According to the UN, only 15% of the Sustainable Development Goal targets are on track. In September 2023, UPM joined the UN Global Compact Forward Faster initiative to accelerate this pace. To demonstrate its commitment to the Climate Action initiative and help its customers reduce the carbon footprint of their packaging materials and drive action, UPM Raflatac has announced the launch of its Carbon Action Plastic Labels portfolio.

From April 30, 2024, the first products offered under the Carbon Action portfolio will be available to customers in EMEIA and the Americas. Further products are planned to be launched as part of the portfolio, all of which will focus on supporting the multiple circular economy Rs – Reduced, Recycled, or Renewable materials that enable Recycling or Reuse. Designed to address the entire value chain’s impact, the Carbon Action portfolio offers a tangible path towards achieving Scope 3 emissioni reductions for printers and brand owners. This is underpinned by the DEKRA validated LCA calculation process through UPM Raflatac’s Label Life service.

The launch of this new portfolio provides a meaningful solution for the packaging industry. It leverages the power of circular economy principles and provides quantifiable emissions reductions to empower customers and brands to reduce the carbon footprint of their packaging materials without compromising on label quality or performance. It marks an important milestone in the company’s journey beyond fossil-based materials.

Katja Kivelä, business director, Food and HPC, Films & Specials at UPM Raflatac, comments, “The launch of our Carbon Action portfolio is more than an introduction of new products; it’s a declaration of our unwavering commitment to sustainability and our customers’ success. By providing innovative solutions that can directly contribute to reducing carbon footprint and enhancing circularity, we empower our customers and brands to take concrete steps towards a low carbon circular economy.”

The goal of UN Global Compact Forward Faster initiative is to accelerate progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals in five areas of action: Climate Action, Living Wage, Gender Equality, Water Resilience and Finance & Investment. By joining the Climate Action initiative, UPM commits to setting science-based net-zero emission reduction targets in line with a 1.5°C pathway, with the goal of halving global emissions by 2030 and reaching net-zero by 2050 at the latest. For UPM Raflatac, this means not only cutting its own emissions and those of the supply chain, but also committing to innovating products like the new Carbon Action portfolio.