New level established for fiber target

Consumers must feel confident that all components of an SCA product and all fiber are derived through responsible forest management. This is the basis of SCA’s new target for fiber and fiber-based products. SCA’s own forests are cultivated with a focus on biodiversity, and they contribute a valuable, renewable raw material.

Responsible fiber sourcing

Illegal felling is an industry that generates billions. Illegal felling can refer to felling forests without the knowledge or permission of the landowner, felling in areas with high conservation value or felling that breaches the law of the country in question. Irresponsible companies that trade in illegal timber can dump prices since they avoid paying taxes, fees and many other costs.

For SCA, it is therefore of the utmost importance to ensure that the wood raw material used in the company’s operations is not sourced from controversial sources – in fact, this has been a Group target since 2005.

SCA is now raising its ambitions even further and introducing a new fiber target (see below).

Sustainable silviculture

Forests contribute significant value for many stakeholders. They provide habitats for countless species of animals and plants. They serve as a renewable raw material for the forest industry, which creates thousands of jobs. Forests bind CO2 and are one of the most important tools in the world when it comes to eliminating the climate threat. Forests give us the opportunity to enjoy recreational activities, to hunt and fish.

Preserving the biodiversity of our forests is the most important environmental target for the management of our forests, which cover an area nearly the size of Belgium.

Fiber Sourcing & Biodiversity (icon)Fiber Sourcing & Biodiversity (icon)

TARGET

All wood fiber used in SCA’s products is to come from controlled sources, where none of the fiber used is derived from controversial sources.*

SCA is to preserve the biodiversity of our forests. A minimum of 5% of our productive forest land will be set aside from forestry in our ecological landscape plans and a further 5% will be set aside as part of our consideration for nature in our managed forests.

OUTCOME 2015

All deliveries of pulp to SCA’s facilities meet the requirements of the Group target. All of SCA’s wood-consuming units are reviewed by independent auditors and meet the requirements of the Group target.

7% of SCA’s productive forest land has been set aside from forestry in the long term in our ecological landscape plans. In 2015, 14% of the area in planned harvesting sites was set aside for preservation.

* Controversial sources are defined as:
– illegally logged timber,
– timber from forests with a high conservation value, and
– timber from areas where human rights or traditional rights of indigenous people are being violated.

SCA introduces new fiber target

Libresse – The new fiber target also encompasses packaging. (photo)

The new fiber target also encompasses packaging.

Everyone who purchases products from SCA should feel secure about the origin of the raw material. This includes not only the pulp or timber, but all wood fiber in the product, including the packaging.

This is SCA’s new, ambitious target. All fresh fiber must originate from responsibly managed forests – forests that are managed under good labor conditions and with respect for biodiversity.

All wood fiber must be certified according to FSC® or PEFC standards. Alternatively, the fiber is to meet the requirements of FSC Controlled Wood standards, which mean that the origin of the fiber has been controlled by an independent party, such as an auditor. This also applies to products, such as packaging and mother reels, that SCA purchases from other suppliers.

“Consumer demand is the ultimate governing factor and we want to be able to offer products that we know with absolute certainty were manufactured in a sustainable manner,” says Patrik Isaksson, Vice President, Environmental Affairs at SCA.

The previous target was that no pulp or timber used by SCA was to have originated from areas with controversial forest management. That target has now been met, and it is time to take the next step.

Two volunteers at Cerro La Trinidad in costa Rica (photo)

@SCAeveryday For the fourth year in a row, Tork and 150 volunteers planted 5,000 trees at Cerro La Trinidad, San Marcos de Tarrazú, in Costa Rica to contribute to the reforestation of the area that was devastated by fire in 2008. The fire swept through about 45 hectares of forest of Cerro La Trinidad. #workatsca #reforestation #costarica

Volunteer planting a tree in the Guadalope Park near SCA’s plant in Sahagùn (photo)

@SCAeveryday In Mexico, 2,000 trees were planted in the Guadalope Park near SCA’s plant in Sahagùn. In partnership with the NGO Pro-Natura, SCA has planted 42,000 trees since 2009. #workatsca #mexico #treeplanting #sahagun #reforestation

More conservation parks

Forest (photo)

Forests are an important source of inspiration and nature experiences for many people. Forest biodiversity is a key environmental target for forestry. In 2015, SCA established two new conservation parks in Sweden: one in the Njurundakusten area outside Sundsvall, and one near Märlingsberget in Jämtland. Sweden is now home to a total of five conservation parks, all of which were established in the past three years and cover more than 10,000 hectares of forest land.

The parks are all home to thousands of hectares of forest with high conservation value. They are often located near other nature reserves in order to create large areas of protected forest. SCA tries to make the areas easily accessible and attractive destinations for nature experiences and recreation.

SCA takes biodiversity into consideration in all of its forest management. Conservation parks are part of this work and a way of making the natural qualities of SCA’s forests easily accessible.

Fires promote biodiversity

Forest fires, both natural and controlled burns, have long been common in the forest landscape. Before the early 1900s, an average of 1% of Sweden’s forest area was lost in fires on an annual basis, but today forest fires are rare. Fires contribute to biodiversity, which is why SCA carries out what is known as controlled burns. Approximately 500 hectares of forest land are affected. Per Simonsson, Forest Ecologist at SCA, explains how soil acts as an untapped seed bank:

“We burn forest to create the right conditions for rare plants and insects that depend on fire. Take, for example, the blue geranium, whose seeds lie in the soil waiting for fire – sometimes more than a hundred years. After a fire, the seeds germinate and a flower grows,” he says.

Before the fire, it is important to identify the forest areas with secure boundaries, near watercourses or wide forest roads. In 2015, SCA carried out two controlled burns. The target that approximately 50% of the trees are to survive the fire was achieved both times.

Forest fires (photo)
Forest after forest fires (photo)