UPM's FSC® group certification scheme for private forest owners in Finland has passed a milestone of 100,000 hectares of certified forest. Since 2012, UPM has offered an FSC forest certification service to private forest owners. UPM's FSC group certificate (FSC® C109750) provides private forest owners with a reliable and internationally recognised means of ensuring that their forests are managed responsibly and according to the latest practices.
The FSC certificate is mainly targeted at large and medium-sized forest estates, where it provides most benefits for the forest owners. "An increasing number of forest owners in Finland have become interested in certifying their forests to the FSC scheme. They know that the demand for FSC certified wood is high," says Eija Kuusisto, Key Account Manager at UPM Wood Sourcing and Forestry. "UPM promotes the advancement of the FSC forest certification in Finland. FSC certified wood creates new opportunities for our businesses in the highly competitive end-use markets. We are looking to increase the share of FSC certified fibre in our operations, with an emphasis on sourcing near our mill sites."
All UPM's forests in Finland have been certified to PEFC since 2000 and in 2011, UPM had nearly 400,000 hectares of its own forests certified to FSC. "By certifying our own forests, we ensure that our own personnel and entrepreneurs get acquainted with the FSC scheme. We then use this expertise to benefit our private forest owner clients," Kuusisto says.
The FSC certification is proof of responsible forestry. An FSC symbol on an end product means that the wood raw material or fibre used in its products has been responsibly sourced. UPM uses third-party verified environmental certificates and ecolabels to convey the environmental performance of its products, help clients choose the right products and provide information to its stakeholders. UPM offers a wide range of certified products.
"Consumer awareness and demand for FSC certified products is constantly increasing. FSC is a renowned scheme around the world, and we are happy to see its popularity growing in Finland," says Anniina Kostilainen, Director of the Office, FSC Finland.
UPM actively co-operates with FSC both internationally and in Finland to increase the use of FSC-certified wood in its production. It also aims to promote awareness of the FSC forest certification and related responsibility issues both in Finland and around the world. In Finland, UPM aims to make it easy for private forest owners to participate in the certification system and meet the related standards and criteria.
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