Stakeholders from around the world are invited to give feedback on the Lithuanian Forest Certification System. Deadline for comments is 10 August. Give your feedback. This is the first time the Center of Sustainable Forest Management (CSFM), the PEFC national member for Lithuania, has submitted its national system to PEFC for endorsement. After developing the national system in line with PEFC requirements, CSFM submitted the system to PEFC for endorsement. The national system is now undergoing the PEFC assessment process, carried out by an independent PEFC Registered Assessor. It must pass this process and be approved by the PEFC General Assembly before it can achieve endorsement.

This weekend, the New York State Legislature concluded its session without passing the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. While the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) supports efforts to improve recycling, the legislation lacked provisions to ensure it would not negatively impact highly recycled materials like paper and paper-based packaging. We look forward to continuing discussions that ensure paper-based packaging recycling remains a viable and sustainable option for New Yorkers.

Exlfilmplus PCR is a multilayered clear polyolefin film that incorporates post-consumer recycled content. Its versatility allows it to excel on all sealing systems and tunnels. Whether you’re packaging club store multi-packs or food products, Exlfilmplus PCR is the ideal choice for environmentally conscious customers seeking a circular and sustainable shrink packaging solution.

Our webinar will focus on the advances we have made in aligning our sustainable forest management and chain of custody standards with EUDR requirements, as well as looking at the vital data and integrity elements. Our PEFC experts will give you a behind the scenes look at the progress of our working groups and task forces, working tirelessly to ensure we will have practical solutions in place to enable you to successfully implement EUDR. Once we’ve heard from our experts, we’ll open the webinar up to the audience for questions and answers. The PEFC Alliance has made strong progress on our EUDR rollout over the last few months, and we are looking forward to sharing the details with you, as we all move forward on this EUDR journey together.

It’s been an eventful year since the Sappi Chair in Climate Change and Plantation Sustainability was launched at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). As we celebrate another World Environment Day on 05 June the Forestry team at Wits reflects on a year of significant progress, characterised by collaboration and dialogue. Under the guidance of Professor Mary Scholes - an internationally recognised authority on tree physiology and climate change- the team has pioneered research and capacity-building initiatives that equip the forestry industry to navigate the challenges of climate change. With the southern hemisphere’s winter heralding a forecast of scant rainfall, the insights provided by the Wits Research Chair to the forestry industry on El Nino impacts and the risk of increased wildfire prevalence in the 2024 fire season in South Africa’s plantation regions, is just one of the crucial areas where this research is proving to be invaluable.

Flint Group is pleased to announce that its 2030 carbon reduction targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The business is working towards a 46.2% reduction in scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 2030 versus their 2019 baseline. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a collaboration between CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The SBTi defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting and independently assesses companies’ targets. Matthew Rowland-Jones, Sustainability Officer at Flint Group, said: “We are delighted that our 2030 carbon reduction targets have been approved by the SBTi. This validation represents significant work across the business to develop a detailed plan to reduce emissions and combat climate change. Carbon reduction forms part of ‘PRISM’, our vision and strategy for long-term sustainability. PRISM splits the broader topic of sustainability into the three core areas where we can make the biggest impact, ‘Product, Planet and People’.

Kimberly-Clark published its annual sustainability report, including an update on the company's progress toward its 2030 sustainability goals and a new ambition to be 100% Natural Forest Free across its portfolio beyond 2030. Over the past decade, the company has made significant investments in developing more sustainable products as part of the company's innovation strategy and focus on delivering products with enhanced consumer benefits while striving to lower its environmental footprint. "Sustainability is woven into the fabric of our 152-year-old company's innovation strategy and purpose, serving as a guiding principle across every facet of our operations," said Mike Hsu, Chairman and CEO at Kimberly-Clark. "I am proud of our team's commitment to our purpose of Better Care for a Better World, focusing on where we believe we can make the biggest impact."

The Croatian Forest Certification Scheme has been submitted to PEFC for assessment. The public consultation, which is your chance to give your feedback on this new system, will run from 17 June to 16 August 2024. This is the first time that CUPFOA, the Croatian Union of Private Forest Owners Associations, the PEFC national member for Croatia, has submitted its national system to PEFC for endorsement. To provide you with additional information about this new national system, we are holding a webinar on 17 June at 10:00 CEST.

