Knowing where and how products are made – their environmental impact, the labor practices and the journey from source to consumer – are increasingly part of a brand’s promise and becoming more important to the consumers.
In addition, regulatory pressure is also intensifying with new directives like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, as well as the EU Deforestation Regulation, which are pushing companies and value chains for more transparent information sharing.
As Liisa Ranta, Director of Sustainability and Market Development at UPM Biorefining, states: “UPM is committed to creating an accountable, sustainable bioeconomy by leveraging various biomass streams – such as wastes, residues and wood from sustainably managed forests – in their highest value to create biochemicals and biofuels.”
For UPM, third party-verified certifications and labels are key to proving and communicating the sustainability of our products and solutions. These certifications help demonstrate the quality of our solutions, reinforcing our commitment to sustainability.
The role of transparency in today’s supply chains cannot be overstated
Transparency is the cornerstone of building resilience, ensuring credibility of business operations and fostering consumer trust in renewable solutions. Through good governance, accountability and openness, businesses and consumers alike can better understand how goods are produced and distributed.
As demand for biofuels and biochemicals grows, driven by the global shift to a low-carbon economy, the trade and production of these materials becomes even more international and complex. The increasing geographical spread and diversity of business practices create new risks, complicating supply chain management and making it even more critical.
“Robust verification and assurance methods are crucial in delivering supply chain accountability. Certifications help mitigate environmental, social and governance risks, but to fully realize their potential we must strengthen the overall certification requirements and further enhance transparency to trace the origin and the whole supply chain, regardless the country of origin,” Ranta points out.