Helsinki, Finland, 18 December 2009 -- Stora Enso has signed the United Nations Global Compact CEO Water Mandate, making Stora Enso the first paper and packaging company to endorse this initiative. The CEO Water Mandate is an initiative  that encourages businesses and industry to create and realize sustainable water strategies.

“Signing this mandate means strong commitment from me as a CEO and Stora Enso as a company to make responsible water use a major priority,” said Jouko Karvinen. “Water scarcity is a global concern that is becoming increasingly important for Stora Enso and the whole paper and packaging industry. The Water Mandate will enable us to share our experiences with other committed companies and stakeholders seeking better ways to manage water resources.”

The CEO Water Mandate, launched in 2007 for members of the UN Global Compact, is a public-private initiative designed to assist companies in the development, implementation, and disclosure of sustainable water policies and practices. CEOs are invited to endorse the scheme to show that they recognize their responsibility to prioritize sustainable water resource management. The CEO Water Mandate is backed by investors representing USD 1.2 trillion in assets under management. Stora Enso has been a member of the UN Global Compact since its launch in 2000.

Stora Enso has reported its performance on water discharge flow rates since 2005. Stora Enso's progress towards a wide range of environmental targets is reported in detail in the Group's Sustainability Performance report, published annually.

Stora Enso is a world leader in forest industry sustainability. The company offers its customers solutions based on renewable raw materials, and its products provide a climate-friendly alternative to many nonrenewable materials and have a smaller carbon footprint. Stora Enso is included in the Global 100 list of the world's most sustainable companies. Stora Enso is also listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, the FTSE4Good Index, and the Climate Disclosure Leadership Index. Stora Enso employs 29,000 people worldwide, and had sales in 2008 amounted to EUR 11.0 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki (STEAV, STERV) and Stockholm (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs (SEOAY) in the International OTCQX over-the-counter market.