Norwegian forest certification system submitted for assessment

2023 was another year with substantial seedling deliveries from SCA’s seedling operation NorrPlant. During the year, 102.9 million seedlings were delivered, which is almost five million more seedlings compared with 2022. “Our seedlings are of excellent quality and there is a high level of external demand. We now deliver seedlings to almost all of Sweden,” says Thomas Vestman, Head of NorrPlant. Work at SCA’s Bogrundet and Wiftstamon nurseries has progressed well during the year. “We grew 111 million seedlings and of these delivered 102.9 million in 2023, of which approximately 60% to external customers and the rest to SCA’s own forests in Sweden and the Baltic region,” says Thomas. Most of the 102.9 million seedlings delivered were pine seedlings and about one third were spruce seedlings. NorrPlant also delivered a small percentage of contorta pine seedlings and about one million larch seedlings. “Pine dominates land owned by SCA. Deliveries of pine seedlings are also increasing to our external customers,” says Thomas.

The mandate has been designed to address the growing crisis in water and sanitation in many parts of the world by implementing a range of strategies and policies. Through the initiative, Smurfit Kappa will be collaborating with global brands including ABInBev, Danone, Heineken and Unilever to identify, explore and solve water challenges. Smurfit Kappa has long been committed to sustainable water practices and recently reached an ambitious water quality target three years early when it reduced the chemical oxygen demand in its water discharge. The packaging leader has also invested over €60 million in sustainable water treatment technology implementing processes that use less energy. One such treatment transforms water pollutants into biogas which is then reused as fuel in the company’s combined heat and power plants.

Cotton, silk, leather... it is time to move on from these old-fashioned materials, to something better! This evening in Perugia, in the heart of Italy, young designers will be revealing their ideas of our clothing future, and their inspiration? Forests! Our forests have so much to offer us. Yarns from cypress, beech and eucalyptus trees, not to mention cork, are all softer and more breathable than cotton or silk. Fabrics similar to animal skins can instead come from our hardwoods and conifers. Click Read More below for more of the story.