UPM Raflatac collaborates with WWF Poland to enable circular economy and promote sustainable forestry

Press Release 12.1.2022 11:00 EET

UPM Raflatac and WWF Poland have renewed their contract to build a smarter future beyond fossils together. During the new three-year contract period the collaboration will focus on promoting circular economy including waste management as well as sustainable forestry practices. To increase the engagement and support for both of these important initiatives facing today’s challenges, this three-year contract is also set to engage UPM Raflatac’s internal and external stakeholders.

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“As part of UPM The Biofore Company, we are committed to building a sustainable, innovation-driven future and want to share our expertise and assets with the communities we operate in. UPM Raflatac is part of the packaging value chain and labels can play a key role in enabling circular economy in this value chain. Given the resource needs today, promoting sustainable forestry supports our journey beyond fossils,” says Vera Bartsch, UPM Raflatac.

The amount of waste in Poland is increasing every year. Waste that is not recycled and reused has several negative consequences such as reduction of habitats due to land filling, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, to name a few. The goal of the Waste Management and Circular Economy initiative is to reduce the amount of packaging waste going to the environment. The project is based on three pillars: legislative changes, cooperation with businesses to make the transition towards circular economy and motivating and educating Polish consumers to drive the change.
        
“Succeeding in making the transition towards circular economy is only possible through the cooperation of various stakeholders. Cooperating with UPM Raflatac as a key stakeholder in the packaging value chain will create an opportunity to strive for bigger impact and achieve more in terms of circular economy development in Poland,” says Ewa Chodkiewicz, WWF Poland.

The second initiative focuses on sustainable forestry practices. The aim of this collaboration initiative is to set up a knowledge base in collaboration with key stakeholders, create guidelines on biodiversity conservation and carbon storage friendly afforestation and mapping and assessment of restoration potential of degraded ecosystems with an emphasis on wetlands.

UPM Raflatac operates two factories in Biskupice Podgórne and Nowa Wieś Wrocławska, Poland employing 635 employees. The collaboration between UPM Raflatac and WWF Poland started in 2012 with a project called "Rivers for life" which focused on protecting rivers' biodiversity in Poland. The partnership continued with the development of the program “Guardians of Rivers”.

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For further information please contact:
Vera Bartsch, Sustainability Manager, UPM Raflatac, tel. +49 211 95799-0

UPM, Media Relations
Mon-Fri 9:00-16:00 EET
tel. +358 40 588 3284
media@upm.com

UPM Raflatac
UPM Raflatac is leading in sustainable labeling through our innovative self-adhesive label materials and services. We offer high-quality paper and film label stock for branding and promotion, informational labels, and labels with functionality. We operate a global network of factories, distribution terminals and sales offices. Our company employs around 3,000 people and made sales of EUR 1.6 billion (USD 1.9 billion) in 2020. UPM Raflatac is part of UPM. Find out how we are labeling a smarter future beyond fossils at www.upmraflatac.com.

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UPM

We deliver renewable and responsible solutions and innovate for a future beyond fossils across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Communication Papers and UPM Plywood. As the industry leader in responsibility, we are committed to the UN Business Ambition for 1.5°C and the science-based targets to mitigate climate change. We employ 18,000 people worldwide and our annual sales are approximately EUR 8.6 billion. Our shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. UPM Biofore – Beyond fossils. www.upm.com

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