New sustainability agenda 

In 2011, Metsä Group’s main focus on sustainability management was on determining the most essential sustainability issues and on building a strategic sustainability agenda for the whole Group and its businesses.

In addition to ten internal workshops for different Business Areas and Businesses, 15 management interviews and an extensive stakeholder survey was conducted in different geographical regions globally. The survey covered all the Business Areas and their stakeholder groups such as customers, analysts, NGOs, the media and employees. We offered the possibility for over 800 persons to participate in building our sustainability agenda, of whom some 200 responded.

Both internal and external stakeholders found sustainable forest management - including the origin of wood and forest certification – important in the Group’s operations as well as those issues related to water and energy use, and materials efficiency. External stakeholders also emphasised the importance of respecting human rights, product safety, the well-being of employees and conducting ethical business practices. Supply chain management is clearly becoming more and more important in the eyes of our stakeholders. Metsä Group is also focusing on developing the operations related to a sustainable supply chain.

Based on the analysis the most essential sustainability issues were categorised under four main themes.

Metsä Group’s sustainability agenda