UN Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative which engages already over 9,500 companies. Global Compact aims to mobilize a global movement of sustainably operating companies in order to create more sustainable world.
Metsä Group has been involved in the Global Compact initiative since 2003. Also Metsä Group’s sustainability principles are based on these globally acknowledged principles. The reporting on how the principles of Global Compact have materialized in our operations (Communication on Progress) is included in our annual Sustainability Report.
Our commitments
Metsä Group is committed to the UN Global Compact and Sustainable Development Goals. Cooperation and shared commitments play a key role in building more just and sustainably operating societies.
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The Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact
Human rights
Principle 1:
Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and
Principle 2:
make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.
Labour
Principle 3:
Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
Principle 4:
the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour;
Principle 5:
the effective abolition of child labour; and
Principle 6: the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.
Environment
Principle 7:
Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;
Principle 8:
undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility; and
Principle 9:
encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.
Anti-Corruption
Principle 10:
Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.
Our commitment to the UN SDGs
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.
While primary responsibility for the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) lies with the UN member states, the business sector bears significant responsibility to contribute to achieving the SDGs and also has effective ways of doing so. Through its operations, Metsä Group is committed to promoting the achievement of these goals.
Sustainability at Metsä Group is based on four themes covering all our operations, as well as eight long-term sustainability objectives that guide our everyday work. These objectives ensure that we minimize any negative impact and increase our positive contribution, and are linked to the SDGs. We have identified the SDGs that we have the most impact on, in order to better guide our efforts to contribute to achieving sustainability. Below is a summary of our key contribution to the SDGs.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
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SDG 5Gender equality
SDG 5Gender equality- We work systematically to achieve gender equality and equality for all.
- We promote diversity, equality and inclusion with the help of concrete targets and measures, focusing among other things in improving gender equality. Examples include our efforts to raise the share of women in executive positions and ensure gender pay equality. Metsä Group’s equality training programme covering the entire personnel is also part of our equality efforts. Personal characteristics such as age, ethnic background, sexual orientation or disability do not affect a person’s chance to progress in their career and to function as an equal member of the workplace community at Metsä Group.
- Our ethical principles and our Metsä for All vision reinforce our commitment to promoting equality and gender equality and to non-discrimination.
- We promote gender equality by supporting women's access to management positions. Our goal is that more than 30% of our leaders be women by the end of 2030.
- We want to increase diversity in our workplace and our aim is to make all open recruitments anonymous.
- We also aim to have no unexplained gender pay gap in Metsä Group.
- We measure the implementation of equality and non-discrimination through a biennial ethics barometer for all staff. The results are used to define development measures to address identified shortcomings. Our aim is to address all concerns raised by staff.
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SDG 6Clean water and sanitation
SDG 6Clean water and sanitation- We clean the water we use with the best methods available
- Cooling water circulates in closed loops
- Our target is to decrease the use of process water by 35% by 2030
- We operate in water rich areas and we do not impair any other parties’ access to water.
- Sustainable forest management recognises the important role of forests in hydrological circulations.
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SDG 7Affordable and clean energy
SDG 7Affordable and clean energy- We produce around 15% of Finland’s renewable energy.
- The majority of our operations is run with renewable energy.
- Realised and planned investments play a key role in increasing the share of renewable energy in society.
- We focus on further improving energy efficiency in our operations.
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SDG 8Decent work and economic growth
SDG 8Decent work and economic growth- We employ over 9,000 people directly. Indirect employment is estimated to be three times more. The majority of welfare that Metsä Group creates goes to rural areas.
- Around 5% of Finland’s export value comes from Metsä Group mills.
- We annually pay wages over EUR 700 million. In addition to wood purchased, we make other ourchases totalling nearly five billion euros from over 13,000suppliers.
- We focus on industrial efficiency, wise use of resources and high added-value products and innovations
- We operate resource-wisely. Our wood products efficiently store carbon for their entire lifespan. Our fibre-based products are recyclable.
- We value high ethical standards. Our objective is to ensure all of our suppliers operate sustainably by 2030.
- Safety at work is our key priority. Our objective is zero accidents. We have extensive improvement programmes to support further development.
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SDG 9Industry, innovation and infrastructure
SDG 9Industry, innovation and infrastructure- We have announced major investment programmes to support the forest industry and ensure its competitiveness in the long run
- All the investments we make build a path to a sustainable society. We use the most modern technologies to minimise emissions and optimise resource efficiency. Our objective is to have fossil free mills and use only fossil free raw materials by 2030.
- We are actively innovating for example via networks and by our own innovation company Metsä Spring that is currently cooperating with Fiskars Group on a brand new fibre-based gift packaging starting.
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SDG 12Responsible consumption and production
SDG 12Responsible consumption and production- We only use wood from traceable and sustainable sources. We know the impacts of our operations throughout the value chain and communicate them transparently.
- In ensuring safety at work and product safety, responsible management of chemicals plays a key role.
- Our approach is that all production side streams are utilised by 2030. We optimise the use of all resources and minimise waste generation. All waste fractions are treated accordingly. Management systems support this comprehensive work.
- We work closely with our partners and suppliers and expect them to commit to our Supplier Code of Conduct. We work towards ensuring that by 2030 all our suppliers are sustainable in their operations.
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SDG 13Climate action
SDG 13Climate action- Our sustainable forest management practices ensure that forests grow more than they are used and that biodiversity is safeguarded.
- Our objective is to contribute to a low carbon society. By 2030 our mills will be fossil free and we will no longer use fossil oil based packaging or raw materials.
- We are active in stakeholder dialogue and policy debates and offer our expertise to policy development either directly or through industry associations.
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SDG 15Life on land
SDG 15Life on land- Safeguarding biodiversity is one of our strategic sustainability objectives. Our sustainable forest management practices help ensure that our forest use does not cause deforestation or harm natural habitats.
- In the autumn of 2021, we launched a ten-year nature programme to finance regionally effective development projects that are carried out outside commercial Finnish forests and support biodiversity.
- We support forest growth. We plant four seedlings per each harvested tree. Ensuring forest growth and safeguarding biodiversity are also important ways to prevent insect and pest damages.
