The wood used for making paper is an excellent resource that can be reproduced through sustainable forest management. When managed and used appropriately, forest resources can contribute to the prevention of global warming (by absorbing and fixing carbon dioxide), the conservation of water resources, and the preservation of biodiversity.
In the management and use of forests, we ensure that we do not participate in deforestation or illegal logging. We maintain and elevate our forest-related environmental values and at the same time we are aware that we must also fulfill our other social responsibilities such as respecting human rights and protecting labor and traditional rights in our forest operations.
Based on this understanding, the Oji Group established its Wood Raw Material Procurement Guidelines as part of the Oji Group Sustainability Action Guidelines for Supply Chains to promote the responsible sourcing of wood raw materials from all wood chips and pulp suppliers who share our commitment to the guidelines.
Furthermore, amidst growing social concerns about human rights issues and deforestation, the Oji Group revised its Wood Raw Material Procurement Guidelines in March 2023 to respond to these social issues.
We also communicate the content of revised guidelines to suppliers around the world by making both Japanese and English language versions and disclosing them on our website.
The Oji Group requires and verifies that all suppliers produce sustainable wood raw materials. We will implement responsible procurement by surveying wood raw materials from all suppliers to ensure traceability and only purchasing materials from properly managed forests. If the source or forest management status of the purchased wood is unknown or the wood does not conform to the following, we will engage in dialogue with the supplier and request improvements. We will not source from suppliers who do not make improvements.
We will also utilize forest certification systems FSC™ or PEFC for verification. We will conduct the survey for imported wood chips on a per-ship basis. Domestic woodchips and pulp, which purchasing volume is smaller, will be surveyed once a year.
The Oji Group also manufactures FSC™ certified products*1 using woodchips that meet the requirements of FSC™, such as FSC™ certified wood and controlled wood*2. Controlled wood must meet five requirements*3 to be used as FSC™ certified products (such as FSC™ Mix label), which overlap with the Oji Group's Wood Raw Material Procurement Guidelines.
Suppliers with FSC™ CoC certification must be audited by a third party, and by utilizing these certification systems it is possible to ensure wood raw material traceability and the proper management at each step of the supply chains. The results of these audits are available for confirmation on the website.
The Oji Group is working to expand the use of recycled paper and aiming for a domestic recycled paper utilization rate of 70% or more under the "Environmental Action Program 2030" from FY 2021. The recycled paper utilization rate in FY 2022 was 67.6%, with the remaining percentage being derived from self-produced pulp or market pulp (fresh pulp) made from wood chips. The Oji Group consumes approximately 3.81 million tons of recovered paper annually, which is equivalent to 24% of the total 15.70 million tons of recovered paper consumed in Japan. The Procurement Department works with individual suppliers and Recovered paper industry associations to promote the stable quality of recovered paper and paper recycling.
Target | Status | Achievement rate | |
---|---|---|---|
Sustainable Forest Management | Forest certificate acquisition rate: 100% | -Japan: 100% -Overseas: 97% |
98% |
Woodchips | -Imported wood chip: 43 suppliers -Domestic wood chip: 275 suppliers |
-Derives from wood materials that conform to FSC™ requirements: 100% confirmed -Traceability verified for the entire amount, involving 684 cases |
100% |
Market pulp | -Imported wood pulp: 16 suppliers -Domestic wood pulp: 6 suppliers |
-Derives from wood materials that conform to FSC™ requirements: 100% confirmed -Traceability verified for the entire amount, involving 718 cases. |
100% |
Domestically recovered paper | Recovered paper: 338 suppliers | -Percentage of recovered paper used: 67.6% -Procurement from registered suppliers: Confirmed to be 100% |
100% |
Under the guidelines for procurement of raw materials, we have established items to check the origin of raw materials, forest management methods, whether there is any illegal logging or mixed input of timber from high conservation value forests, and whether there is any infringement of human rights, among others.
We procure only raw materials from properly managed forests, with a requirement to check for illegal logging, infringement of human rights, and other criteria. Furthermore, we can trace back the origin of wood materials through the entire process from the forest of origin to the chip mill to the pulp and paper mill.
We monitor all suppliers of wood raw materials for compliance violations and disclose the results of our audits. In FY 2023, we procured 4,453 thousand BDT (dry weight tons) of domestic and overseas chips and 146 thousand ADT (wet weight tons) of purchased pulp, and we have received traceability reports (the response rate is 100%) from all suppliers (318 wood chip suppliers / 22 pulp suppliers inside and outside of Japan) to confirm that the procurement is in line with the procurement guidelines for wood raw materials by a third-party organization's audit.
We have representatives in major countries from which it imports wood chips. These representatives inspect shipments, advise suppliers regarding quality, and meet with them. When wood chips are loaded onto a ship, the origins of the raw materials, forest management methods, and other details are confirmed, and a traceability report is prepared. We verify that its suppliers maintain forest certifications, logging licenses, and records of round wood received.
As for domestic wood chips, we have representatives in major cities across Japan who meet with suppliers. The origins of raw materials, forest management methods, and other details are confirmed, and traceability reports are prepared regularly.
If we discover any non-compliance cases with standards such as forest certification or wood raw material procurement guidelines, we will communicate with the supplier and request improvements. We will not source from suppliers who do not make improvements. And we will provide relevant information and best practice examples for such suppliers so that "suppliers are aware of the requirements they must meet and work to comply with certification standards and relevant laws and regulations."
At the Oji Group, we conduct annual visits to our local suppliers to ensure they are adhering to our wood procurement guidelines. During these visits, we verify logging permits, review relevant documents, and inspect the actual logging sites and forests. This monitoring allows us to confirm traceability and maintain compliance. Through these efforts, we also build strong, positive relationships with our suppliers.
CENIBRA procures approx. 15% of its wood materials from small farmers outside from own forests. CENIBRA's long-term partnership with Brazilian farmers allows it to integrate local communities into its forestry operations, creating jobs and income, improving quality of life, and contributing to environmental protection and rural development. It can also reduce land concentration, enable community activities, and create and diversify income-generating opportunities for farmers.
This program brings resources to the municipality, promotes compliance with applicable laws and workers' rights, and strengthens neighborhood and community relations. In 2023, 568 farmers participated in the program through 1,011 contracts. A total of 18,159 hectares of plantations enrolled in the program are verified by CENIBRA as meeting the criteria for FSC™ controlled wood, including no conversion of natural ecosystems and no illegal logging in the past five years.
In March 2018, the Oji Group completed its registration as a Class-1 and Class-2 Registered Wood-Related Business Operator, which is stipulated in the Act on Promoting the Distribution and Use of Legally Harvested Wood (commonly known as the “Clean Wood Law”)*1 that came into force in May 2017. When we procure wood raw materials or biomass fuels in the future, we will verify the legality of the procurement by conducting due diligence to prove the legality*2 by working together with the Japan Paper Association.