Our local sponsorship focuses on communities in which we have an active presence. Our activities are primarily aimed at ensuring the wellbeing of the surrounding community.
Engaging with communities
Save the Children Finland
In Christmas 2024 we have supported Save the Children Finland, focusing its aid on children and families living in conflict-torn areas such as Ukraine and Gaza. In conflict zones around the world, children often bear the greatest emotional and physical burdens. Humanitarian organisations like Save the Children have the best capability and means to coordinate and deliver the necessary support with the integrity we require. In addition to this support we have invited all óur employees to contribute to causes under Save the Children.
Photo: Pekka Ala-Pietilä
CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
We have signed a petition and support the CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation. The CMI is an independent Finnish organisation that works to prevent and resolve conflicts through dialogue and mediation. Founded in 2000 by Nobel Peace Laureate and former President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari, we have since grown to be a leader in the field of international peacemaking.
The Peace Fund aims to raise €30 million to safeguard CMI’s peace mediation work. The signatories of the petition stress that President Martti Ahtisaari’s legacy is a national asset, the continuity of which is the collective responsibility of the Finnish people.
With this support we also convey our deep gratitude for President Martti Ahtisaari’s work as a member of UPM Board of Directors in years 2000-2007.
JOKIprogramme
We are supporting the JOKIprogramme in Finland in years 2022 – 2024. The goal of this programme is to enhance the protection of water courses and to improve the water quality in the operating area. The programme covers the Eurajoki drainage basin downstream of Lake Pyhärvi of Säkylä, including the river channels and lakes flowing into the Eurajoki. UPM is one the biggest water users in the area and thus want to participate actively in the community’s water management activities. Under this programme there are several water management programs that aim
- to enhance the water management programmes and to continuously protect and improve the water quality in the operating area
- to develop the potential for recreational use
- to develop fisheries (those out of UPM Migrating Fish Programme)
- to increase the environmental consciousness of all actors in the catchment area and to strengthen the appreciation of the water bodies in the area
- to maintain the important natural values of the water bodies
- to secure the quality of raw water for drinking water production and industrial use
For more information, please check the JOKIprogramme brochure
Finnish Forest Museum Lusto
We support the Finnish Forest Museum Lusto in the renovation of their premises and renewal of their exhibition. By ensuring that all premises are in a good condition and the modern, future-looking exhibition gives a positive experience to visitors, we can promote Finnish forest culture and forestry related knowledge.
The modernisation focuses on renewing the technical facilities, renovating the roof, windows and doors and improving the acoustics and accessibility. Also, the production of solar power will be increased.
Finnish Forest Museum Lusto offers surprising insights and different perspectives of forests for all ages. The national museum responsible for forest culture is located in Punkaharju, in Eastern Finland.
Support for Ukraine through Save the Children
Through the Save the Children, we support the children and their families who are suffering in the middle of the war in Ukraine. The support covers food, water and clothing deliveries, taking care of children who have been separated from their parents, bringing families back together as well as providing psychosocial support for children who have experienced the horrors of war. Save the Children has been operating in Ukraine since 2014.
Support for Foundation Ukraine
Foundation Ukraine, established in 2013, is a non-governmental organisation based in Wroclaw, Poland. It provides support for migrants and help them adapt to the Polish culture and environment. In the exceptional times due to war in Ukraine, the foundation focuses strongly on giving humanitarian and medical help to Ukrainian migrants residing in Poland and to civilians in Ukraine.
Foundation operates in the heart of Wroclaw city. It organises cultural events and gives many kinds of support and information for migrants. It also provides an open, multicultural and genuine space to bring migrants and local citizens together.
UPM has a business hub in Wroclaw. The employees wanted to show solidarity to our employees in Ukraine and the whole Ukrainian society by collecting funds for the Foundation. The collected amount was tripled by UPM.
The donation will be addressed to HELP UA Package Project (packing and delivering food kits for mothers with children and the elderly in Ukraine)
As part of this project, the foundation already sent 1,000 packages to Kharkiv, and they plan to send weekly another 1,200 packages to cities and regions that have recently been heavily attacked.
