We know the origin of the wood we use

Wood is the main raw material for all of our products. Metsä Forest is responsible for wood supply for the Group, and wood supply is its core business operation. We cooperate closely with wood suppliers and harvesting contractors and promote sustainable forestry through training and cooperation with stakeholders.

All of the wood raw material that Metsä Group purchases comes from sustainably managed northern forests. Approximately 89% of the wood comes from Finland. Metsä Group also purchases wood from Sweden and the Baltic countries. Three quarters of the wood we purchase in Finland comes from privately owned forests of the members of Metsäliitto Cooperative. The member-owners of Metsäliitto Cooperative own nearly half of the private forests in Finland.

Origin of wood is known in all the wood supply countries

Chain of custody certification provides the proof that origin, legality and sustainability are realised throughout the supply chain. By following PEFC (PEFC/02-31-03) and FSC® (FSC-C014476) chain of custody certification requirements, which means that the origin of the trees is known and that the chain of origin is independently verified. In addition, we also make sure that all the non-certified materials follow and exceed requirements, for example, the legal requirements in sustainability related issues.

Metsä Group has used digital maps to monitor the origin of wood for more than ten years. The Group also has a third-party certification for its chain of custody management system covering all of its wood supply operations.

We verify the origin of the wood and ensure compliance

We verify the origin of the wood and ensure compliance with the principles of sustainable forest management by means of wood supplier and logging site audits, which are carried out in a consistent manner in all of our wood procurement countries. Internal audits and the third party certified chain of custody management system cover the operations of wood suppliers and harvesting contractors while also verifying the origin of the wood and compliance with environmental values. Sustainability issues – from environmental values and the origin of the wood to well-being at work, working conditions and safety at work – are extensively examined during audits.

Metsä Group requires its wood suppliers and contractors to comply with sustainability principles as part of their contracts, right from the beginning of the supply chain. These principles also apply to any subcontractors contributing to the delivery.

Metsä Group fulfils the obligations of the European Union Timber Regulation (EU 995/2010) and the US Lacey Act, which both prohibit the marketing of illegally harvested timber and timber products.