Stora Enso has partnered with Altris, a Swedish developer of sodium-ion batteries. The two companies aim to further advance the development and commercialisation of a sustainable battery value chain in Europe. Together, the two companies will drive the adaptation of Stora Enso’s hard carbon solution Lignode® as an anode material in Altris’ sodium-ion battery cells. Lignode® by Stora Enso is a sustainable hard carbon derived from lignin, a product from the manufacturing of pulp, to be used as an anode material in both lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries. It serves as a more sustainable alternative to current incumbent anode solutions. In addition to its sustainability benefits, lignin makes up 20-30% of a tree, which makes it abundantly available already today. Lignin being a by-product from pulp manufacturing ensures a stable and consistent raw material supply for anode material manufacturing. Lignode is developed in Stora Enso’s pilot plant in Kotka, Finland. Stora Enso is currently upgrading the plant from a technical point of view.

Tetra Pak launches its 25th Sustainability Report, which tracks the progress the company has made against its sustainability agenda. It focuses on five interdependent areas: food systems, circularity, climate, nature and social sustainability. Launching on the United Nations’ World Environment Day on 5 June, the company’s Sustainability Report FY233 shows a 20% reduction in value chain4 GHG emissions and a 47% reduction in GHG emissions across its own operations since 2019. The latter puts Tetra Pak on track to meet its target of net zero GHG emissions in its own operations by 20305 and supports the company’s long-term ambition to work together with suppliers, customers and other stakeholders and achieve net-zero GHG emissions across the value chain by 2050.6 Another major milestone saw the launch of an aseptic beverage carton featuring a paper-based barrier, reducing its carbon footprint by a third (33%)7 and bringing the company a step closer to developing the world’s most sustainable food package.8 This world-first was a result of a €100 million investment in packaging research and development in 2023, with the same investment planned annually for the next five to ten years.

Since 2014, Trioworld in Germany has been working with the initiative ERDE, Erntekunststoffe Recycling Deutschland, a German collecting system for crop plastics in Europe. Trioworld now receives the ERDE Climate Protection Certificate for the collection and recycling of agricultural plastic in 2023. With a total of 645 collection points and 3147 mobile collections, ERDE is a well-established recovery concept that recently renewed its voluntary commitment to collect and recycle more than 75 % of all silage and stretch film placed on the German market by 2027. Trioworld has been certified with ERDE’s Climate Protection Certificate for the collection and recycling of silage film, stretch film, bale nets, baler twine, perforated film, mulch film, greenhouse film, asparagus film and nonwovens in 2023. The certificate quantifies the respective CO2 savings achieved during the year based on the collected and recycled quantity of all collection fractions and, for illustrative purposes, is converted to the number of trees that bind the corresponding quantities of CO2 per year.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is seeking candidates for a working group to revise its complaints and appeals procedures. The call for applicants is open until 12 July 2024. The working group will comprise of four (4) members who will be selected based on the following criteria: Experience in: *Developing operational non-judicial grievance and remediation mechanisms. *Managing complicated dispute cases. *Implementing alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. *Managing human rights and socio-environmental sustainability due diligence processes *Using the FSC complaints system or other relevant complaints systems as a party to a complaint. Knowledge in: *FSC’s normative framework, in particular its certification standards, Policy for Association, Remedy Framework, as well as the complaints mechanisms of the various actors in FSC’s certification system. *Measures to ensure equal access to complaints mechanisms according to the needs and challenges faced by users, in particular local forest communities and Indigenous Peoples. *The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. *Best practices on grievance and remediation mechanisms, including the establishment and use of ombuds services.

Guyana has become the latest country to achieve PEFC endorsement of its national forest certification system, enabling forest owners in the country to obtain PEFC certification. It is the 49th country that is covered by a PEFC-endorsed system, and the 5th in South America. Since the early 2000s, the Government of Guyana has maintained a national wood tracking system, enabling the traceability of timber and timber products from market to forest source. This system has now evolved into a national forest certification system, endorsed by PEFC International.

