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More than 1.8 billion
people are without
access to clean,
safe drinking water.
An estimated
4.1 billion lack
proper sanitation.
up for the programme canmake a
real difference. The input of thirty
companies is estimated to bring
direct benefits to over two million
people. As the number of participating
companies increases, the direct and
indirect benefits multiply.
Raising awareness
UPM joined theWASH programme
this autumn. The company sent
out a survey to all its production
facilities enquiring about local water,
sanitation and hygiene conditions.
A total of 54 production facilities
from around the world responded
to the survey and evaluated whether
conditions at their sites could be
improved.
There is
always room for
improvement,
even at highly
advanced pulp
and paper mills
that operate
in compliance
with strict
regulations.
Good sanitation
facilities cannot
be taken for
granted at any
location. UPM’s
occupational
healthcare physician
Tero
Kemppainen
offers the example of a
Finnish lumberjack who works in the
middle of nowhere without a proper
lavatory. As a hygiene precaution he
always keeps wet wipes or clean water
with him in order to wash his hands.
“Hand hygiene is extremely
important for your health,”
Kemppainen says. “Diseases spread
through touch, so if you remember to
wash your hands and watch what you
put in your mouth, you’ll avoidmany
problems.”
Tap water is fit to drink in
most European countries, but
subcontractors working at a
plantation in South America, for
example, should always carry safe
bottled water to quench their thirst.
Bottled water is also a good choice
on business trips. UPM’s instructions
are very clear on this point: When you
visit an exotic location, always drink
bottled water and eat cooked food
only. All employees who follow this
rule generally avoid infection.
Plastic bottles are also handy as
you can use themmore than once –
just remember to recycle themwhen
you no longer need them.
Sharing best practices
UPM is working together with
pioneering companies under the
auspices of theWASH programme.
“We share information about new
best practices with other responsible
companies. This offers us a broader
view of how to operate responsibly,”
says
Päivi Rissanen
, UPMPaper
ENA Director, Environment and
Responsibility.
TheWASH programme was
launched in autumn 2013 in Geneva,
Switzerland. UPM launched its own
project this year by sending a survey
to its production facilities. In 2016,
a survey will be sent to sales offices,
followed by forest management and
wood sourcing teams in 2017.
After improvement needs have
been identified, UPMwill take action.
Good hygiene is after all a win-win:
employees benefit from good health,
and employers achieve savings in the
formof reduced sickness absenteeism.
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