Sustainable forest management benefits both the forest industry and forest owners: while it guarantees that the biodiversity of forests is preserved, it also ensures the availability of the wood raw material and wood production.
Metsä Group is committed to promoting responsible and sustainable forestry. The Group's wood procurement and forestry services are governed by the environmental policy regarding wood procurement and forestry, as well as the principles of corporate responsibility, implemented through certified quality and environmental management systems and an environmental programme. Wood procurement and forest management operations are carried out in strict compliance with local laws and government regulations.
Sustainable forest management takes into account ecological, social and economic factors.
Social factors:
- Respecting human and labour rights
- Health and safety
- Versatile use of forests
- Recreational values of forests
Ecological factors:
- Protection of valuable habitats
- Protection of biodiversity
- Protection of water and soil
- Regenerating after logging
Economic factors:
- Providing jobs for local people
- Profitable business
- Income for forest owners
- Income for the local community
In wood procurement and forest management, valuable plant and animal habitats and other sites of importance in terms of forest biodiversity or landscape values are protected. Responsible business is profitable and creates welfare for stakeholders in the value chain. Metsä Group regularly inspects its wood suppliers as well as its own logging sites and the logging sites of its subcontractors.