Metsä Group to establish its own PEFC certification group in 2026 – lesprom.com

Metsä Group’s Forest Certification Initiative and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

Metsä Group, a major operator in the Finnish forest industry, has announced a strategic initiative to establish its own Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) group by 2026. This move is designed to enhance the integrity of sustainable forest management practices among its bonus members and contract customers. By taking direct responsibility for certification compliance, the company aims to secure a sustainable supply of certified raw materials, thereby making a direct contribution to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Strategic Objectives and Rationale

The decision is driven by a commitment to reinforce sustainable production and supply chain integrity. Key objectives include:

• Enhanced Accountability: To assume direct responsibility for certification compliance, addressing concerns that some actors in the current regional system lack sufficient commitment to PEFC requirements.
• Securing Sustainable Supply Chains: To guarantee a continuous and reliable supply of PEFC-certified wood to its mills, underpinning the principles of responsible production (SDG 12).
• Strengthening Certification Profile: To elevate the credibility and profile of the PEFC system through rigorous, company-led management and oversight.

Direct Contributions to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This initiative significantly aligns with the global sustainability agenda, with clear contributions to the following SDGs:

1. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Promoting Sustainable Forest Management: The core of the initiative is to implement and verify practices that protect forest ecosystems, combat deforestation, and halt biodiversity loss.
   • Ensuring Traceability: Direct management of the certification group enhances traceability and accountability for sustainable practices throughout the wood supply chain.

2. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • Ensuring Sustainable Production Patterns: The program guarantees that wood processed by Metsä Group originates from verifiably sustainable sources, promoting responsible industrial production.
   • Supporting a Circular Economy: By ensuring a steady supply of certified renewable materials, the initiative strengthens the foundation for a sustainable circular economy.

3. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Enhancing Carbon Sinks: Adherence to PEFC standards ensures that forestry practices maintain and improve the health and productivity of forests, which are vital carbon sinks for mitigating climate change.

Implementation and Future Outlook

• Timeline: The new certification group is scheduled for establishment in 2026, with the scheme being actively promoted during wood trading activities in 2025.
• Certification Flexibility: Metsä Group will continue to offer its customers the option to join the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification scheme, maintaining a multi-faceted approach to sustainable forestry verification.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The article’s focus on forest certification and sustainable wood sourcing connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

   • SDG 15: Life on Land: This is the most directly relevant SDG. The article discusses forest certification (PEFC and FSC), which are primary mechanisms for promoting the sustainable management of forests, protecting biodiversity, and ensuring the long-term health of terrestrial ecosystems.
   • SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The article highlights Metsä Group’s effort to “ensure a continued supply of PEFC-certified wood to its mills.” This directly relates to ensuring sustainable production patterns by using raw materials from sustainably managed sources.
   • SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: Forest certification schemes like PEFC and FSC are multi-stakeholder partnerships involving private companies, governments, and civil society. By creating its own PEFC group and continuing to offer FSC options, Metsä Group is actively participating in and strengthening these partnership models for sustainability.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   Based on the SDGs identified, the following specific targets are relevant:

   • Target 15.2: “By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.” Metsä Group’s establishment of a PEFC forest certification group is a direct action to promote and implement sustainable forest management, as it involves taking “direct responsibility for compliance” with sustainability standards.
   • Target 12.2: “By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.” The company’s initiative aims to secure a supply of certified wood, which is a key natural resource. This ensures that the wood used in its mills is sourced from forests managed sustainably, contributing directly to this target.
   • Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.” The article’s mention of both PEFC and FSC certification systems highlights Metsä Group’s engagement with these established private-sector and civil-society partnerships designed to achieve sustainable development goals in the forest industry.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   The article implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress:

   • Indicator for Target 15.2: The most relevant indicator is 15.2.1: Progress towards sustainable forest management. The area of forest certified under schemes like PEFC and FSC is a key component of this indicator. The article’s focus on enabling “bonus members and contract customers to certify their forests” directly contributes to increasing the proportion of forest area under a sustainable management plan.
   • Indicator for Target 12.2: The article implies progress related to 12.2.2: Domestic material consumption. By ensuring its wood supply is PEFC-certified, Metsä Group is addressing the sustainability of its consumption of domestic raw materials (wood from Finnish forests), which is a core aspect of this indicator.
   • Indicator for Target 17.17: While no quantitative indicator is mentioned, the article provides a qualitative indicator: the active participation in and strengthening of multi-stakeholder sustainability frameworks. Metsä Group’s decision to create its own PEFC group to “strengthen the system’s profile” and its continued offering of FSC certification serve as evidence of its commitment to these partnership-based models.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

   SDGs	Targets	Indicators
   SDG 15: Life on Land	Target 15.2: Promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests.	Indicator 15.2.1: Progress towards sustainable forest management (measured by the area of forest under certification like PEFC and FSC).
   SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production	Target 12.2: Achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.	Indicator 12.2.2: Domestic material consumption (specifically, ensuring the sustainability of consumed wood through certification).
   SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals	Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.	Qualitative Indicator: Active participation in and strengthening of multi-stakeholder certification schemes (PEFC and FSC).

Source: lesprom.com