Safeguarding forests for future generations
We are committed to doing right. We strive to create long-term profitable business ethically and responsibly, supporting all aspects of sustainability. We have company-level commitments and rules in place for our wood sourcing, and we adhere to internationally accepted principles of sustainable forestry. We apply credible, third-party verified schemes such as forest certification to ensure our full transparency and continuous improvement.
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Our vision: continuous growth of forests
Our very business depends on the continuous growth of forests and the long-term availability of wood. Our commitment to sustainable forestry ensures continued forest growth for centuries, enabling us to continue creating new, renewable and responsible solutions in the categories of pulp, paper, timber, energy, fuels, labels and plywood. The excellent care we take of our forests also benefits the climate, environment and society.
Our long-term view ensures that we plant more trees than we harvest. We plant at least one new tree to replace each one we harvest, which totals 50 million new saplings every year – that’s 100 new trees every minute. We have made a long-term promise guaranteeing sustainable forest management for decades to come.
Responsibility starts from the source
We source wood from our own forests, from private forest owners and from b-to-b partners such as governments and other forest industry companies. All wood used by UPM is 100% traceable. We do not source wood from protected areas or indigenous territories.
We monitor and verify the origin of all raw materials in our wood supply chains. Our suppliers are required to comply with responsible business practices specified under the UPM Supplier and Third Party Code and our company policies and rules. Specific criteria for wood sourcing are defined in the UPM requirements for wood suppliers.
Forest certification is a great tool for promoting sustainable forestry. We use and promote recognized forest certification schemes such as FSC and PEFC. We use certified chain of custody and controlled wood systems verified by independent external auditors to ensure that our wood is 100% responsibly sourced.
| Management category |
UPM rules*) | Controlled wood/Chain of Custody |
Forest certification |
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| UPM owned forests | 100% | 100% PEFC and/or FSC |
100% PEFC and/or FSC |
| UPM managed forests as an asset management service |
100% | 100% | 91% PEFC and/or FSC |
| UPM wood sourcing area | 100% | 100% | Majority under PEFC and/or FSC |
| *) UPM rules can be downloaded here. |
Our focus areas
Our company harvests wood both from semi-natural forests and plantations. Biogeography, climate conditions, forestry methods and wood sourcing models vary in different geographical regions. Our practices are aligned with local conditions, but we observe the same basic sustainability principles in every location across the globe. We have identified five strategic global fundamentals and cornerstones that guide our forestry operations: wood, climate, water, biodiversity and people.
Our policies and commitments
As defined in the UPM Code of Conduct and responsibility principles, we aim to create long-term profitable business ethically and responsibly, supporting economic, social and environmental sustainability.
We are committed to forestry practices based on internationally accepted principles of sustainable forest management. These include the forest certification schemes and certified chain of custody systems that we use to verify the responsible origins of our wood. We naturally also respect and comply with local legislation and statutory regulations in every country in which we are active.
Social licence is a key element of sustainable forestry. We engage in a continuous dialogue with our local stakeholders and respect their needs and rights. We do not harvest wood from indigenous territories.
