sustainability

Sustainability targets guide our operations

Sustainability targets for 2030 and progress in 2020
 
Metsä Board aims to be a forerunner in sustainability. To achieve our ambitious sustainability targets, we invest in resource efficiency and the fight against climate change and focus on sustainable raw materials and a sustainable supply chain as well as on safe and ethical operations.   

Our sustainability targets focus on four themes: 

  • We create well-being
  • We bring the forest to you
  • We work for a better climate and environment
  • We offer sustainable choices
The targets are based on Metsä Group’s strategic sustainability objectives and aligned with reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. From a total of 17 SDGs, we have selected seven goals to which we contribute the most through our operations. 

Our greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets are endorsed by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and meet the strictest requirements of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. 

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Metsä Board's 2030  sustainability targets

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we create WELL-BEING



Responsible corporate culture
Ethics barometer 100%


Accident free work environment
Total recordable incident frequency TRIF is zero

we bring the forest to you


Certified wood fibre
Share of certified fibre >90%


Increasing the amount of carbon stored in forests and products
Area of regeneration and management of young stands +30% vs. 2018
Amount of carbon stored in products +30% vs. 2018

Safeguarding biodiversity
Increasing the amount of decayed wood: high biodiversity stumps in 90% of thinnings and retention trees in all regeneration logging sites

we work for a better climate and environment


Fossil free mills
Fossil CO2 emissions 0 tCO2 (Scope 1)

Fossil free purchased energy
Fossil CO2 emissions, 0 tCO2 (Scope 2)


Resource efficient production
Utilisation of side-streams 100%
Process water use per product tonne –30 % vs. 2018
Energy efficiency improvement >10% vs. 2018

we offer sustainable choices


Fossil free raw materials
Share of fossil free raw materials 100%

Sustainable supply chain
Sustainable suppliers 100%
Traceability of raw materials 100%



We create well-being

Responsible corporate culture

In 2020, we introduced an ethics barometer which measures our personnel’s perception of ethics in their workplace and can be used to identify business ethics related risks. Based on the barometer’s results, awareness of ethical matters is at a good level in our company. There is still room for improvement in leadership, the equal treatment of personnel and in building a culture where people have the courage to report unethical behaviour and where shortcomings are addressed.

Ethics barometer - target and progress

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Accident free work environment

We develop safety at work through proactive measures, a company-wide way of working and by complying with a standardised management system. Our long-term objective is zero accidents. In 2020, safety at our mills improved, but the incident frequency in our port operations in Hangö Stevedoring increased from the previous year. Slips, as well as injuries to hands and feet, accounted for the most typical accidents.

Total Recordable Injury Frequency (TRIF) per million hours worked - target and progress

responsible corporate culture




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We bring the forest to you

Certified wood fibre 

All the wood fibre we use comes from sustainably managed certified or controlled northern forests. We constantly work to increase the share certified wood fibre. The long-term contract with Norra Skog in Sweden will increase the share of certified wood fibre in the coming years.

Given that all parties involved in the processing of wood and fibre within our value chain comply with the requirements of the PEFC™ and FSC® Chain of Custody, 100% of the wood fibre we use can be traced all the way back to the forest.


Share of certified wood fibre  - Target and progress

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Our wood supply is managed by Metsä Forest, also part of Metsä Group. Metsä Group’s sustainability targets include: 
  • Safeguarding biodiversity of forests -  leaving high biodiversity stumps in 90% of thinnings and leaving retention trees in all the regeneration cuttings. 
  • Increasing the amount of carbon stored in forests (in hectares) and products* (in tonnes) by 30% from the 2018 level. *Products with a long life span such as wood products for construction.
Sustainable forest management

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We work for a better climate and environment 

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Fossil free mills and fossil free purchased energy  

Our target is that by the end of 2030, our production units will not use any fossil fuels or purchase any fossil-based energy. At this point, our direct and indirect fossil-based carbon dioxide emissions (Scope 1 and 2) will fall to zero.
 

