We continually benchmark the performance of our mills both against each other and against best practice in the industry (known as BAT, Best Available Techniques). This helps each mill to focus on the areas of operation they need to improve and identify the processes or technology that could be used.

Two areas in which we work on processes to be as efficient as possible are water and air.

Ensuring that our mills operate as sustainably as possible doesn’t happen by accident; we follow a process to ensure this. Two of the most valuable tools we have in place at all our mills are our Clean Run process, and certified Environmental Management Systems.

Each mill has a manager or expert appointed as responsible for developing and reporting of environmental performance. Awareness and competence are essential for all our employees, and training is provided in special fields such as chemicals handling, effluent treatment and waste management.

In a circular economy, waste is minimised, and renewable resources are used in a sustainable, efficient way. UPM’s circular approach is simple:

We reuse or recycle virtually all of our production waste, create products which can be recycled many times, and we play a leading role in recycling our products after use.

We believe in being transparent about the environmental performance of our mills and the environmental footprint of our products. It helps to maintain our focus in sustainable production, and helps our customers make informed decisions.