Sustainable Forest Products
The forest products industry has dramatically improved its sustainability and forest conservation performance in the past few decades, from reducing its carbon footprint to putting sustainable forest management practices in place. Resolute Forest Products adheres to some of the most rigorous fiber sourcing standards in the world, and our customers can rest easy knowing that the products they use come from responsibly managed forests.
Sustainable Forestry Measures
- 100 percent of the woodlands we manage have been certified to one or more internationally-recognized sustainable forest management standards.
- All of our mills in Canada and the U.S. have fiber-tracking systems in place that allow us to identify the source of the fiber or wood used. Most of these tracking systems are third-party certified according to one or more of these internationally recognized chain of custody standards: Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).
- We prepare or contribute to the development of 20- or 25-year forest management plans that are revised every five years. Public participation is a critical part of the process, and we encourage First Nations and local communities to participate in the planning process.
- Regeneration is an essential part of sustainable forest management. As a responsible forest manager, Resolute seeks to respect the natural growth cycle of trees while ensuring biodiversity. In Canada, fiber used in our products is sourced primarily from public land, located mainly in the boreal forest. By law, these woodlands must be promptly regenerated.
Boreal Forest Sustainability Goals
The sustainable forest management systems we use include provisions such as:
- Respect for the rights of First Nations peoples
- Development of comprehensive forest management plans
- Regulation of harvest rates
- Prompt and successful regeneration
- Protection for biodiversity
- Limits on activities near bodies of water in order to preserve water quality
- Regular, science-based monitoring and assessment to ensure standards are met
How We Comply with Regulations
- All of our operations are preceded by extensive planning and surveying — every single time. This careful planning is necessary for dealing with varying forest characteristics, adhering to regulations, and meeting the expectations of numerous stakeholders, as well as for maintaining our certifications. This planning ensures the long-term viability of forests.
- Our foresters are experts in sustainable forest management and are deeply knowledgeable about the many detailed criteria involved in certification.
- A “chain of custody” tracking system allows us to keep track of all the fiber that enters our facilities, whether it is sourced internally or externally. This allows us to confirm to our customers that our entire fiber supply meets rigorous standards.
- Our sustainable forest management practices are verified by independent parties on a regular basis. Their guidance helps our Company further improve how we manage forests and monitor our fiber supply.
