Today, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) launched Forests
Forward — a program
that engages with companies and other stakeholders around the globe to deliver
effective, nature-based strategies for forests that help businesses achieve
their sustainability goals.
On the heels of the launch of its Climate Solutions
Partnership
with HSBC and World Resources Institute — aimed at unlocking barriers to
finance for innovators developing climate solutions around the world — WWF will
work with companies participating in Forests Forward to create meaningful,
long-term benefits for nature, climate and people. Participants will also gain a
better understanding of how to mitigate sourcing, climate and social risks while
demonstrating leadership and building resilient supply
chains.
So far, five of the world’s foremost US companies have signed on to Forests
Forward: HP Inc.; International Paper Company;
Kimberly-Clark; Lowe’s
Companies, Inc.; and Williams-Sonoma, Inc; with more than a dozen others,
including major international market actors
IKEA, Mandarin Oriental
Hotel Group and Italian tissue-paper giant Sofidel
S.p.A.
“Over the past few years, we’ve seen a groundswell of ambition from companies
that want to take action for
forests
to deliver on their nature and climate commitments,” said Kerry Cesareo,
WWF’s SVP for forests. “What’s needed is the guidance to pair this ambition with
meaningful actions to reduce companies’ footprints and provide landscape
opportunities grounded in science and respect for local communities. Forests
Forward aims to [give] companies opportunities to scale up action on forests and
confront some of the biggest threats facing our planet today. And these actions
[will] drive real, lasting change that makes a tangible difference in people’s
lives and the health of our natural world.”
The Forests Forward program focuses on three pillars:
-
Landscape opportunities for nature, climate and communities. Forests
Forward provides unique opportunities to support rigorous, nature-based
solutions in critically important forest landscapes around the world to
deliver these benefits. Examples of these landscapes include Brazil’s
Atlantic
Forest;
Sabah, Malaysia; and the southeastern US; among others.
-
Responsible supply chains for the future. WWF helps businesses design
and implement responsible supply chain strategies for companies with
product or packaging sourcing that can impact
forests.
-
Improved forest management. WWF works with companies that manage
forests
to implement strategies that boost those forests’ ability to sustain
biodiversity, benefit global climate and support local communities.
“Forests are more than the trees they contain; and not all forests are created
equal, in terms of the carbon and biodiversity benefits they provide,” says
David Chaffin, Ph.D., Global Responsible Materials Sourcing Lead at
Kimberly-Clark. “As the world faces the twin climate and biodiversity
crises,
we welcome the opportunity to collaborate with WWF and like-minded companies
ready to take leadership action on climate, biodiversity and Indigenous rights
through their forest sourcing practices.”
WWF says Forests Forward is central to its mission to stop deforestation and
forest degradation and protect
biodiversity
while promoting sustainable livelihoods. Other participating companies include a
dozen that operate in critical, forest-producing countries: The ALPI Group,
Bois et Scierie du Gabon, Companie des Bois du Gabon, Gabon Wood
Industry, Gabonaise d’Exploitation de Bois, Interholco, The
Navigator Company, The New Forests Company, Stora Enso Oyj., Suzano
S/A and Veracel.
“Planting trees alone is not enough to meet our Vision 2030 commitments to the
health of forests or climate,” asserts Sophie Beckham, Chief Sustainability
Officer at International Paper. “We’re excited to be a part of Forests Forward
to deepen our understanding and practice of integrating science into our
decision-making and to implement solutions that deliver positive results for
people and the planet.”
Companies interested in joining Forests Forward can contact
[email protected] to learn more.
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Sustainable Brands Staff
Published Jun 10, 2021 2am EDT / 11pm PDT / 7am BST / 8am CEST