Responsibility in everything we do

We are committed to good governance and compliance with laws, regulations and the UPM Code of Conduct. Our governance structure supports responsible practices and clearly defined responsibilities and reporting lines. We promote compliance by training our employees, raising awareness through active communication, and by developing our risk management, monitoring and reporting processes.​

UPM is committed to comply with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) 

The EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) introduces a standardised, mandatory reporting framework that requires companies to disclose comprehensive information on their environmental, social and governance performance. This includes, for example, actions to mitigate climate change, address human rights and promote good governance.

Under the CSRD, the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) outline the new EU requirements and indicators and provide detailed guidelines on the content and format of reporting on sustainability-related impacts, risks and opportunities.

UPM’s long-standing commitment to comprehensive and transparent reporting 

For decades, UPM has been a strong advocate of transparent, third-party verified reporting - from corporate level information to details on individual sites and products. Alignment with the CSRD will further enhance clarity and help investors, analysts, customers and other stakeholders to better assess the company’s performance and the related business impacts and risks.

Future reporting and compliance

UPM is committed to meeting the requirements of the EU CSRD in its annual reporting. The company will include the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) relevant to its business and the material topics identified through the double materiality assessment in its Sustainability Statement. This will be reflected in UPM’s 2024 Annual Report to be published in the first quarter of 2025. UPM is also committed to comply with future requirements of the CSRD as they evolve over time.

UPM is preparing for the entry into application of the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR)

The 18-month transition period of the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products is approaching its end as according to the text currently in force, the application is supposed to start on 30 December this year. 

However, in October the European Commission proposed a one-year extension to the transition period. The European Parliament voted in favour of the delay but, at the same time, proposed additional amendments to the Regulation and the proposals will now need to be handled in the interinstitutional negotiations. Thus, it is still unclear when the application of the Regulation will finally commence. 

UPM has been developing its due diligence and IT systems to meet the requirements of the EUDR in the original schedule but follows closely the legislative development to adjust accordingly.

UPM & EUDR: THE Q&A

To comply with national, EU-specific, and global sustainability related laws and regulations, we have developed a UPM Sustainability Claims Guideline. This Guideline provides instructions to all UPM Businesses and Functions on how to create credible, accurate, evidence-based, and compliant sustainability claims. Our goal is to ensure that the claims align with our values and expertise, enhance our brand, and contribute to our purpose of creating a future beyond fossils.

The scope of the Guideline encompasses claims related to environmental, social, and governance performance. It serves as the default minimum for all communications. Additionally, the Guideline is supported by detailed internal instructions, an e-learning and the UPM Sustainability Claims Glossary. Relevant UPMers are trained to incorporate this new guidance into their day-to-day practices across all communication and marketing.

UPM Sustainability Claims Guideline (PDF)