UPM Biochemicals Achieves Key Sustainability Certifications At Leuna Biorefinery

Milestone reinforces commitment to sustainable innovation and transparent sourcing

UPM Biochemicals has announced that its new biorefinery in Leuna, Germany, has earned ISCC PLUS, PEFC, and FSC chain-of-custody certifications. These globally recognized certifications validate UPM’s commitment to sustainable sourcing, full traceability and transparency throughout its operations.

The certifications confirm that all wood-based feedstocks used at the Leuna facility come from sustainably managed forests, and their origins are independently verified through trusted third-party auditing systems.

“Our products are built on sustainability, and now that commitment is verified by globally recognized standards,” said Martin Ledwon, Vice President, Marketing, Sustainability and Communications at UPM Biorefining & Technology. “These certifications assure our partners and customers that we meet the highest environmental and social standards—crucial for biodiversity, community responsibility and brand trust.”

The Leuna biorefinery sources only PEFC- or FSC-certified hardwood from regional forests. These feedstocks are used to produce next-generation products such as UPM BioPura (BioMEG), BioMPG, UPM BioMotion RFF (Renewable Functional Fillers) and Industrial sugars. These bio-based solutions are intended to replace fossil-based materials in sectors like automotive, textiles and packaging.

Commercial production is slated to begin in the second half of 2025, with demand for products and side streams already far exceeding the refinery’s annual capacity.

As the world’s first industrial-scale biorefinery converting wood into advanced biochemicals, the Leuna project underscores UPM’s leadership in sustainable innovation. UPM remains the only forest and paper company listed in both the Dow Jones World and European Sustainability Indices (2024–2025), and it continues to be recognized in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook, placing it among the top global performers in sustainability.