Modern solutions to global challenges

We believe that sustainable forestry offers a solution to many of the Earth’s environmental challenges. Forests provide a wide range of ecosystem services: they preserve biological diversity, capture carbon from the atmosphere, maintain natural hydrological cycles and provide timber and other forest resources for the benefit of humankind and wildlife. The unique thing about forests is that all these varied benefits can be harnessed simultaneously, side by side. We believe sustainable forestry fosters the wellbeing of our planet and people by offering multiple coinciding assets.

Land use is often a complex topic due to the many varied needs that must be reconciled. Global megatrends such as climate change, biodiversity loss and population growth pose many urgent challenges for land use planning. How can land be used responsibly? This is one of the main questions we must address in our search for viable solutions to sustainable development. For UPM, responsible land use means safeguarding ecosystem services. Modern forestry offers a great case in point. Our sustainable approach ensures a steady wood supply while at the same time promoting biodiversity, carbon sequestration and water protection – as well as fostering the wellbeing and prosperity of local communities.

We harvest wood from boreal semi-natural forests and temperate grassland tree plantations. Despite the differences between these two regions, we apply the same responsible approach in every location we operate.

Forests are important providers of  ecosystem services – the varied benefits that we gain from healthy natural ecosystems. Our strategic view of forests as ecosystem service producers aims to maximize positive impacts and minimize negative ones to the mutual benefit of the planet, people and business. Simply put, our forestry strategy is based on fostering and capturing the multiple benefits that forests provide.

We have identified five fundamental areas of responsibility. As a global company, it is important for us to address planet-level megatrends. Forests form the core of our strategy and our business because they efficiently answer the challenges of today’s megatrends.

Consumers today are increasingly aware of the impacts of their everyday choices. They want to be part of the solution, not the problem. Global middle class expansion and growth in consumption are driving demand for sustainable consumer goods. Our vision is to meet this growing demand with products made from sustainable resources. By offering renewable, recyclable products sourced from responsibly managed forests, we want to build a future beyond fossils.