Interview with Alberto Pauletto, Communications Manager of FSC® Italia

From 1990 to today, according to the FAO , approximately 129 million hectares of forests have been lost. To understand what we are talking about, just think of an area equivalent to the whole of South Africa (FAO, The Global Forest Resources Assessment, 2015) .

Alberto Pauletto, Communication Manager of FSC® Italia explains what responsible forest management means and why it is important to obtain FSC® certification .

What does responsible forest management mean?

Forests give us oxygen, water, wood and paper every day. They host 2/3 of the world's biodiversity and are a source of sustenance for 1.6 billion people. The first objective of forest management is therefore to safeguard this heritage, for the benefit of the Planet, ours and future generations.

But forest management also means not abandoning forest areas: an abandoned forest is more exposed to fires and degradation, indiscriminate cutting and other illegal practices. A healthy forest, on the other hand, is a resource for the territory and for communities, and represents a valid ally against climate change.

Starting from international and globally valid principles and criteria of good forest management , FSC® promotes this vision through two main standards:

- the Forest Management Standard , which ensures that a forest or forest plantation is managed in compliance with rigorous environmental, social and economic criteria

- the Chain of Custody standard , which guarantees the traceability of materials from FSC® certified forests and is essential for applying FSC® labels to products.

Why get FSC® certified?

There are many factors that lead forest operators and companies to certify their supply chain according to FSC ® standards :

- the growing demand for green products - consumers are increasingly careful about the purchases they make - consumers want to be informed about the origin of raw materials and the supply chain.

According to the report by the Immagino1 Nielsen GS1 Italy 2019 Observatory ( Oi2019 ) , the sustainable and controlled supply chain is one of the hottest consumer topics and FSC® represents one of the most important certification labels in terms of turnover and products .

Furthermore, many tenders and calls for tenders expressly require the supply of products with ethical certification , and in these cases FSC® represents a rewarding and differentiating element compared to the competition .

Certification is also a tool of legality, which helps to avoid the introduction into the market of material from illegal cuts or those carried out without respecting the environment or local communities. A very important function, if we consider that, today, about 30% of the wood circulating on the market is of illegal or unknown origin.

Finally, there is the corporate social responsibility component ( CSR ) : more and more companies are implementing environmental and social policies aimed at reducing the impacts of production processes, returning value to customers, employees, communities and the environment. From this perspective, FSC® certification, its standards and practices can be concrete and effective tools to help achieve many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations to combat deforestation, social inequalities and climate change.

The FSC® Friday event: why?

FSC® Friday was created in 2008 as an international celebration of responsible forest management . Last year, more than 30 countries and thousands of people, companies, schools, associations around the world celebrated this day, with conferences, debates, recreational activities and awareness-raising on the fundamental role that forests have in our daily lives.

The recent fires in the Amazon, Bolivia, Siberia and Greenland have highlighted the fragility of ecosystems, and how much work remains to be done to protect them and ensure their future. This is why this year's FSC® Friday, which will be celebrated on September 27, takes on an even greater meaning: a moment to make a difference and choose together a world made of more forests for everyone, forever.

This year, through the FSC® Friday website, we have made available a communication kit consisting of posters, web banners and material for social networks, which all users can download for free to let the world know about the importance of forest management. But FSC® Friday can be celebrated every day! How? Starting with small daily choices , and preferring, for example, certified wood and paper products.

Who is Alberto Pauletto? ?

Communications Manager of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Italy since 2015, she is responsible for the press office and the communication channels of the Association. She deals with the development of campaigns aimed at promoting FSC® and its values and sustainable procurement for events.

Friday 5 February 2021, 4:00 pm

If you deal with packaging and want to give a green touch to your products, you can't miss this Free Online Webinar.

On February 5th, Stefano Clavenna, COO of Alkam, together with Alberto Pauletto , Communications Manager of FSC® Italia, will explore the following topics:

1. Introduction to FSC, what it is and how to approach it

2. Market demand

3. Corporate Social Responsibility

The Webinar lasts about 40 minutes, and you can intervene to ask questions live to the speaker and get useful ideas for your packaging.

To register click on the banner below and enter your details in the participation form. See you online!