UPM Plywood supports local communities and initiatives at its mill locations through the UPM Biofore Share and Care program. Supporting children and youth, particularly through hobbies and schools, is especially rewarding. Whether kindergarteners need new safety vests, schools require plywood for teaching and student projects, or a sports team is looking for a sponsor, UPM Plywood is happy to help.
Sponsorship, donations, and enabling employee volunteer work are all part of UPM Plywood's social responsibility and its Responsibility Made Easy promise.
“Support can take the form of financial aid, products, materials, or hands-on work in projects that promote local vitality and well-being. Every year, we focus on certain sports in order to maximize the impact of our support,” says Jaakko Paloheimo, Sustainability Manager at UPM Plywood.
This year, UPM Plywood has funded activities such as ice hockey and junior baseball for boys and girls in Joensuu and Savonlinna. A great example of promoting physical activity, learning, and environmental awareness among children and young people is supporting scouting activities.
Plywood donations from mills in Savonlinna and Pellos have been warmly received. For instance, Savonlinna’s Talvisalo school’s eighth-graders used the plywood for their final crafts projects, and students in the building and woodworking programs at the Salpaus Further Education Centre and Kiipula Vocational College also benefited from the materials.
WISA plywood and forest education for young people
“In Otepää, Estonia, we donated WISA plywood for refurbishing a local skate ramp, as its strength makes it ideal for such projects,” Paloheimo explains.
A plywood donation also supported the construction project of the Rõngu Volunteer Fire Brigade (Rõngu Vabatahtlik Päästeselts), which benefits the entire Otepää community.
At the UPM Group level, the Biofore Share and Care program focuses on projects that support education, sustainable development, and the well-being of local communities, as well as promoting bioeconomy innovations to replace fossil-based solutions.
Read more about initiatives like reading programs, German forest kindergartens, and other forest-related collaborations, such as those with Uruguay’s Technical University.