Share of fossil free energy (CO2 Scope 1 and 2)  - target and progress

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Share of fossil-free energy, own generation (CO2 Scope 1) - target and progress

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Share of fossil-free energy, purchased (CO2 Scope 2) - target and progress

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In 2020, 48% of our total energy consumption was based on renewable energy, mostly wood-based production side streams. 35% of the energy was based on nuclear power, and 17% was generated by fossil fuels. Our key actions to reach the fossil free mills target by the end of 2030 are explained in the roadmap below.



Metsä Board's targets for reducing scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 100% meet the strictest requirements of the Paris Agreement which aim to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. The targets are endorsed by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

The reduction targets for the emissions of our value chain (Scope 3) also meet SBTi’s most stringent criteria. We are committed to 70% of our non-fibre-based suppliers and the logistics operators related to our customer deliveries – measured as a share of purchasing costs – setting themselves targets in line with the SBTi by 2024. The achievement of this target is supported by webinars aimed at suppliers and with supplier-specific meetings, both set to begin in 2021. By the end of 2020, 5% of our suppliers within the target group had set targets in line with the SBTi, while 4% had committed to setting such targets within the next few years.

Resource efficient production

By using energy efficiently we can cut our CO2 emissions and achieve cost-savings. For example, the investments made in Joutseno, Simpele and Tako mills in 2020 will save energy nearly 40 000 MWh annually.

Energy efficiency improvement from the 2018 level - target and progress

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In areas where we operate, water is usually an abundant resource. All the process and cooling water we use is surface water, and we don’t weaken any other party’s access to water with our operations. Still, we put effort to continuously decrease the use of process water. To achieve this target, we have defined mill-specific measures which improve water recycling and reduce the abstraction of raw water from waterways. 

 

Process water use per produced tonne from the 2018 level - target and progress

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We continuously improve recovery processes to avoid waste in pulp and paperboard production. We are looking for new ways to reuse residues, and we use organic fractions for energy production. Our goal is to make use of all production side streams so that no landfill waste will be generated after 2030. Our greatest challenge is finding applications for the green liquor dregs generated in the pulp process, and we are currently investigating potential solutions.

Utilisation of side streams - target and progress

Resource efficiency   

We offer sustainable choices

Fossil free raw materials

Our main raw material, wood fibre, accounts for 93% of all our raw materials. In addition, our paperboards contain raw materials based on minerals, such as kaolin, and fossil-oil-based materials, such as latex. PE coating is also used, particularly in some food service packaging. We are looking for alternatives to fossil-oil-based raw materials, and we aim to use only fossil free raw materials and packaging materials by the end of 2030.

Share of fossil free raw materials and packaging materials, share of dry tonnes (t) - target and progress

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Sustainable supply chain  

All the wood fibre we use is currently 100% traceable. We will continue to improve the traceability of chemicals, other raw materials and the packaging materials of our products. Our target is to know the manufacturing country of all our raw materials and packaging materials by 2030 and, with regard to some raw materials, we will aim to trace details of their origin even further. This is why we ask our suppliers to detail the manufacturing location of the raw material we purchase in our product safety questionnaires.

Share of traceable raw materials, share of total purchasing (in euros)  - target and progress

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We expect all of our suppliers to commit to Metsä Group’s Supplier Code of Conduct. The Supplier Code of Conduct was updated in 2020 to respond to our goals and stakeholders’ stricter requirements. In 2020, Metsä Group also further developed the supplier assessment and auditing process and organised several sustainability-related training sessions to personnel working in sourcing and logistics.

Commitment to Supplier Code of Conduct, share of total purchasing (in euros) - target and progress

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Know your supplier check completed, share of total purchasing (in euros)  - target and progress

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Sustainability evaluation completed, share of total purchasing (in euros)  - target and progress


Sustainable packaging



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