a good neighbour and trusted partner to all people, economies and environments affected, both directly and indirectly.