PEFC webinar: on the path to EUDR alignment

The global food packaging industry is setting ambitious targets to make its operations more sustainable, working on designing for circularity across systems and products. However, lasting solutions need cooperation between different contributors. “While we have seen a significant leap forward in terms of our industry-wide commitment to sustainability we know that to deliver groundbreaking solutions we have to work across the industry and that no single organization holds all the answers”, says Thomasine Kamerling, Executive Vice President, Sustainability and Communications at Huhtamaki. “Our Circularity report helps to set out on what is needed today to address some of the biggest challenges we face in the creation of true and lasting sustainability, together. We are delighted that so many organizations have taken the opportunity to share their thoughts on what is needed next by contributing directly to the report.

At the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS) in San Francisco, USA, Unilever committed to supporting work in Sabah, Malaysia as part of the strategy to achieving a deforestation free supply chain and further reducing emissions. Unilever will help sustainably certify 60,000 hectares in Sabah, Malaysia as part of a program led by Forever Sabah, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Malaysia and PONGO Alliance. Sabah is pushing to certify 100 percent of the state’s palm oil production to Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification by 2025. According to WWF, this will help to reduce 17 million metric tons of CO2e in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Unilever’s commitment will: • Look to cover 60,000 hectares with RSPO certification • Benefit approximately 200 to 300 palm oil farmers • Help restore two ecological corridors and two riparian reserves (area of habitat connecting wildlife population). Click Read More below for additional information.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®), an independent North American forest certification program, has applied for re-endorsement by PEFC. The public is invited to comment on the documentation submitted by the SFI Program for their SFI 2015-2019 Standard and Rules by 3 January 2016. In 2001 the SFI program became a PEFC National Member and in 2005, the SFI Forest Management Standard was endorsed by PEFC after a detailed examination by a PEFC-approved assessor. This endorsement adds international value to SFI Inc.’s position as a highly respected, third-party certification program in North America. The SFI program has grown to cover more than 100 million hectares of forest area in both the United States and Canada – nearly 40% of all PEFC-recognized certified forest worldwide.