Timber is key to unlocking a green and sustainable future

The Finnish Parliament has yesterday 6 February 2019 approved a law that sets a gradually increasing 30% biofuels target for 2030. Furthermore, the law sets a world-leading advanced biofuels target of 10% in 2030. UPM welcomes the Finnish government's ambition to take transport decarbonisation seriously: "UPM is a leading producer of advanced biofuels as defined by the EU Renewable Energy Directive, and we consider this move by Finland as a bold step forward in setting concrete measures for transport decarbonisation," says Sari Mannonen, Vice President, UPM Biofuels. UPM produces wood-based UPM BioVerno renewable diesel at the Lappeenranta Biorefinery in Finland. Click read more below for additional detail.

Our members have practiced responsible and sustainable forestry for decades. To meet customer demand, they are now doing more than ever to increase the availability of certified fiber from certified fiber sourcing programs and third party-certified forestlands. Forest certification systems are not the only method to demonstrate that the wood our industry uses comes from responsible sources that are harvested sustainably. But it is probably the most recognized tool on the landscape to demonstrate sustainable harvesting and management. The amount of wood fiber that members procure from third party-certified forestlands continues to grow slowly. It’s a hard thing to do when the largest landowners are certified and small landowners make up so much of the environment—and the fiber supply! Click Read More below for additional information.

Metsä Board, the leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards, has been awarded the Gold level rating by EcoVadis for the second consecutive year for its approach to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Overall Metsä Board was ranked in the top 1% of suppliers assessed by EcoVadis across all categories. “This is a significant achievement, as the EcoVadis assessment is becoming an increasingly important guide for our customers when judging their suppliers’ sustainability and corporate social responsibility performance. We recognise that sustainability must go beyond regulatory compliance to also focus on how companies manage their economic, social, and environmental impacts, as well as their relationships with stakeholders such as customers, employees, suppliers and government,” says Anne Uusitalo, Product Safety and Sustainability Director at Metsä Board. Click Read More below for additional information.