North America needs sustainably sourced pulp. UPM Pulp stands ready.
Demand for sustainable products in North America is growing. By blending responsible forestry with innovative solutions, UPM Pulp is emerging as a trusted supplier of sustainably sourced and produced pulp to end users in the region.Industries across the world continue to invest in decarbonization, reducing waste and increasing the use of sustainable raw materials.
The North American market is no exception. Tissue companies in the region have announced ambitious short-term Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission reduction targets ranging from 30 to 50% by 2030. There is every indication that sustainability will remain a core business target for the foreseeable future.
“Despite current economic uncertainties and geopolitical shifts, the need for sustainably sourced products, especially those sourced from ‘natural places’, such as forests, will, in my view, continue to grow,” explains Jared Boow, Senior Manager – Sustainability at UPM Pulp.
While pulp production too relies on energy, chemicals and wood, the renewable nature of its core raw material makes it a vital source of renewable materials. “Pulp is a great starting point for many renewable alternatives,” adds Boow. “If we are to move beyond our reliance on fossil fuels and reduce the impact that single-use plastics have, pulp offers a renewable material for all sorts of everyday items we rely on.”
With decades of experience in sustainable forestry and a global footprint, UPM Pulp is well-positioned to serve North American tissue producers and other pulp users, while helping them reduce their overall CO2 emissions. Our commitment to responsible resource use, utilization of sustainable technologies, and long-term environmental stewardship ensures that current needs are met without compromising the ability of future generations to thrive.
UPM’s commitment to sustainable forestry and biodiversity
Any negative public perceptions about pulp-based products often reflect concerns about deforestation, biodiversity loss and historical overexploitation of forests. However, the Nordic model of Sustainable Forest Management stands out as a role model for boosting economic productivity and ecological health. For instance, in Finland, wood growth has doubled over the past 50 years while still being a core economic commodity, with over 70% of the country still forested.
“A large element of improving sustainable outcomes for pulp is the sustainable use of forests,” Boow notes. “Sustainable forestry is deeply embedded in Finnish society, where forests serve not only as economic resources but also as places for nature, recreation and community.”
UPM Pulp benefits from a diverse sourcing strategy, drawing from both semi-natural northern hemisphere forests and plantations in the southern hemisphere – and both are seen as a critical part of what is needed to meet the growing demand for more sustainable products.
“Our commitment to pulp production across softwood and hardwood pulps in both semi-natural northern boreal forests and southern eucalyptus plantations places us in a relatively unique position, not only supplying sustainable pulp to meet customers’ various needs but also providing us with a viewpoint that understands wood sourcing from both perspectives. Many competitors only operate in one or the other sphere,” Boow explains.
This level of understanding ensures that UPM Pulp invests in improving the sustainability, biodiversity and emissions of our forestry operations in both parts of the world. For example, their plantations in Uruguay are developed on soils identified by the Uruguayan Government specifically for this use, while native ecosystems are protected and enhanced through active monitoring and protection programs.
40% of UPM Pulp’s holdings in Uruguay retain native vegetation, with nearly half of that area under active protection, underscoring the company’s commitment to maintaining ecological integrity alongside forestry operations.
Conversely, in Finland, from where between 80-95% of wood is sourced for UPM’s Finnish pulp mills, harvesting takes place in a more natural forest environment, with biodiversity protection measures being undertaken within these same forests. An average harvest plot size of under 4 acres (1.5 hectares) reflects both the type of ownership model (over 620,000 forest owners in a population of 5.5 million) and the importance of sustainable forest management in Finland.
In both regions, traceability is key to verifying responsible forest management, and certification is an important tool in that process.
“UPM’s forests have either FSC™ or PEFC1 certification, the most well-known global forest certification schemes. In 2024, 83% of UPM Pulp’s wood supply was FSC™ or PEFC certified, and we have a goal of achieving 100% certification by 2030,” notes Boow.
Technology, circularity and supply chain responsibility
Sustainability extends beyond wood sourcing. UPM’s Supplier & Third-Party Code governs 91% of our supplier spending. It outlines strict standards including respect for human rights, environmental protection, zero tolerance for corruption, safe working conditions and compliance with labor and environmental laws. These standards reinforce accountability throughout the supply chain.
Technological advances support UPM Pulp’s sustainability ambitions. Our mills comply with the EU’s Best Available Techniques (BAT) standards, and operational changes such as shifting to LNG-powered vessels for European routes reduce carbon emissions in logistics. The upgrading of carbon foot-printing methods to Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) is not merely a technical change; it enables more accurate emissions accounting, benefiting both UPM Pulp and our customers.
“We are also looking at the potential uses of new technologies like AI that could improve processes, from the nurseries, forests, plantations, and mills, through to customer deliveries,” Boow explains. UPM has used AI since 2019 to analyze the net societal impact of our operations, demonstrating an early commitment to advanced sustainability assessment.
A holistic approach to sustainability and industry leadership
Circular economy principles also guide waste management at UPM Pulp. The company uses nearly all wood residues but continues to seek ways to eliminate solid waste and increase the value and sustainability of by-products, such as the commercialization of lignin.
“Our general philosophy is to use a circular model but to see this through a continuous improvement lens, where we aim to improve both the sustainability and economic value of the components in the cycle increase over time,” Boow adds.
This more holistic view enables the company to meet the growing North American demand for sustainable materials while helping our customers reduce their overall emissions.
Read more about our sustainability practices and goals in our Sustainability Handbook. https://www.upmpulp.com/ebook/upm-pulp-sustainability-handbook/