Paper products and packaging are part of our daily lives. From tissues and paper towels to the absorbent pulp in diapers to cardboard boxes to boxes that package medicine and food. Paper production requires resources like wood, recycled paper, water and energy. Here in the U.S., the paper industry is working hard to find ways to make production and our products more sustainable. We answered some common questions about the U.S. paper industry and its environmental impact. Dive in to explore how our industry is committed to sustainable manufacturing practices. Does the U.S. Paper Industry Contribute to Deforestation? How Does the U.S. Paper Industry Source its Wood Responsibly? How Much Water is Used, and What Happens to it After Papermaking?

Stakeholders from around the world are invited to give feedback on the Turkish Forest Certification System. Deadline for comments is 2 August. Give your feedback. This is the first time the Association for Sustainable Forest Management, Forest Product and Services Certification (SOYDER), the PEFC national member for Turkey, has submitted its national system to PEFC for endorsement. After developing the national system in line with PEFC requirements, SOYDER submitted the system to PEFC for endorsement. The national system is now undergoing the PEFC assessment process, carried out by an independent PEFC Registered Assessor. It must pass this process and be approved by the PEFC General Assembly before it can achieve endorsement.

As society rallies to combat climate change, companies and organizations spanning all sectors have spurred into action, reevaluating and revitalizing their sustainability strategies to curb their carbon footprint. Among the widespread green initiatives sweeping across industries, a notable trend involves substituting plastic materials with an eco-friendly alternative sourced from trees to form biodegradable pulp products. Pulp is raw material derived from the natural fibers of trees and plants and recycled materials like paper, cardboard, and newspapers. From a sustainability standpoint, the allure of biodegradable pulp is undeniable, as it is recyclable and compostable. Because of its superiority in reducing environmental impact, new doors to sustainability have been opened in comparison to plastic or Styrofoam, which takes hundreds of years to decompose. Biodegradable pulp products also have many other advantages that differentiate them from other eco-friendly alternatives, such as reducing energy consumption and shipping costs. They can accomplish this by producing robust, lightweight products that can withstand the same amount of pressure with a lighter material.

AptarGroup, Inc. released its 2023 Corporate Sustainability / Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Report entitled Progress Takes Shape. Aptar’s report highlights key milestones of its global sustainability strategy across the company’s global operations focused on three key pillars: *Care – operating with care for employees, communities and the environment by continuously improving our impact and reducing our footprint; *Collaboration – innovating alongside customers, suppliers, industry coalitions and nonprofits to enable progress toward their goals – as well as for better outcomes for people and our planet; and *Circularity – helping the industry advance system-scale change that will benefit people today and for generations to come by addressing climate change and the waste crisis. “Our keen focus on ESG, both in the way we run our business and in the solutions we provide, affords us a strong competitive advantage. Our solid ESG credentials and reputation serve as powerful assets. We are a company that stakeholders want to engage with, and our employees are proud to work for,” said Stephan B. Tanda, Aptar President and CEO.

In today’s world, where environmental concerns are increasingly critical, sustainable practices have emerged as a source of hope for the future of our planet. The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) stands out as a world leader in promoting sustainable forest management and sets the standards that ensure that forests are managed in an environmentally friendly, socially beneficial, and economically viable manner. This story explores the crucial role that sustainable forest management plays in preserving and protecting ecosystems in the Cotopaxi area of Ecuador. Aglomerados Cotopaxi is a company in the forestry industry that shows us an inspiring example of environmental management. This 45-year-old company has always worked towards environmental sustainability and, along with FSC certification, their existing sustainable practices have been deepened and improved. They show their commitment to protecting the major ecosystems that extend in and around their forest plantations, and ensure that the delicate balance of their forests remains intact. In addition, they understand the importance of preserving biodiversity, allowing the thriving of plant and animal species that call these ecosystems home. Moreover, the company actively engages with local communities, forging meaningful partnerships that nurture both the environment and the livelihoods of the people intertwined with it.

The Lithuanian Forest Certification Scheme has been submitted to PEFC for assessment. The public consultation, which is your chance to give your feedback on this new system, will run from 11 June to 10 August 2024. This is the first time the Center of Sustainable Forest Management (CSFM), the PEFC national member for Lithuania, has submitted its national system to PEFC for endorsement. Find out more about the national system. To provide you with additional information about this new national system, we are holding a webinar on 11 June at 9:00 CEST.

