.app-navigation__wrapper--for-seo { display: block !important; }

Managing sustainability

Setting ambitious long- and short-term targets, taking concrete actions and ensuring transparent reporting are key to managing sustainability.

How we manage sustainability at UPM

UPM’s Group Executive Team (GET), led by the President and CEO, is responsible for managing sustainability, setting the course of action and guiding the development.

The GET is responsible for

managing impacts, risks and opportunities at Group level

approving the Group's Double Materiality Assessment (DMA)

approving sustainability focus areas, targets, key performance indicators and sustainability actions

approving the sustainability-related policies and rules.

The President and CEO reports to the UPM Board of Directors (Board) on relevant decisions and progress. The Board is responsible for overseeing all of the above GET responsibilities.

The members of the Board and the President and CEO have versatile experience and skills in the field of sustainability, for example in sustainability reporting and assurance, including double materiality processes, ESG governance, energy and climate policies, labor laws, ESG-related regulatory input and lobbying, human rights, diversity, green transition, stakeholder management, supply chain management and circular economy.

Implementation, follow-up, and reporting

In practice, corporate responsibility efforts take place in businesses and functions. Each business, function and site is responsible for identifying, assessing, documenting and managing the impacts, risks and opportunities related to its own operations, and for reporting risk exposures, risk management activities and results to its own management team and to the Risk Management team. The management of each business and function is responsible for ensuring that all employees are made aware of relevant sustainability issues in their day-to-day work.

Our management systems 

Our quality, environmental and OHS management systems are certified in accordance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 standards. In addition to ISO 14001, most of our pulp and paper mills have environmental management systems verified under the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). 

We also use other management systems where relevant. Many of our mills have energy management systems certified under ISO 50001 or the Finnish ETJ system. ISO 22000 management systems are used at sites where food safety management is applicable. 

Chain-of-Custody systems are in place at all production sites, usually as part of an integrated management system.  

Compliance with sustainability regulations 

The evolving landscape of EU directives and global sustainability regulations plays a key role in shaping responsible business practices. Key frameworks such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the EU Taxonomy, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) aim to ensure that companies actively identify, manage, and report on their environmental and human rights impacts.

EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)

As per the amendment regarding the date of application of the Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) enters into application on 30 December 2025.

UPM Group and its businesses (hereafter UPM) undertake to comply with the requirements of the Regulation starting from the date when the Regulation enters into application at the latest.

From thereon, at the latest, the products falling under the scope of the Regulation that UPM places or makes available on the EU market or exports from the EU market will be covered by a due diligence statement and UPM will provide to its customers information required by Article 4 of the Regulation as regards such products.

Read the whole statement on UPM Certificate Finder.

UPM & EUDR: THE Q&A

We promote transparent and compliant reporting in all our operations

Our values, the UPM Code of Conduct and the UPM Sustainability Policy Statement provide a strong foundation for our decision-making, management, and operations. We assess our sustainability-related impacts, risks, and opportunities, as well as their financial implications, at least once a year through a Double Materiality Assessment (DMA). The assessment is based on input from both internal and external stakeholders.

Review our materiality analysis in our annual report

View a detailed list of our impacts, risks, and opportunities

Code of Conduct

Regardless of the location, circumstances or people involved, we are committed to complying with applicable laws and regulations and our Code of Conduct.

Reporting Hub

Our Reporting Hub provides all sustainability-related reports on one page.

Certificate Finder

We provide product declarations and environmental data for all our products.

Updated Supplier and Third-Party Code clarifies responsibility requirements – and invites dialogue

Story | 06/05/2025 14:12:57 | 2 min

Fostering a Diverse and Inclusive Culture at UPM

Story | 05/22/2025 07:20:13 | 9 min

Applying environmental DNA analysis brings accuracy into measuring and protecting biodiversity

Story | 05/13/2025 07:35:39 | 3 min