The Forest Stewardship Council^TM (FSC) has launched an ambitious new initiative to increase the use of materials from responsibly-managed forests. The Vancouver Declaration allows businesses who use these natural products to pledge their commitment to responsible sourcing.

The Vancouver Declaration is part of the FSC's wider ambition to help businesses achieve the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. The declaration has now been presented at the FSC General Assembly 2017, which took place October 8-13, 2017, in Vancouver, by Samuel Sigrist, SIG (sig.biz) chief financial officer designate.

"It’s fantastic to see so many great businesses supporting this declaration. Our forests are a wonderful yet delicate natural resource, and a lot of people’s lives depend of their sustainable and responsible use. By committing to using FSC-certified wood and forest products, our partners are helping to protect our forests – and the planet – for future generations,” says Kim Carstensen, director general of FSC.

Samuel Sigrist adds, "It was a great honor for me to present the Vancouver Declaration at the FSC’s 2017 General Assembly. We believe that this initiative, with its commitment to FSC certification, is a key tool in achieving parts of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. We are the first in our industry to be able to display the FSC label on 100% of our packs. This is a major milestone for SIG on its journey to become a ‘net positive’ business, helping to create more natural resources than we use.” 

In addition to SIG, other well-known companies such as IKEA, H&M, Marks and Spencer, Carillion, Jysk, Mitsubishi Paper Mill, and Fuji Xerox have already signed the Vancouver Declaration. For example, IKEA has committed itself to only use wood from more sustainable sources by 2020 and promote sustainable forest management beyond their own needs to make it an industry norm. The aim of the FSC is to bring companies on board across the entire supply chain.

For more information on the Vancouver Declaration and the responsible use of natural resources, please visit https://ic.fsc.org/en/for-business/business-benefits/vancouver-declaration.