We support UN’s Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation

We aim to use water responsibly and to minimise the impact of our operations on water resources.

One priority for us is SDG 6, Clean water and sanitation. Find out more about this focus goal and our efforts towards reaching it in this video.

Our focus target

UN SDG Target 6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.

Measuring our contribution:

•  We aim to reduce our effluent load (COD) by 40% by 2030. In 2022, the reduction achieved since 2008 was 39% for the UPM average product.
• We aim to reduce wastewater volume by 30% by 2030. In 2022, the reduction achieved since 2008 was 13% for the UPM average product.
• We aim to use only recycled nutrients in our effluent treatment by 2030. In 2022, 33% of our nutrients come from recycled sources.

Our other contributions to Goal 6

UN SDG Target 6.1 (Safe drinking water) and UN SDG target 6.2 (Access to sanitation):

We are globally compliant with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s WASH Pledge for Access to Safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in all premises under our direct control.

Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy

We aim to increase efficient use and share of renewable and low emission energy.

SDG 7, Affordable and clean energy, is an important priority for us. Find out more about this focus goal and our efforts towards reaching it in this video.

Our focus targets

UN SDG Target 7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

Measuring our contribution:

• We aim to have a continuous share of 70% of renewable fuel. In 2022, the share of renewable fuels was 65%.
• UPM Biorefining produces biofuel and UPM Energy aims to generate more of CO2 free electricity. In 2022, 95% of UPM Energy's production was free of CO2 emissions.

Read more about our low carbon energy sources, fish-friendly hydropower and how UPM operates in the changing energy market.

UN SDG Target 7.3 By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.

Measuring our contribution:

• We aim to improve our energy efficiency by 1% annually. In 2022, the energy efficiency target was not achieved.

Read  more about about energy efficiency.

Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth

We aim to increase growth with focus on bioeconomy, and improve safe and rewarding working environment for employees.

SDG 8, Decent work and economic growth, is one important focus goal for us. Find out more about this goal and our efforts towards reaching it in this video.

Our focus targets

UN SDG Target 8.2 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors.

Measuring our contribution:

• We aim to have comparable EBIT growth through focused top-line growth and margin expansion. In 2022, our comparable EBIT increased by 42% to EUR 2,096 million.
• Our aim is to have comparable ROE 10%. In 2022, it was 14.0%.
• Our net debt/EBITDA was 0.94 times in 2022. Our aim is to have it around 2 times or less.

Read more about the investment decision for a new pulp mill in Uruguay, and our innovation performance.

UN SDG Target 8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.

Measuring our contribution:

• We want people to feel that UPM values and promotes diversity, and that people are treated fairly in their work environment and can advance regardless of personal background or characteristics. We aim to have UPM among the top 10% of companies on employees’ sense of belonging by 2030 and target for continuous improvement in the female representation in professional and managerial roles, 40% by 2030. Currently the sense of belonging of UPMers is 12 points below the benchmark of top 10% companies. In 2022, UPM had 31.4% female representation in professional and managerial roles.
• We want employees to perceive good opportunities for learning and development at UPM and secure future employability.  Currently, responses to Employee Engagement Survey’s question regarding learning and development were 64% favourable. We aim to have 100% completion rate of goal setting discussions, and development plans created for all employees by 2030. In 2022, 83% of employees had completed individual goal setting or annual discussion, and 58% had a development plan documented.
• We want to ensure fair, equitable and competitive rewarding for all employees. UPM is committed to safeguard that employees’ pay meets at least local living wage by implementing a yearly review and ensure gender pay equity for all employees by implementing a yearly review process to identify and close unexplained pay gaps.
• Our aim is to have employee engagement clearly above benchmark by 2030. Currently,  our employee engagement average score is 70. This is 5 points below the global average benchmark.

Read more about our employer brand image and career development at UPM.

UN SDG Target 8.8 Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment.

Measuring our contribution:

• Our aim is no fatalities or serious accidents in UPM operations. We had three fatal accidents and five serious accidents in 2022.
• We aim to have total recordable injury frequency (TRIF) <2 which was 6.4 for UPM workforce and 5.9 including contractors in 2022.
• Currently our absenteeism rate is 4.5% which we aim to have <2% in all organisations by 2030. 
• We aim to have process safety development programme implemented at all UPM sites and businesses by 2030. In 2022, a new UPM process safety standard was published.
• Our target is to be among top 10% companies on employees’ sense of worklife balance by 2030. In 2022, the average score in the Employee Engagement Survey for these topics was 70. That is below the top 10% benchmark companies by 7 points.