FSC published Advice Notes for Chain of Custody Certification on Annual Administration Fee and Controlled Forest Management (CFM) claim. The new Advice Notes related to Annual Administration Fee (AAF) calculation (ADVICE-40-004-25 & ADVICE-40-006-02) includes requirements for the organization to provide information to the certification body (CB) for Annual Administration Fee (AAF) calculation. Advice Notes related to the CFM claim in the Chain of Custody Certification are ADVICE-40-004-27 & ADVICE-40-006-03. These Advice Notes are available in the relevant Directives FSC-DIR-40-004 and FSC-DIR-40-006

Stakeholders from around the world are invited to give feedback on the Bulgarian Forest Certification System. Deadline for comments is 27 July. Give your feedback. The Council for Sustainable Forest Management and Certification in Bulgaria (CSFMCB) revised the country’s national forest certification system to ensure its forest management standard is up-to-date and continues to meet stakeholder demands and expectations. The Bulgarian system was submitted to PEFC after being revised in line with PEFC requirements. The system is now undergoing the PEFC assessment process, carried out by an independent PEFC Registered Assessor. It must pass this assessment to maintain its PEFC endorsement.

Two Sides is excited to announce its newest member and supporter, Baumer hhs, a worldwide partner for adhesive application and quality assurance. For more than 35 years, everything at Baumer hhs has revolved around secure gluing and the goal of meeting the high demands imposed by their customers and a dynamic market. No matter whether you process cold glue or hot melt, or whether you want to verify the quality of your products with the help of sensors or cameras, you’ll find the right solution at Baumer hhs! “Sustainability is on everyone’s lips. We are only at the beginning of an exciting journey. But what does sustainability actually mean in a company like Baumer hhs? Well, we asked ourselves three questions on how can we be: economically sustainable for our customers in the market, socially sustainable for our employees and our environment, and ecologically sustainable for our company and the environment?

When the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) came into force in June 2023, FSC accelerated several existing projects to align our sustainable forestry standards with the EUDR requirements and develop the required technology solutions to ease compliance for companies. FSC Aligned for EUDR takes the complexity out of EUDR requirements and provides a robust solution to help certificate holders become compliant on time. Join us as we unveil this offering and how it will streamline your compliance journey. Get access to the FSC Aligned Certification for EUDR, supporting companies to fulfil their due diligence obligations. It includes the newly developed FSC Regulatory Module and FSC Risk Assessment Framework and enables EUDR alignment by leveraging FSC's robust system. Find out how to start implementation immediately.

Preparing to give your feedback on the proposed amendments to the PEFC Sustainable Forest Management standard for EUDR alignment, but would like more information? We are holding a special information webinar, open to everyone, on 12 June, to introduce the proposed modifications and answer your questions. The PEFC SFM Working Group has added and amended a number of requirements to the PEFC Sustainable Forest Management standard (ST 1003) to ensure that PEFC-certified raw material coming out of PEFC-certified forests is EUDR compliant.

A new offer within Tetra Pak’s broader sustainability portfolio, the ‘Factory Sustainable Solutions’ business offers Food and Beverage (F&B) producers a tailored blend of state-of-the-art technologies and leading plant integration capabilities. It seeks to support F&B producers in optimising energy and resource consumption, an important step in helping customers meet their sustainability ambitions and reduce operational costs. Traditionally reliant on fossil fuels and energy-intensive processes,1 F&B producers are under increasing pressure to optimise resources and increase energy generation from renewable sources. This comes amidst rising operational expenses, including the cost of raw materials, as well as new CO2 taxes and fees for wasted water. Finding solutions to these challenges will be key, with businesses looking to their supply chains and manufacturing processes to help achieve cost savings2.

