Rooted in China for 20 years, UPM Reaffirms its ‘Beyond Fossils’ promise

Preparing to give your feedback on the proposed amendments to the PEFC Sustainable Forest Management standard for EUDR alignment, but would like more information? We are holding a special information webinar, open to everyone, on 12 June, to introduce the proposed modifications and answer your questions. The PEFC SFM Working Group has added and amended a number of requirements to the PEFC Sustainable Forest Management standard (ST 1003) to ensure that PEFC-certified raw material coming out of PEFC-certified forests is EUDR compliant.

In conjunction with Natuur en Bos, Sappi HQ's Employee-led Tree-Planting Initiative resulted in a further 4,000 saplings planted in the Forêt de Soignes in Belgium on 26th February 2016. This brings the total number of trees replanted by the group to over 16,000 since the initiative started 6 years ago. Jens Kriete is the Environmental Manager at Sappi Europe, "Our mantra at Sappi is that to make sustainability a success, we have to involve our people. This is a great example of where Sappi employees have taken the lead by regularly getting together to plant trees in a local forest." Sappi's tree-planting initiative also has a strong community dimension, engaging in and with our local environment.

Stormwater runoff is the rain the doesn't soak into the ground and picks up pollutants as it passes down the roofs of homes and buildings, through the gutters, across the ground and into storm drain inlets. Unfortunately, this stormwater runoff does not go to a waste-water treatment plant and can end up in local creeks and rivers. The various pollutants that can be picked up along the way can include metals, oils, chemicals and bacteria. Stormwater runoff is a leading cause of water pollution. What Can You Do? While we certainly can't stop the rain from falling, we can recognize and prevent stormwater pollution to protect ourselves and our wildlife. One excellent rule of thumb is, “If you wouldn't want to swim in, don't put it in the drain.” Here are a few other ways to prevent stormwater pollution: •Dispose of and store trash and chemicals properly. Some of the most popular items that can be stored or disposed of the wrong way are: paint, garbage, mislabeled containers, uncovered chemicals, detergent, leaves and medications. •Never apply pesticides immediately before rain is forecasted and try using organic rather than synthetic fertilizers. •Recycle motor oil and maintain your vehicle to prevent leaks. •Place rocks or shrubs across a slope to interrupt water as it flows downhill. •Remove visible debris from draims. •Don’t empty ashtrays in parking lots or other areas besides their proper containers.