The EU Deforestation Regulation bans deforestation and degradation trading into or within the EU
As a manufacturer with a long history of embracing high standards of its raw material due diligence programme and sustainability goals in general, West Fraser is introducing additional strategies to comply with the requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) which was published in June 2023 and is set to come into force at the end of 2024.
With the world’s forests being lost at the equivalent rate of 800 football pitches an hour, it is considered to be the second biggest contributor to Climate Change and results in corresponding damage to biodiversity. The EUDR has therefore been established to not only ensure wood comes from legal sources, but to eradicate deforestation and degradation our of global forests. Ultimately, the regulation will help to decouple economic growth from resource consumption, a key target of the EU’s Green Deal.
To date, West Fraser has been working to collate data and undertakings from its supply chain partners, the forest geolocation, species and legal aspects are all considered as part of the risk assessment process, with the wider road map for its journey to full compliance being the subject of regular review. Meeting the requirements of EUDR is an extension of the company’s already well-established due diligence systems and disciplines in line with its forestry policy commitments.
West Fraser’s Group Compliance Manager, Julie Turner, who is leading the EUDR project commented: “We recognise and actively promote the importance of responsible sourcing across our supply chains and can assure our customers that we are engaged with the EUDR requirements to better our planet and reduce our environmental impact”.
The West Fraser range of engineered timber panels products are made from forests grown & harvested specifically for manufacturing purposes, all serving to cut unnecessary consumption of resources. The manufacturer is also committed to further waste reduction in its own processes and utilising renewable energy only from certified sources. Enshrining the EUDR as part of its ESG disciplines will be another waymarker on West Fraser’s journey to Net Zero. For further information on West Fraser’s sourcing and due diligence processes, email responsible.sourcing.eu@westfraser.com
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