Supporting the Saving Kids with Cancer Foundation in Poland
UPM Raflatac supports the Saving Kids with Cancer Foundation in Poland. This non-government organisation provides valuable support for young patients of the Clinic of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation at the Medical University in Wrocław. The clinic is the biggest transplantation centre in Poland with more than half bone marrow transplantations in children a year.
Support to UNICEF Finland to alleviate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in India
The COVID-19 situation in India is in an acute crisis. We support UNICEF Finland’s work to alleviate the effects of the pandemic. The work focuses on increasing testing capacity and supporting hospitals, for instance by supplying oxygen generating plants and other vital oxygen therapy equipment to facilities suffering from severe undersupply.
Supporting the Rhein-Erft-Kreis in rebuilding the community after heavy floods in July 2021
The Rhein-Erft-Kreis organisation in Germany has supported people and the rebuilding of the region after it was severely affected by floods in July 2021. Record levels of rain caused floods, which killed more than 200 people. Villages, roads and bridges were destroyed and hundreds of people lost their homes and livelihoods. We have supported the Rhein-Erft-Kreis in this considerable operation and furthermore, our employees at the local UPM Hürth paper mill joined in cleaning the area and helped out colleagues who had been affected.
Collaboration with National Emergency Supply Agency of Finland
In May 2020 UPM signed a co-operation agreement with the National Emergency Supply Agency (NESA) of Finland for exploring opportunities to source a significant number of protective masks from China. This project helps ensuring sufficient availability of protective masks against the corona virus in Finland. UPM’s sourcing organisation will find the suitable suppliers of protective equipment and negotiate the terms of purchase and delivery. The Finnish technology centre VTT will test all sample masks. The masks meet the strict requirements set to surgical masks covering the nose and the mouth.
UPM’s involvement is on a basis of common good. The company has made its sourcing personnel available to NESA pro bono i.e. free of charge.
Restoration of rivers in Poland
UPM Raflatac cooperates with WWF Poland in the 'Rivers for Life' project. The project embraces efforts directed towards the conservation and restoration of natural river ecosystems in Poland. Our co-operation started in 2012.
Uruguay Foundation
The Uruguayan UPM Foundation supports and encourages training, entrepreneurship, employment, healthy living and entertainment in local communities in rural Uruguay. Our specific focus is on improving education (particularly the technical education) on local communities. Our projects include a teacher training programme in Fray Bentos, basic professional training in mechatronics in Fray Bentos, professional training for drivers and support of organic food production in the Arevalo community.
Co-operation with local nature conservation organisations
We co-operate with local expert networks in Finland. We have, for example a collaboration agreement with the North Karelian Ornithological Society to build an artificial nest network for raptors.
The cooperation with the Osprey Foundation has continued for 20 years. Since we started, osprey was almost extinct from Finland. As a result of the active conservation work, today it is assessed as least concern. UPM is funded, for example, the construction of artificial nests and nest camera technology. One of the most important milestones in the collaboration is the database of osprey nesting sites.
Supporting local communities
The various projects we support include the SOS Kinderdorf (Children’s Villages) in Augsburg, Germany, the Icehearts children’s organisation in Tampere, Finland, as well as numerous local sports clubs such as Valkeakosken Haka, Pietarsaaren Jaro and Rauman Lukko in Finland. In Uruguay, we collaborate with WWF in the New Generation Plantations Project to promote new plantation practices.
Solar Light Challenge by WWF
In September 2020 our Singapore office joined the WWF Singapore’s Solar Light Challenge by donating 75 solar lights to families in Cambodia. The lights were assembled by the team in our Singapore office. In Cambodia, 30% of households have no access to electricity grid and more than 40% of children quit school before secondary grade. With the support of these solar lights, students can study daily approximately two hours longer, and the lights also reduce use of fossil-based energy.
MountainTrue’s Volunteer Water Information Network
UPM Raflatac sponsors MountainTrue’s Volunteer Water Information Network (VWIN) in the US. MountainTrue is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization that champions resilient forests, clean waters and healthy communities in Western North Carolina. MountainTrue envisions thriving communities in our mountain region that are connected to and help sustain both each other and our natural environment. To achieve this, MountainTrue fosters and empowers residents throughout the region to engage in community planning, policy and project advocacy, and on-the-ground projects.