Read more about assessment of human rights in Uruguays, safety in Kymi and Augsburg mills.

Our other contributions to Goal 8 

UN SDG Target 8.7 (No child labour and forced labour):

We have zero tolerance to child and forced labour in our operations as well as in the supply chain.

Read more about our commitment to respecting and promoting human rights.

Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production

With focus on circular economy, we are developing renewable and recyclable materials from wood-based biomass, and we aim to continuously improve resource-efficiency in our production.

SDG 12, Responsible consumption and production, is one of our focus goals. Find out more about this goal and our efforts towards reaching it in this video.

Our focus targets

UN SDG Target 12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.

Measuring our contribution:

• We aim to develop new products and services with contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. By our new Sustainable Product design concept we support and steer our product development projects, promoting a sustainable product lifecycle approach and ensuring that every new product has a proven sustainability value proposition and it supports the UN SDGs.  
• Since 2018, 100% of our production sites have a certified environmental management system in place.

Read more about our Biofore Site concept and we turn our side streams into consumer products.

UN SDG Target 12.4 By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.

Measuring our contribution:

• We aim to reduce our acidifying flue gases (NOX/SO2) 20% by 2030 from the 2015 levels. In 2022, we had achieved a 28% reduction from the 2015 levels for the UPM average product.

Read more about our recycled fertiliser project and our support for the Baltic Sea Action Group.

UN SDG Target 12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.

Measuring our contribution:

• • In 2022, 90% of UPM's total process waste is recovered or recycled. The total amount of waste to landfills decreased by 40% compared to 2021. We aim to have no process waste sent to landfills or to incineration without energy recovery by 2030.

Read more about how Raflatac innovates towards circular economy and our breakthrough in recycling ash.

Our other contributions to Goal 12

• UN SDG target 12.8 (Provide relevant information and awareness related to sustainability):
  
  • Currently, we have Environmental Product Declarations for most of our products, and we aim to have for all applicable products eligible for ecolabelling by 2030. In 2022, share of products eligible for ecolabelling was 87%.

Goal 13: Climate action

Moving from fossils to bioeconomy – Forests, wood-based products and low-carbon electricity all play a role in climate change mitigation.

SDG 13, Climate action, is one of the most important focus goals for us. Find out more about this goal and our efforts towards reaching it in this video.

Our focus target

UN SDG Target 13.1 Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.

• We aim to reduce fossil CO2 emissions from our own combustion (scope 1) and purchased electricity (scope 2) by 65% by 2030 from the 2015 levels. In 2022, we reduced fossil CO2 emissions by 34% compared to 2015 and 11% compared to 2021.
• By 2030, we aim to reduce CO2 emissions from materials and logistics by 30% from the 2018 levels. We are currently working in close co-operation with suppliers to develop CO2 emissions reporting.
• We aim to a climate-positive product portfolio (continuous). In 2020 we initiated a scientific study on substitution and storage effect of our products. The study is now published and available here.
• In 2021, we launched a new target of no coal and peat usage in on-site energy generation by 2030. In 2022, the use of coal and peat usage increased by 3% compared to 2021.
• Additionally, we have analysed impacts of climate change to UPM that helps us in our risk evaluation. 

Read more about how our Biofore strategy responds to climate change, Science Based Targets initiative, and the role of renewable fuels in cleaner road traffic.

Goal 15: Life on land

Our aim is to ensure sustainable land use and keep forests full of life.

SDG 15, Life on land, is one of the most important focus goals for us. Find out more about this goal and our efforts towards reaching it in this video.

Our focus targets

UN SDG Target 15.2 By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.

Measuring our contribution

• Currently, 86% of all wood used by UPM is sourced from certified forests, and we aim to have all fibre certified by 2030.

• We have 100% coverage of chain of custody.

Read more about sustainable land use, and better forests for all.

UN SDG Target 15.5 Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.

Measuring our contribution

• We aim to continuous positive impact on biodiversity, implement biodiversity programme and develop a monitoring system in our own forests in Finland. In 2022, we measured overall positive development in both Finland and Uruguay. Read more about our biodiversity indicators.
• We aim to have 500 km of obstacle free streams in Finland by 2030. In 2022, we reached 174 km.

Read more about biodiversity as a foundation for sustainable forestry, win-win benefits of biodiversity, new way to increase biodiversity, and reasons for leaving snags standing.