Finsilva plc, one of the biggest forest owners in Finland, has again received the FSC® certificate for its forests. Awarded for the second time in a row, the certificate emphasises environmental aspects and helps Finsilva to carry out responsible and sustainable forestry in an economically profitable manner.
”A certification granted by an external party indicates that Finsilva operates in a responsible and sustainable manner while meeting strict ecological criteria. The certification also provides direct financial benefits, as the demand for certified wood in the market is going up,” says Juha Hakkarainen, Managing Director at Finsilva.
The FSC® certification applies to all of Finsilva’s approximately 130,000 hectares of forest in southern, central and western Finland. Granted for the next 5-year period, the FSC® certification supports Finsilva’s strategy that emphasises ecological, social and economic sustainability.
Certification helps consumers make responsible decisions
In order to meet the requirements for the FSC® certification, forestry operations must widely cover ecological, social and economic points of view. One of the main criteria is that at least 5% of the forests are protected. In addition, the company must select forest areas where logging aims at increasing forest diversity or making the forest structure more versatile by at least 10% in total.
From the end user’s point of view, a certificate shown on a toilet paper package or on wooden furniture gives peace of mind – it essentially ensures that the timber used in the product was produced responsibly.
”When a consumer purchases a certified end product, her purchasing power boosts nature’s diversity and supports investments into biodiversity,” says Hakkarainen.
Hakkarainen states that responsible and sustainable forestry also requires a change in the economic markets.
”If we really want to boost responsible forestry that considers nature values, the markets should be prepared to pay for responsibly produced wood products. It’s all about how we can match the interests of nature, people, and the economy in a sustainable way. Advancing this cause is a shared mission for the entire forestry business,” Hakkarainen notes.
Only 10% of Finnish production forests are FSC certified
The FSC® certification is an international forest certification that emphasises environmental aspects. It promotes forestry that considers the environment and operates in a socially responsible and economically profitable manner. The certificate criteria have been set by various environmental organisations, forestry companies and organisations driving the social aspects of forest use. In 2021, only approximately 10% of Finnish production forests were FSC-certified (source: FSC).
The FSC® certification is awarded in 5-year periods, and meeting the certification requirements is monitored with annual inspections. FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council.
Finsilva’s FSC® license code is FSC-C139460. Finsilva received its first FSC® certification in 2018. Finsilva’s forests also have the PEFC certification (certificate number PEFC/02-21-18/4) for sustainable forestry.
Additional information:
Managing Director Juha Hakkarainen, Finsilva plc
juha.hakkarainen(a)finsilva.fi
+358 400 870 867
Forest and nature capital company Finsilva plc is one of Europe’s largest privately owned and independent forest owners. It owns over 130,000 hectares of carefully maintained Finnish forest. We combine environmental values and the economic markets by making the nature capital work in a sustainable and profitable manner. The core of our business is in forestry, renewable energy and land refinement. We develop new ways of using forests and land based on the changing needs of people and society. In 2021, the company turnover was 25.8 MEUR. Finsilva is owned by Dasos’ forest funds and Metsärahasto II Ky (Ilmarinen). www.finsilva.fi