Sustainability in action
The sustainability efforts carried out at Jujo can be divided into three parts: environment, safety, and surrounding community. The safety of the employees and the concern for the surrounding environment is a prerequisite for our existence. Our aim is to leave as small ecological footprint on the environment as possible. The history of the Kauttua paper mill goes back more than one hundred years, and we wish to make sure it remains an essential part of the community also in the future. We would like to take you behind the scenes by presenting two of our employees who are dealing with safety and issues related to the environment in their daily work.
Right kind of paper for the right kind of use
Mr. Jyri Huppunen is in charge of Product Safety & Supply Chain. The work demands close co-operation between Research & Development, Sales and After Sales. When a new paper grade is under development, it is vital to check in an early phase that all raw materials used in the paper grade are suitable for its end application. In addition, it is important to be aware of all the latest news and regulations concerning product safety in the thermal paper business. For example, one document monitored closely is the international list of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). “In a nutshell, our task is to ensure that we are offering the right kind of paper for the right kind of use“, Mr Huppunen tells. If paper is used for an application it is not suited for, the product may no longer be safe. Hence, selecting the right paper grade for the right end application is a precondition for a safe product.
Continuous risk assessment
Ms Mari Ylinen is our Environment Manager. She is in charge of Jujo's environmental permit, or as she explains it: “I make sure that Jujo meets all the demands of the environmental permit." In Finland the Centre for Economical Development, Transport and the Environment (the ELY Centre) and the Regional State Administrative Agencies (AVI) admit the environmental permit. Thus, the national law on environmental protection regulates the demands of the environmental permit. The environmental permit must be compliant with the EU legislation as well. The Finnish national legislation has even stricter demands than that of EU. Therefore, to be compliant with every actor stipulating the environmental permit, Ms Ylinen is continuously monitoring any changes in the demands.
Another daily task is the continuous risk assessment. Critical risks are analyzed and whenever necessary, proactive action is taken to reduce risks. This year significant sums are invested in measures aiming at risk reduction. “We are doing our utmost to protect the environment around us. A major part of that is to continuously minimize the level of chemical residues in the waste water. We operate nearby a river and it is important for us to preserve the river in all possible ways. Recently, we agreed to fund for five years a local foundation which aims to preserve the surrounding rivers,” Ms Ylinen says.
Ms Ylinen is co-operating with all departments of the company. In addition to checking that the raw materials are safe, she ensures that the origin of the wood is compliant with both the PEFC™ and FSC® forest certifications.
