UPM discusses joint responsibility for global natural capital with industry and policymakers

(UPM, Augsburg, 4 December, 2014) - ​On 17 November 2014, about 100 companies met at Otto Group in Hamburg at the invitation of the Biodiversity in Good Company initiative to discuss challenges and policy options for maintaining natural capital. By biodiversity we mean “nature’s portfolio“, comprising of natural habitats, species and their genetic diversity. Its rapidly progressing loss is, along with climate change, a major risk for society and industry, because it threatens the intrinsic capabilities of ecosystems.

Guest speaker Jochen Flasbarth, state secretary of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Reactor Safety, encouraged the industry representatives to help putting the Federal Government’s national strategy for biodiversity into practice:

“Delivering ecosystem services, biodiversity is fundamental for the economy. Whole branches of industry, such as agriculture and forestry, or the pharmaceutical and tourism industries, depend directly on nature. But many other sectors benefit from nature’s services, too,” said Flasbarth in his speech. The member companies of Biodiversity in Good Company play a pioneering role in maintaining and sustainably using biodiversity on a national and international level.

UPM is a founding member of the initiative. Dr. Stefanie Eichiner, Manager Environment Market Support, UPM, and Board Member of Biodiversity in Good Company, presented real-life examples of corporate practice in Hamburg.

“UPM’s global biodiversity programme goes far beyond the requirements of both legislature and voluntary standards, such as forest certification schemes. The company’s global biodiversity programme defines clear targets and best practices to maintain biodiversity in forests – both our own and those of our suppliers. This is a key factor in fulfilling our corporate mission, which is to create added value from renewable and recyclable raw materials,” says Dr. Eichiner

UPM works with environmental associations such as WWF and IUCN, industry networks like Biodiversity in Good Company and research institutes like Fraunhofer IPB and Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf. The company regularly publishes reports on its progress in the field of biodiversity:
http://www.business-and-biodiversity.de/ueber-uns/mitglieder/fortschrittsberichte/

For further information, please contact:
Dr. Stefanie Eichiner, Manager Environment Market Support, UPM Paper ENA,
Tel. +49 821 3109 348

Biodiversity in Good Company initiative
The initiative is a cross-industry forum made up of companies that have recognised the conservation of natural capital as an important management issue. Founded as a platform for dialogue and practice together with the Federal Ministry for the Environment in 2008, the initiative is currently led by industry. As recently as in October of 2014, the initiative represented its member companies at the 12th conference of the 194 parties to the international Convention on Biological Diversity, CBD.

UPM Paper ENA
UPM Paper ENA (Europe & North America) is the world’s leading producer of graphic papers, serving customers in Magazine Publishing & Advertising, Merchants, Home & Office, and Newspaper Publishing. A leader in sustainable and high performance papers, UPM Paper ENA’s production is located in Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Austria, and the United States. With headquarters in Germany, UPM Paper ENA employs approximately 10,000 people. To learn more about UPM Paper ENA visit: www.upmpaper.com

UPM
Through the renewing of the bio and forest industries, UPM is building a sustainable future across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Paper Asia, UPM Paper Europe and North America and UPM Plywood. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. We serve our customers worldwide. The group employs around 21,000 people and its annual sales are approximately € 10 billion. UPM shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upm.com