The renewable materials companyHuman rights
Respect for human rights is our top priority and we strive to align our work with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Progress
During Q3/2018, the process of agreeing on Stora Enso's highest priority human rights was completed, one quarter earlier than planned. Our human rights policy was also updated. The focus is now on finalising a compliance monitoring programme. The ambition is to have this work completed by the end of the first quarter of 2019.
In 2017, our focus was on implementing the Human Rights Action Plan that resulted from a group-wide Human Rights Assessment conducted in 2014 and a related report published in 2015. At the end of the year, 88% of the preventive and remediation actions were completed and 100% of the actions were brought to an appropriate conclusion. Reporting on the Human Rights Action Plan progress was stopped after Q4/2017.
Progress on the implementation of preventive and remediation actions at the end of Q4/2017
| Completed* | On track | Not on track | Closed** | Regular review*** | ||
| Implementation progress, % of all actions | 88% | 0% | 0% | 9% | 3% |
* Process for completion is in place for three group-level actions, but the completion is carried forward into 2018.
** Issues that were identified in the Human Rights assessments but closed following reassessment of their validity in specific local contexts.
*** Longer-term actions without a targeted end-date that require continuous review.
How we work
Human rights risks are considered throughout Stora Enso's operations – for example in investment decisions, mergers, acquisitions, and divestments.
Stora Enso's human rights due diligence procedures include:
- Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs)
- A Human rights assessment and Human Rights Action Plan
- Appropriate grievance and remediation mechanisms
- Accountability through transparent reporting
We are currently developing a human rights strategy using a best practice methodology that will define a set of prioritised human rights for Stora Enso.
Our policies
Stora Enso’s human rights commitment covers our employees, on-site contractors, external suppliers of materials and services and our other business partners, as well as communities living near our operations. Relevant Stora Enso policies and statements on human rights include:
Opportunities and challenges
When it comes to human rights, Stora Enso is involved in some challenging markets, including China, Laos and Brazil. Many of the human rights challenges we face are deeply rooted in local society, and can only be effectively addressed through long-term commitment and close cooperation with local and global stakeholders. The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights emphasise that companies have an ongoing responsibility to respect human rights, even where government actions and regulatory frameworks are deficient. They encourage companies to implement human rights due diligence procedures that identify, assess, and address the human rights risks and impacts of their operations, products, and services.
