At UPM Raflatac, our focus is on sustainability issues that are strongly linked to our business strategy and operations, as we believe this is the way we can have a greater impact. This approach also applies to the environmental collaborations we engage in.
Engaging employees for the good of the local community and environment
UPM Raflatac’s cooperation with environmental organizations is part of UPM’s Biofore Share and Care Programme, which reflects our commitment to building a sustainable, innovation-driven future.
One of our key focus areas – responsible water use – was the leading motivation in our cooperation with the World Wildlife Fund in Poland (WWF Poland). The goal of the collaboration was to improve the responsible river management in Poland and return rivers, particularly the Oder River, closer to their natural state.
In addition to promoting clean water, this cooperation highlights another focus area of the Share and Care Programme very well: giving our people a chance to do good for the local community. For me personally, this has given an opportunity to do much more for a cause I am interested in than I would be able to do as an individual. The idea for the Oder project started from my personal, small donations to WWF, which I then started to speak about with our marketing people. Together, we saw how well the idea fit with UPM Raflatac’s vision, values and targets. What is more, the Oder runs close to our operations in Poland, making the connection very easy.
One aim of the collaboration is to both engage and educate our people. We encourage them to participate through either small actions, such as cleaning river banks, or in wider projects, like becoming river guardians, taking care of nature at a bigger scale. In addition, we have campaigns that inform our people about the importance of the work we are doing for the river. Through our employees, we can advance sustainable choices to an even wider audience and maximize our impact on these issues.
WWF and UPM Raflatac: a collaboration that benefits both
As a global player, we understand the current global challenges and to work on these it is natural for us to work with another leading global actor like WWF. Together we can have a greater impact, which alone is a valid reason for cooperating in sustainability. The next big issue we will tackle together is finding solutions towards a more circular economy.
Through our networks, we have been able to share information on WWF’s work and raise awareness about the value of healthy rivers. Our customers and stakeholders highly value cooperation with WWF, and they appreciate companies that are taking responsibility in sustainability, proving that it is possible and wise to integrate sales and the health of our planet.
Want to see your organization make a difference in sustainability? Consider collaborations.