“We are delighted with the award and see it as high recognition of the work we have done to develop light weight boards, as well as our progress in many different fields of sustainability across the whole Metsä Group,” says Pasi Piiparinen, SVP, Head of Paperboard, Metsä Board. “Using a lighter weight board can reduce the carbon footprint of a carton significantly. When scaled up across a wide range of fast moving consumer goods products, with global distribution, the potential for reducing environmental impact is quite dramatic.”

Unilever launched the Partner to Win programme in 2011 to work more closely with its key suppliers, ensure faster innovation and invest sustainably throughout its value chain.

Link to Unilever’s press release: http://www.unilever.com/mediacentre/pressreleases/2012/longtermsupplierpartnershipskey.aspx

For further information, please contact Metsä Board:

Pasi Piiparinen, SVP, Head of Paperboard

Mobile: +358 (0)40 512 2827

E-mail: pasi.piiparinen(at)metsagroup.com

www.metsagroup.com

Metsä Group is a responsible forest industry group whose products are part of people’s everyday life and promote sustainable well-being. Metsä Group produces high-quality products mainly from renewable Nordic wood. The Group’s business areas are tissue and cooking papers, board and paper, pulp, wood products as well as wood supply. Metsä Group’s sales totalled EUR 5.3 billion in 2011, and it employs approximately 12,500 people. The Group is present in some 30 countries.

www.metsäboard.com

Metsä Board is Europe’s leading producer of fresh forest fibre cartonboards, the world’s leading manufacturer of coated white-top kraftliners, and a major paper supplier. The company’s sales network serves brand owners, carton printers, corrugated packaging manufacturers, printers, merchants and office suppliers.

Metsä Board supports its customers’ businesses by providing high-performance paperboards and quality papers for consumer and retail packaging, graphics and office end-uses. Together with its customers and partners, Metsä Board develops products and services for demanding end uses. The company’s paperboard is mainly used for the packaging of beautycare and healthcare products, foods, cigarettes, and consumer durables as well as graphics. Paper is mainly used for office papers as well as wallcoverings and other speciality end uses.

Metsä Board’s business areas are Paperboard, and Paper and Pulp.

Metsä Board is headquartered in Finland. In 2011, the company’s sales totalled EUR 2.5 billion, and it has approximately 4,000 employees. Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki.