Metsä Board benefits from its unique internal wood value chain. Metsä Board’s wood procurement is managed by Metsä Group's Wood supply and forest services, and all the pulp used for our paperboard production is manufactured in our own BCTMP (bleached chemi-thermomechanical pulp) and pulp mills or in the pulp mills of our associated company Metsä Fibre. Self-sufficiency in pulp and full control of the chemicals used in the production secure the supply of fibre and guarantees consistent high quality and an unbroken product safety chain.
Approximately 90% of our wood raw material comes from Finland and Sweden, and the rest from other Northern European countries, primarily the Baltic countries. We use only spruce, pine, birch and aspen, which occur naturally in these countries.
92% of the wood we use originate from certified forest sources
For our customers to be able to purchase certified paperboard or pulp and to use globally recognised forest certification labels on the packages, both the forest management and the wood supply chain, i.e. the chain of custody, must be certified.
Most of the wood we use, 92% in 2024, originates from certified forest sources. We also require that any non-certified wood we use is of sustainable origin and always meets at least the criteria for PEFC Controlled Sources and FSC® Controlled Wood.
Forest management certifications define strict criteria for the ecological, social and economic sustainability of forest management. The certification also requires that third parties regularly audit the certified forest areas and implemented measures.
The wood used has full traceability
All parties involved in the processing of wood and pulp in Metsä Board’s value chain comply with the requirements of the PEFC or FSC chain of custody, which means that all the wood fibre we use is traceable.
Compliance with PEFC and FSC chain of custody aims to ensure that the wood we use is not harvested in violation of traditional and civil rights nor from forests with high conservation value. Chain of custody standards also prohibit the use of genetically modified trees. Metsä Board’s chain of custody system is evaluated annually as part of Metsä Group’s internal and third-party external audits. These audits monitor the operations of the wood suppliers and harvesting contractors as well as the traceability of the wood fibre within our own processes. Our licence codes are PEFC/02-31-92 and FSC®-C001580.
Metsä Board fulfils the obligations of the European Union Timber Regulation (EU 995/2010), the UK Timber Regulation and the US Lacey Act, all of which prohibit the marketing of illegally harvested timber and timber products. During 2024, Metsä Group has updated its due diligence system to meet the requirements of the EU’s Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR).