APP increases availability of PEFC-certified paper products

Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) can now offer its customers a greater range of Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)-certified products, following the award of Indonesian Forestry Certification Cooperation (IFCC) certification to over 300,000 ha of APP suppliers’ plantations.

The 306,400 ha of IFCC-PEFC certified plantations are operated by two of APP’s suppliers in Riau province, Indonesia - PT Arara Abadi and PT Satria Perkasa Agung. In addition, more than 1,000,000 ha of plantation area are in the final stages of IFCC-PEFC certification, with certification anticipated imminently. This means that APP will be much closer to reaching its Sustainability Roadmap Vision 2020 target of 100% of pulpwood suppliers achieving sustainable forest management certification.

“We have been working hard to help develop the Indonesian national sustainable forest management certification and have helped to ensure that it is fully aligned with globally recognised standards, because we recognise that independent assurance of sustainable forest management is very important for our customers,” said APP Managing Director Sustainability Aida Greenbury.

“Through our work to support the development of the IFCC, its endorsement by the PEFC and the hard work of our suppliers in meeting the IFCC’s international standards, we have achieved this goal.

“This is now the third year of the implementation of our zero deforestation commitment. In combination with this commitment, this certification means buyers from APP can be assured that not only are APP’s products of high quality, but that they are certified, traceable and support sustainable forest management across Indonesia.”

“Today marks the realisation of a lot of hard work and a long-held ambition to secure internationally recognised certification for Indonesia’s forests,” said IFCC Chairman Dradjad H Wibowo. “Our dual ambition of stimulating the Indonesian economy, assisting small holders whilst protecting one of our most valuable resources, our natural forests, will be significantly bolstered by the presence of the PEFC certificate, which is regarded around the globe as a guarantee of responsibly sourced products.”

IFCC was formally endorsed by PEFC in October 2014. As a result, APP suppliers’ IFCC-PEFC certified pulpwood provides a new, local source of PEFC certified material, whereas PEFC certified materials used by APP were previously imported.