UPM Biofuels Celebrates the Centenary of Finland by Joining the Made by Finland Campaign

(UPM) UPM Biofuels joins the Made by Finland campaign - shared between the Association for Finnish Work, its members and partner organisations - that celebrates the centenary of Finland. The campaign calls for all Finns to discuss their own work and to share their stories of Finnish work. The campaign will be launched with an emotional campaign film directed by Klaus Härö.

"We joined this campaign because we are proud of our Finnish origins and the fact that our star product, low emission UPM BioVerno diesel, is a Finnish innovation. The production process was developed in the UPM Lappeenranta Research Centre and the fuel is produced in UPM's Lappeenranta Biorefinery. Wood-based UPM BioVerno diesel was granted a Finnish flag - only given to products produced in Finland - when production started in 2015," says Sari Mannonen, Vice President, UPM Biofuels.

"Finland's well-being is built on work, and we believe that work will also help to build our prosperity for the next one hundred years. In Finland, wonderful, significant and valued work is carried out in many fields and through many varying tasks. This if anything is worth highlighting and celebrating," states the Managing Director of the Association for Finnish Work, Tero Lausala.

The campaign will be launched with the Seuraavat sata vuotta (The following one hundred years) film, directed by Klaus Härön, which tells four stories on the future of Finnish work through children's dreams. Just what can we achieve if we are persistent enough and have belief in our own abilities? What kind of innovations can we develop, when we are able to each bear a share of the burden and act responsibly, whilst helping each other and working together?

"Looking towards the future, the film brings out the child's perspective, as well as the persistence and the act of being bothered enough to do something with which current and future problems can be solved successfully", says Director Klaus Härö. The film has been made in collaboration with Ivalo Creative Agency and Otto Tuotanto Oy.

During the centenary year, the Made by Finland website will lift inspiring stories of Finnish workers into the spotlight. The background to the people and stories is the idea that the work done by every human being is valuable, and creates well-being for all of us.

A nationwide Open House event will be organised in October, in which all interested companies and organizations will open up their doors and invite people to observe their operations, each in their own style. During the year, Finns' views on Finnish work and factors that will aid its future success will be studied.

"Sometimes, it seems as if Finns need an outsider to tell them that things are being done well here. We are able to do anything whatsoever, as long as we do not set limits on our abilities. We want to use the campaign to encourage all Finns to be proud of themselves, each other and our expertise", Lausala animates.

Made by Finland is an official part of the 100 year centenary program for Finland. More than 80 member companies of the Association for Finnish Work are involved in the campaign. Made by Finland also brings together experts in Finnish working life. As part of the Made in Finland campaign, the Association for Finnish Work, Tekes - the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation, Työelämä Work&Life 2020 project and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health will cooperate in examining and developing Finnish working life and its strengths.

Additional information about the campaign and the companies and organizations involved in the campaign can be found on the following website http://madebyfinland.fi/briefly-in-english/