Two of the most popular Two Sides resources, the Myths & Facts and Packaging Facts booklets, have been updated to take in the very latest research, facts and findings about paper and paper packaging, as well as the latest Trend Tracker report from Two Sides. The new Myths & Facts booklet explores nine common myths, from ‘European forests are shrinking’ to ‘Paper wastes precious resources’, before busting those myths by using a series of irrefutable facts. Meanwhile, the new Packaging Facts booklet sets out eight clear reasons why paper packaging is the natural choice for brand owners, retailers and consumers. Two Sides thanks Antalis, who supplied the paper for the print version of the new Myths & Facts booklet. In keeping with the booklet’s content, Antalis chose the recycled Cyclus Offset paper, which has exemplary sustainable credentials.

Paper bags are a common sight at grocery stores, clothing stores, and pharmacies. They’re also great for carrying your packed lunch. But have you ever wondered … can these paper bags be recycled? The answer is yes! Paper bags are widely accepted for recycling across the U.S. They are the only bags that are recyclable in curbside bins. This ease of recycling makes them a convenient choice. Recycling is a critical part of the paper industry’s manufacturing process. And recyclable paper products, like paper bags, are a key component of our circular value chain.

The Bulgarian Forest Certification System, the latest member of the Balkan Regional System, has been submitted to PEFC for assessment. The public consultation, which is your chance to give your feedback on this revised system, will run from 28 May to 27 July 2024. The Council for Sustainable Forest Management and Certification in Bulgaria (CSFMCB) revised the country’s national forest certification system to ensure its forest management standard is up-to-date and continues to meet stakeholder demands and expectations. This national system also joins Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Slovenia under the Balkan Regional System.

The preliminary results of the transaction verification (TV) loop on Vietnamese wood supply chains indicate that there are some potential discrepancies in transactions reported by the certificate holders included in this TV loop. Several suppliers declared fewer sales than the purchases reported by their customers. In May 2023, FSC and its assurance partner – Assurance Services International (ASI) – launched this TV loop to identify the volumes and species of certified wood harvested in Vietnam. Through this TV loop, FSC and ASI also aim to trace supply chains of raw materials used for wood pellets production. The original scope of the TV loop included 424 certificate holders – 368 chain of custody and 56 forest management certificates; they were requested to submit their transaction data for 2022. However, 17 certificate holders did not respond, and their certificates were suspended by their respective certification bodies, some of which were subsequently terminated.

For more than 125 years, IP has championed the sustainable management of natural resources. As part of its commitment to build a better future, IP advances its Vision 2030 goals and targets in order to deliver sustainable outcomes through our businesses. "Guided by Vision 2030, our sustainability framework, IP has continuously worked alongside customers and strategic partners to become a leader in renewable fiber-based solutions and to help facilitate a low carbon, circular economy," said Sophie Beckham, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, International Paper. International Paper reported pursuant to the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and also responded to CDP's (Carbon Disclosure Project) Climate Change, Forest and Water Security questionnaires to transparently disclose risks and opportunities in those core areas of sustainability.

Stakeholders globally are invited to give their feedback on the proposed amendments to the PEFC Sustainable Forest Management standard (ST 1003) to achieve alignment with the EUDR requirements. Deadline for comments is 13 July 2024. To ensure that PEFC-certified raw material coming out of PEFC-certified forests is EUDR compliant, the PEFC SFM Working Group has added and amended a number of requirements to the PEFC Sustainable Forest Management standard (ST 1003). Now we need your feedback on these new and amended requirements. The public consultation is open now and you have until 13 July 2024 to give your comments. Please note, we will only accept comments on the new and amended requirements, any comments given on requirements outside this scope will not be considered.

Ahead of the United Nation’s International Day of Biodiversity on 22nd May, Tetra Pak has announced the launch of its ‘Approach to Nature’ - a comprehensive framework that defines the company’s contribution to halting and reversing nature loss and enhancing water security. The approach aligns with global targets, including those outlined in the Biodiversity Plan that calls for action to halt biodiversity loss and put nature on a path to recovery for the benefit of all life on earth.1 A report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) shows that nature is deteriorating at rates unprecedented in human history, largely due to human activity.2 Global food systems are identified as the main drivers of nature loss,3 with wide-reaching impacts that threaten global economies, livelihoods and food security.4 Recognising this complex interdependency and building on a thorough evaluation of nature-related impacts and dependencies, Tetra Pak’s ambitious new ‘Approach to Nature’ aims to manage the impacts of the company’s value chain on nature and to support the restoration of ecosystems.5