Sustainability Policy 2021
Established by the Board of Directors for Silvestica Green Forest AB (the “Company”). This policy also applies to the Company’s subsidiary.
Sustainability of Company activities
Business operations, including operations in the Company’s subsidiary, shall at all times be carried out in a sustainable manner in order to avoid any misunderstandings. The Company’s operations shall comply with the requirements and guidelines with routines in place, as stipulated by the applicable Sustainability Policy for SEB (“Corporate Sustainability Policy for the SEB Group”), last revised on 28 April 2020, as well as the forestry industry policy adopted by SEB (“Industry policy for Forest management”), last revised on 18 February 2011.
Ambitions and resources
In our management we strive to:
- achieve high and sustainable financial returns for our investors.
- conserve the biodiversity of the forest.
- carry out forestry activities that do not have a negative environmental impact on forests, rivers and the surrounding environment and which maintain respect for the rights of indigenous peoples and traditions.
This is achieved by:
- certifying forest holdings through the adoption of the forest certification systems, FSC® and PEFC™.
- managing all forest holdings, i.e. including those forest holdings that have not yet adopted the Forest certification systems FSC® and PEFC™, according to the above criteria and guidelines.
- developing cooperation with buyers of forest products to optimise timber revenues, based on FSC® and/or PEFC™ certified forestry management.
- informing investors annually of the development of sustainability issues in forestry, such as environmental issues, social issues and other issues related to society.
- actively promoting the skills development of employees and partners in ecology and the environment.
- demanding that these partners have adopted the forest certification systems when procuring forestry services.
- prioritising environmentally friendly options during procurement and when choosing suppliers and products.
- conducting constructive talks with conservation organisations, government agencies and those affected by our operations.
A more detailed explanation of SEB’s Industry Policy for forest management and its link to the Company
SEB’s Forestry Industry Policy is a basic policy that clarifies the requirements and aspects that companies operating within the forestry industry must follow. The policy does not specify how forestry companies work with these issues in detail, it is up to the companies themselves, i.e. it is the Company’s responsibility to develop routines and guidelines in areas such as:
- how the Company ensures the protection of biodiversity,
- how the Company ensures that the rights and customs of indigenous peoples are respected,
- how the Company ensures compliance with health and safety regulations for workers, as well as other rights,
- how the Company allows other interested parties, such as tourists and the general public to use the forest in a responsible manner,
- how the Company prevents or minimises negative environmental impacts and other negative social effects of forestry operations,
- how the Company is able to conduct forestry operations in an efficient manner, and
- how the Company actively monitors and follows up on the management of the Company’s forests.
SEB indicates clearly that the points listed in its policy are not exhaustive and that the policy may change over time.
To meet the requirements listed in SEB’s policy, the Company shall, among other things:
- comply with the ten principles specified in the UN Global Compact,
- certify forestry activities and the Company’s forests in accordance with FSC® and/or PEFC™ guidelines, and
- develop routines and, where necessary, policies, to ensure that forestry operations are conducted in accordance with the requirements stated in SEB’s forestry policy.
If the routines and documentation necessary for the Company to be able to achieve what is required according to the above mentioned policies are not described in detail in this policy, or any other document adopted by the Board of Directors, please refer to the requirements and procedures in the FSC’s normative framework.
The Board at present is of the opinion that the guidelines presented in the FSC® normative framework clearly indicate that the Company’s operations will comply with the requirements of SEB’s forestry policy. To avoid any misunderstandings, it is the Company’s Board of Directors that is ultimately responsible for sustainability issues. The Board has a mandate to ensure that business operations comply with the procedures and policy documents, including the provisions stipulated by the FSC® and/or PEFC™, so that forestry operations comply with SEB’s current sustainability policy and industry policy. The Board of Directors also has ultimate responsibility to disseminate knowledge of the content of this policy throughout the entire Group and to other interested parties.
More about the FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council)
The FSC® promotes the socially beneficial, environmentally friendly and economically sustainable use of forests through standards and detailed criteria that describe how forestry operations are conducted so as to, among other things:
- protect the rights of indigenous peoples
- protect workers’ rights and benefit the local population providing them with the possibility of a livelihood
- protect the nature and the environment
- strive to achieve long-term and economically sustainable forest management
The Board of Directors, or a person appointed by the Board, has a mandate to provide information and answer questions regarding the FSC®.
This information in Swedish is available as a PDF document here » Silvestica Green Forest AB Hållbarhetspolicy 2021-03-13
This document is valid from the date of adoption by the Board.