UPM joins 4evergreen initiative

4evergreen was created as a forum to engage and connect with industry members from across the fiber-based packaging value chain, from paper and board producers to packaging converters, brand owners and retailers, technology and material suppliers, waste sorters and collectors.

‘We welcome this initiative as it brings together the whole value chain and has the potential to provide strong facts in support of fiber-based packaging,’ said Mikko Rissanen, director of Business Intelligence and Development at UPM Specialty Papers. ‘We believe that we can speed up the development of improved, sustainable products and recycling solutions when we increase information sharing and collaboration between the packaging value chain members.’

'Fibre-based packaging can be a game-changer for material substitution', said Eija Hietavuo, chairwoman of 4evergreen and senior vice president of Sustainability at Stora Enso Consumer Board. 'Our common goal is to deliver a holistic approach to optimise the sustainability and circularity of the fibre-based packaging’s life cycle.'

'The time to act is now,' added Jori Ringman, director general at Cepi. 'Our industry already has a strong track record in environmental performance and recycling, but our ambition is higher. We are driving a system-wide shift to transition to the next level of circularity and climate resilience. 4evergreen will be the place for the whole industry value chain to co-create and collaborate for a change.'

Along with UPM, 4evergreen members include Nestlé, Danone, Stora Enso, Metsä Board, Smurfit Kappa, Sappi, Mayr-Melnhof Group, Reno de Medici, Kotkamills, Ahlstrom Munksjö, International Paper, BillerudKorsnäs, Huhtamäki, SEDA, SIG Combibloc, Tetra Pak, Elopak, Walki, Schur Group, Cardbox Packaging, and Firstan. The alliance is welcoming more organizations to join the collaboration.