We know where our wood originates 100 %
The wood used by Metsä Group is 100 per cent traceable thanks to systems for recording wood origin. These systems are used in all the countries from which Metsä Group purchases wood. 79 % 79 per cent of the wood for Metsä Group mills was acquired from Fin- land in 2020. In addition, wood was acquired from Russia (7%), Sweden (7%) and the Baltic States (7%). 10 % Around 10 per cent of the world’s forests are certified, but 87 per cent of the wood used by Metsä Group comes from forests that have international PEFC™ or FSC® forest certification. FSC® & PEFC™ Metsä Group uses both the FSC® and PEFC™ tracing systems to certify the origin of wood. The sys- tems cover the supply chain of wood from forest to mill and all the way to the end product.
“It has always been clear to me that being a machine contractor is the job for me. You get to feel that the work is meaningful.” Janne Mutikainen, Forestry Machine Contractor
The forest use declaration is part of Finland’s strong Forest Act, which defines how Finnish forests are used. Together with forest certification, which combines inter- national and domestic requirements for sustainable forest management, the Forest Act sets a framework for forest management decisions by the owner. “Ultimately, the forest owner makes the decisions, but the law or forest certification guidance cannot be ignored,” says Rautiainen. Vesa Junnikkala , Director of Sustainability for Metsä Group, underlines the importance of market-based and voluntary certification systems. With these systems, the industry can demonstrate the origin of the wood it uses and that it originates in sustainably managed forests. Metsä Group uses a chain of custody based on two dif- ferent certification systems, FSC® and PEFC™, which can be used to trace the logistics chain of wood from the forest to the end product. The essential element of these systems is that an external third party ensures that the operation is run as promised. “The market expects these things. We could not operate as a player of our size without a chain of custody certifi- cate,” says Junnikkala. •
“It is impossible to accidentally make a felling plan on the neighbour’s land.”
Anna Hyytiäinen Certification Expert, Metsä Group, Wood Supply and Forest Services. Hyytiäinen provided background information for this article and is responsible for management of the tracing system for wood used by Metsä Group.
Vesa Junnikkala Director of Sustainability, Metsä Group, Wood Supply and Forest Services. Among other things, Junnikkala is responsible for forest certification and management of the chain of custody.
Antti Pätilä
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