Sustainable paper is the product of everything from responsible sourcing of raw materials, to sustainable paper manufacturing and recycling. At UPM, we're constantly working to improve all stages, as these facts about trees, forests and paper show.

Download as pdf

 

No deforestation

All wood used in our products comes from sustainably managed forests. We do not accept deforestation or cause forest loss in our operations. UPM experts plant four trees for every tree that is harvested.

 

Planting 100 trees per minute​

UPM plants 50 million trees per year. These young forests absorb carbon form the atmosphere, storing it in wood biomass. Sustainably managed forests act as carbon sinks.

 

Utilizing the whole tree

Our mission? Using trees 100% responsibly. It follows that we use all parts of a tree: Fibres, logs, lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose. ​Bark and branches are left for enhancing biodiversity or are used to produce energy.

 

Sustainable forestry

UPM strives for climate-positive forestry. All foresters in our own forests and in those of our suppliers world-wide follow sustainable business practices driven by responsibility, resource efficiency and commitment to innovation.

Learn more about climate positive forestry

 

Minimizing Process Waste

We strive for a sustainable, circular future. UPM is moving towards a zero waste target, with 90% of process waste recovered or recycled in 2022.

Learn more about paper and circular economy

 

Awarded for sustainability

UPM is one of the world’s leading recyclers of recovered paper in graphic paper production. Every UPM paper product has been awarded at least one of the world’s leading eco-labels.

Our approach and performance

Paper recycling saves resources

Recycling paper saves valuable resources such as primary energy and freshwater*. It also delays CO2 from returning to the atmosphere.​
 ​
*German Environment Agency, text 123/2022

CO2e (Carbon dioxide equivalent) is a term for describing different greenhouse gases in a common unit. For any quantity and type of greenhouse gas, CO2e signifies the amount of CO2 which would have the equivalent global warming impact.

 

Your paper waste is our resource​

The European recycling rate for paper reached 71% in 2022. That’s not bad, but together we can do better! Help us to recycle every piece of paper.

 

Do you have more questions about paper and sustainability? 

Check out the FAQ!


 

 

Explore further

 


Join the Makers of Real

Become a part of our community and be the first in line for event invitations, industry trends, and the latest stories about paper. Together we will drive the value of paper.

 

 

 

 
Augsburg – where sustainable forestry meets sustainable paper
Story | 12 min

Augsburg – where sustainable forestry meets sustainable paper

Read more
Forest resilience and biodiversity at the core at UPM Blandin, Minnesota
Story | 5 min

Forest resilience and biodiversity at the core at UPM Blandin, Minnesota

Read more
Mixed forests rather than monocultures – Q & A with Prof. Dr. Josef Settele
Story | 10 min

Mixed forests rather than monocultures – Q & A with Prof. Dr. Josef Settele

Read more