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UPM's Tikhvinsky Lespromkhoz passes FSC forest management audit
UPM's Tikhvinsky Lespromkhoz in Russia has successfully passed a FSC forest
management certificate audit for 184,000 hectares of forest leased by the
company. The assessment was carried out by the auditing company SGS Vostok
Limited according to international FSC principles and criteria. The auditor
recommends to FSC's decision making bodies to grant the certificate.
During 2006 in Russia, UPM has focused on developing its logging company ZAO
Tikhvinsky Komplexny Lespromkhoz. Part of the work has been getting its forest
management and wood sourcing practices to fulfil the criteria of the
international forest certification standards. The development areas have been
occupational health and safety as well as accident prevention, environmental
issues, wood procurement, forest management planning, administration and staff
training.
The successful efforts of the Tikhvinsky Lespromkhoz staff have been supported
by several key stakeholders including researchers, authorities and local
stakeholders.
"The certification of our forest management practices in Russia is the first
step towards getting certified products available from UPM's Russian mills. It
also supports our aim of increasing the share of certified wood in our products
across the Group," explains Mr Juri Orlov, General Director of Tikhvinsky
Lespromkhoz on the rationale behind the project.
"The next step in this process will be to apply for the FSC chain of custody for
our Russian forestry and wood sourcing organisation and mills," states Mr Juhani
Hongisto, Director, responsible for UPM forestry and wood sourcing in Russia.
UPM aims at increasing the amount of certified wood in its products and ensuring
credible control of the origin of wood through the whole supply chain from the
forest to the customer. The basis for this is forest certification thus UPM
supports all credible forest certification schemes like FSC and PEFC.
For further information please contact:
Mr Juhani Hongisto, Director, Forestry and Wood Sourcing, Russia, UPM, tel. +358
40 847 6730 or +7 921 920 8470
Ms Päivi Salpakivi-Salomaa, Director, Environmental Forestry Affairs, UPM,
telephone +358 204 162 162 or +358 400 754 748 Source: UPM
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