Forestry
All paper-based packaging is made from wood fibres, a natural and renewable raw material.
Smurfit Kappa is committed to zero deforestation and conversion. We recognise the role of forests, fibre-based products and efficient fibre recycling systems in the sustainable use of natural resources and tackling climate change.
The company uses 75% of its fibres from recycled sources and acquires only 25% directly from fresh wood. Strict standards are in place to ensure that all wood supplied to their virgin pulp mills meets the highest ethical standards. Smurfit Kappa Group has developed a consistent approach to their wood supply, either through direct plantation (like in Latin America) or through a network of trusted and certified suppliers (Europe). They prioritize Chain of Custody certification (FSC® or PEFC™) for most of their mills and forest operations, aiming for 100% compliance.
All wood used by Smurfit Kappa Group comes from cultivated forests rather than primary forests. The wood mainly derives from three sources:
Forest thinnings - immature trees extracted from the cultivated forest to enable those remaining to grow to healthy maturity
- Mature tree tops and branches (round wood goes to saw mills)
- Sawmill waste (slabs, chips and dust) - from the construction and timber industry.
- To maximise the efficient use of wood, we use the ‘unused’ material, such as bark, forest remnants or stumps, to generate biogenic heat and electricity in high efficiency biomass boilers. This helps satisfy the energy needs of our virgin pulp mills whilst limiting fossil CO2 emissions.
To maximize the efficient use of wood, the company utilizes 'unused' material such as bark, forest remnants, or stumps to generate biogenic heat and electricity in high-efficiency biomass boilers. This helps meet the energy needs of their virgin pulp mills while limiting fossil CO2 emissions.
Smurfit Kappa Group follows a sustainable sourcing policy that outlines their codes of conduct for all wood products supplies, whether from their own forests or third-party suppliers. This policy is consistently applied across all the countries where they operate, including Colombia, Spain, and France.
Colombia
In Colombia, the company owns 67,000 hectares of forests, with 64% designated as commercial plantations, 31% as protected natural forest, and 5% for infrastructure.
They focus on genetic improvement, phytosanitary protection, and best nursery and sylviculture practices for the pine and eucalyptus species they plant. Their Colombian Forest is certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) management system.
Spain
In Spain, Smurfit Kappa Group operates under a sustainable forest management system certified by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC™). Central Forestal, a dedicated forestry company, manages relationships with forest owners and supplies their mills in Spain while also securing compliance with Smurfit Kappa Group principles. Their chain of custody is certified under both PEFC™ and FSC® systems.
France
In France, the Aquitaine Forest of maritime pine, covering 0.9 million hectares, belongs to private owners. It is managed sustainably and certified under PEFC™ and FSC® Controlled Wood.
Smurfit Kappa Comptoir du Pin, a dedicated forestry company, collaborates with private owners and forest research institutes to improve forest competitiveness in terms of genetics, phytosanitary protection, and harvesting methods. Additionally, they generate heat and electricity from tree stumps since 2010.
FSC and PEFC
Smurfit Kappa Group acknowledges and utilizes the two major international forest certification schemes, namely, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC™).