Overview
SPC Forest Products, formally known as the Forest Products Working Group, is a special project within the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. Our mission is to bring together thought-leading companies from across the supply chain to convene on pressing sustainability issues related to fiber-based packaging — and to develop tools and resources to help industry set and meet sustainability goals. To do this, we create a space for companies to network, share knowledge, and convene work to improve industry understanding and/or sustainability outcomes.
SPC Forest Products members share the belief that positive change happens when companies work and learn together.
Meeting Approach
SPC Forest Products meets quarterly via Zoom. During these calls we host topical roundtable discussions, member presentations, and guest speakers based on current member interests.
A strength of this format is that SPC Forest Products members can efficiently explore topics together — and submit popular issues for further, more intensive collaborative discussion or work. It’s up to members if they want to join in on the new collaborative — but in either case, they can look forward to consistent discussion on new and important sustainability trends during quarterly SPC Forest Products meetings.
Members are encouraged to join in on discussions, build cross-company relationships and ask questions. Whether you are new to sustainability and forest products, are an expert in your field, or are somewhere in the middle, all SPC members are welcome to join our quarterly meetings!
2021 Meeting Dates: (11AM – 12PM ET)
-May 7th, 2021
-August 6th, 2021
-November 5th, 2021
Why Focus on Forest Products?
Forests cover 31% of the world’s land area and provide critically important ecosystem services. These include regulating, supporting, provisioning, and cultural services — like clean water, carbon storage, and plant and animal habitat, recreational opportunities, jobs, wood, fiber, biofuel, etc. Despite all the benefits they provide, forest ecosystems still face major threats, including:
-Climate Change and Global Warming
-Permanent Forest Conversion (i.e. Deforestation)
-Unsustainable, Unregulated, and/or Illegal Harvesting
By creating a demand for sustainable fiber-based packaging, companies can help to ensure working forests stay forests, that important ecosystem services are protected, and that valuable resources are preserved for current and future generations. As far as a business case goes, responsibly sourced fiber encourages environmentally-sound forestry practices, helps to establish sustainable material flows, and builds trust with customers.
For more information on responsible sourcing, check out the Guide to Verifying Responsible Sourcing (developed by the VRS Collaborative and SPC Forest Products).
