Diversity and inclusion

We value diversity and strive to build an inclusive culture and working environment. All UPMers are treated as equals regardless of race, ethnicity, age, nationality, gender, or sexual orientation. Promoting diversity and inclusion is not only the right thing to do, but it is also crucial for our business success. UPM does not tolerate discrimination in any form.

Developing a diverse and inclusive workplace 

Developing a diverse and inclusive workplace starts with three things: committing to diversity and inclusion, monitoring data and processes regularly, and developing leadership and working culture. Our approach to promoting diversity and inclusion is also enshrined in our Code of Conduct and other company policies, our social responsibility targets, inclusive leadership, and transparent recruitment.

It is important for us to employ people with varied experience, competencies, and backgrounds. Different perspectives enrich our decision-making and enable business success. We review our diversity status regularly. Inclusive behaviour is also integrated into our key leadership development programmes and emphasized in the UPM Code of Conduct training.

Diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our Aiming Higher mindset. We have committed to promoting diversity in our workplace by signing the Finnish Diversity Charter. Our social responsibility targets related to the charter were renewed in 2021, and now we place greater emphasis on strengthening our employees’ sense of belonging and increasing the number of women in managerial and expert roles. Our internal audits affirm that men and women have equal opportunities for professional growth at UPM.

In 2019, we initiated a dialogue with our management teams to further develop inclusive leadership and culture at UPM. This work has continued across the company. Over 1,800 UPMers had participated in the dialogue by the end of 2022. We have also invested special effort into building awareness of LGBTIQ+ inclusion, for instance by creating LGBTIQ+ web training for our employees. In 2023 we launched our very first Employee Resource Group, BeU. The goal of BeU is to help create a more equal, inclusive, and welcoming work environment for all our LGBTIQ+ employees worldwide.

We acknowledge that diversity is becoming an increasingly important topic for many of our stakeholders, and we are committed to continuously improving the transparent reporting of our progress in diversity-building. In January 2023 we made the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for the fifth consecutive year. The index lists the companies most committed to transparency in gender reporting and advancing women’s equality.

Correcting the gender pay gaps

As a part of our fair remuneration commitment, we are committed to ensure gender pay equity to all our employees and to review the status annually. The review focuses on identifying pay gaps that cannot be explained for example by person's performance, work experience, job level or location, i.e., the factors that typically determine a person’s base salary and its development.

We made the review for the first time in 2021 and we continue to monitor the development annually and make corrective actions if needed.

In addition to monitoring the gender pay, we regularly also analyse female representation and career progress in the workforce. As a part of our 2030 social responsibility target renewal in 2022 and the diversity and inclusion initiative, we also set a 40% target of female representation in professional and managerial roles. All these factors have an impact on the development of pay equity.

Read more:

IMPACT STORY: Finnish forestry giant takes action to eliminate gender pay gaps | UN Global Compact

31 December 2023