About the Confederation of Paper Industries

The voice and face of the UK’s Paper-based Industries

The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) is the leading trade association representing the UK’s Paper-based Industries, comprising paper and board manufacturers and converters, corrugated packaging producers, makers of soft tissue papers, and collectors of paper for recycling.

CPI unifies the UK’s Paper-based Industries behind the promotion of paper’s intrinsic value as a uniquely renewable and recyclable resource. We aim to enhance the industry’s competitiveness by advocating an appropriate legislative and regulatory regime in the UK, EU and globally, and also by sharing best practice within the CPI membership.

Our Aim

The CPI is working to promote:

  • a positive image for paper
  • secure energy supplies at competitive prices
  • resource efficiency within a coherent waste strategy
  • the benefits of packaging
  • a sustainable UK Paper Industry
  • manufacturing as a vital part of a balanced economy
  • a competitive, level playing field for the UK’s Paper-based Industries

Optimism, Visibility, Community and Sustainability

CPI has four core values. We must be optimistic about the future of the Paper-based Industries in the UK. The Paper-based Industries in the UK have much to be proud about. They have cut carbon emissions by 63% relative to 1990 levels, they innovate in the development of new and exciting packaging and they lead the UK in recovery and recycling.

Our optimism needs to go hand in hand with greater visibility in and engagement with Westminster, Whitehall and Brussels. We need to shout louder, more often and in the right ears if we are to successfully influence UK Industrial Strategy and secure any opportunities arising from Brexit.

CPI will also help its Members develop roots in their local communities. Our industry is often one of the larger employers in a town, and our “licence to practice” depends on good relations locally and a positive perception of the benefits our industry brings to the community.

The fourth value is that of sustainability. CPI must retain attention on the fact that paper is a uniquely renewable and recyclable material and that these qualities make it the sustainable choice for a wide range of applications, today and long into the future.

Member Directory

CPI represents 79 Member companies, from an industry with an aggregate annual turnover of £11.5 billion, 56,000 direct employees, which supports a further 93,000 jobs in the wider economy. Our Members range in size from large multi-national organisations with multiple sites in the UK, to single site SMEs.

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