(UPM, Helsinki, 15 July 2013 at 10.00 EET) – UPM is one of the first companies and the Changshu site the first ever paper mill to receive the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) registration in China. “Transparency and openness with stakeholders are an essential part of our corporate responsibility worldwide. The EMAS registration and third-party verified reporting promote continuous improvement. The environmental impacts of pulp and paper production are known, and the industry is working on the whole life cycle to minimize the impacts further”, says Mr. Kim Poulsen , Executive Vice President, Paper Business Group, Business Area Asia Pacific and Corporate Relations and Development.
UPM already led the way in open and transparent environmental reporting in 2012 when UPM Fray Bentos pulp mill in Uruguay became the first non-European site ever to achieve the EMAS registration as a result of a pilot project between UPM, EU, Finnish Environmental Institute SYKE, the Finnish Ministry of the Environment and Inspecta Certification.
“We’re very pleased that UPM has carried out the audit in China and are grateful that they have shared their valuable experience with us on how to implement EMAS Global in China. UPM truly is one of the frontrunners in this regard”, states Mr. Daniel Weiss from adelphi, a project partner in the SWITCH ASIA EMAS Global China project. EMAS Global China is a cooperation programme under the SWITCH-Asia grant, funded by the European Commission. The project aims to promote sustainable production patterns across China by introducing EMAS.
Altogether UPM’s corporate EMAS registration and the respective environmental statement cover a total of 20 pulp and paper mills in Europe, China and Uruguay.
The EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is a voluntary environmental management system for companies and other organisations to improve, evaluate and report on their environmental performance on an annual basis.
The UPM EMAS statement comprises a corporate part and a mill-supplement part. The corporate report includes group-level information and core indicators on e.g. energy and material efficiency. The mill supplements complement the corporate report by providing local information such as environmental targets and achievements. All data is verified by a third party.
UPM’s achievements in providing comprehensive environmental information have been acknowledged by a number of external recognitions and awards. A highlight of 2012 was UPM being selected as the only forestry and paper company worldwide in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) and chosen as Supersector Leader in the Basic Resources sector for 2012-2013.
For further information please contact: Mrs. Päivi Rissanen, Environmental Director, Paper, UPM, Tel. +358 40 743 0306
UPM pulp and paper mills’ environmental statement is available at www.upm.com > Responsibility > Principles and performance > Reports
UPM leads the integration of bio and forest industries into a new, sustainable and innovation-driven future. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. UPM consists of three Business Groups: Energy and pulp, Paper, and Engineered materials. The Group employs around 22,000 people. UPM is present in 67 countries and has production units in 17 countries. UPM's annual sales exceed EUR 10 billion. UPM's shares are listed on the Helsinki stock exchange. UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upm.com
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