UPM Raflatac continues its commitment to lead the label industry towards a carbon neutral future. By raising its climate targets, the company is accelerating on its journey to become the first supplier of label materials beyond fossil raw materials. In practice, this means increased use of certified fibres and traceability of bio-based materials. This promotes the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the development of innovative products and services that help brand owners to take positive climate action and go beyond their existing climate targets.
UPM is one of the first forest-based companies to commit to the UN Business Ambition for 1.5 °C to take concrete action to mitigate climate change. UPM has also joined The Climate Pledge, committing to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040 - a decade ahead of the 2050 target set by the Paris Climate Agreement. As part of UPM, UPM Raflatac aims to reduce or replace new fossil carbon sources that add to the carbon cycle. This is done by applying the principles of reduce, recycle, renew and reuse - from responsible sourcing to sustainable operations and logistics to innovative products and services.
"Our goals include designing better solutions for the packaging industry through the smart use of materials and improved reusability. For us, climate has been a strategic issue for years - so we are not starting from scratch. ForestFilm TM, RAFNXT+, Linerless, RafCycleTM and Label Life are examples of products and services we have already introduced to help our customers reduce their packaging footprint. And we have exciting new developments in the pipeline," says Robert Taylor, Sustainability Director at UPM Raflatac.
UPM Raflatac has taken major steps towards more sustainable production. Six out of ten mills are fully powered by renewable electricity and the company has reduced greenhouse gas emissions from its mills by 47 per cent since 2015. A large proportion of UPM Raflatac's products use certified materials from forests managed as carbon sinks - and this number will increase in the future.
"The time for small improvements is over. The industry must now move forward in bold, big steps to drive effective climate initiatives. Partnerships have a key role to play in this. We want to actively shape change and collaborate with partners in the value chain to achieve the greatest positive impact on climate and people," adds Robert Taylor.
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