UPM_News_2016

UPM’s new Responsible Fibre™ trademark is reserved for paper products that fulfil the very strictest criteria for corporate responsibility.

Text: Niko Kilkki , Terhi Jokinen Photos: UPM

Every little choice he brand-new UPM trademark, Responsible Fibre™, provides a tangible example of Biofore T makes a difference

that shows that we are committed to en- suring that all our paper products carry- ing the trademark comply with the in- dustry’s most demanding responsibil- ity criteria,” explains Päivi Rissanen , Environmental Director of UPM Paper ENA. The first UPM paper products carry- ing the trademark are New Future of- fice papers. The next products will fol- low in the course of the coming months. Verified by external parties But can consumers trust a responsibili- ty trademark developed by the compa- ny itself? “Responsible Fibre was cre- ated almost entirely on the basis of our existing certifications and standards, which are verified by third parties. Even our internal responsibility data, such as UPM’s carbon footprint calcu- lations, has also been verified by exter- nal parties,” Rissanen emphasizes. To be eligible for the trademark,

Social responsibility, in particular, is becoming an increasingly topical and debated issue. Customers have their own risk management schemes and want to ensure that the paper produc- tion chain is ethical throughout. They also expect guarantees that UPM en- sures the safety of its employees. “We are committed to openly dis- cussing these issues with our custom- ers and other stakeholders, and we have already received great feedback on our openness around these issues,” says Rissanen. “I hope that our customers will feel that they play a role in this story, but also that they can gain commercial ad- vantage by using our paper. We will follow closely how well Responsible Fibre is received on the market, and based on the response we will consid- er widening the range of papers carry- ing the trademark.”

the wood raw material for the product must be sourced from an FSC ® - or PEFC™-certified forest to guarantee sustainable forest management prac- tices. The paper must also meet the re- quirements of the EU Ecolabel, and the production process must comply with all the applicable occupational and product safety requirements. UPM is additionally committed to operating in a responsible and ethical manner in all communities and societies in which it is active. Open dialogue The lifecycle of the fibres often contin- ues after the paper is printed. UPM is one of the world’s top users of recycled paper: approximately 80% of the fibres used in its newsprint are recycled. “Pa- per recycling is an excellent example of well-functioning circular economy; fi- bre continues its life in another prod- uct,” Rissanen muses.

thinking. Biofore is a philosophy sys- tematically built up by UPM combin- ing the innovative and sustainable use of wood fibres with alternative solu- tions to using non-renewable materials. So what does this mean in practice? Responsible fibres are the main raw material used for just about every re- newable, recyclable and biodegrada- ble product produced by UPM. These are important qualities, but the Respon- sible Fibre trademark promises even more than that. The new trademark innovatively combines UPM’s environmental re- sponsibility and social responsibility into one cohesive philosophy, which is followed throughout the product li- fecycle. “Responsible Fibre is truly unique. We wanted to introduce a trademark

Responsible Fibre™ A UPM trademark created on the basis of official certifications and standards The criteria cover the following four focus areas: climate, water, biodiversity and social responsibility Guarantees that the wood fibres used in UPM products come from sustainably managed forests Further information is available at www.responsiblefibre.upm.com Interested in hearing more about this topic? Please contact UPM sales or Päivi Rissanen (paivi.rissanen@upm.com) directly.

Paper products carrying the Responsible Fibre™ fulfil the following criteria: • Responsible sourcing • Sustainable forest management and land use • Low emissions from pulp and paper production • Transparent performance • No use of harmful substances • Certified environmental management systems • Safe and encouraging working environment • Social responsibility • Recognized sustainability leader

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