Vancouver, British Columbia – Western Forest Products Inc. has announced the release of its 2020 Sustainability Report detailing the progress and commitment to our key sustainability initiatives.
This includes the completion of our first full lifecycle carbon accounting, which confirmed the positive role Western’s sustainable forest management practices and wood products have in fighting against climate change. “Sustainability is ingrained in Western’s vision and values and I am tremendously proud of the progress we have made to confirm the positive impact our business makes,” said Don Demens, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our sustainable forest management practices and the wood products we manufacture play a key role in reducing global greenhouse gases. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the importance of nurturing and building positive relationships with our people, First Nations, customers, communities and other stakeholders.”
Key highlights of our 2020 Sustainability Report: Climate Change:
- 14.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent was removed from the atmosphere through Western’s activities, including the sustainable management of forests in our care, during 2018 and 2019 – equal to removing 1.54 million cars from the road per year
- 1.4 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent is stored in the forests managed by Western Environmental Stewardship:
- 100% of our managed tenures are third party certified
- 100% of identified wildlife features were retained in 2020 • 27% increase in big trees conserved compared to 2019
- Over 3 trees were replanted for every 1 tree harvested in 2020 Health & Safety:
- 23% reduction in our Medical Incident Rate compared to 2019
- Zero work-related COVID-19 transmissions in our operations Our People:
- Additional employee support and flexible working arrangements for eligible employees during COVID-19
- 38% of our Board of Directors and Executive Officers are women, well above industry averages Indigenous Relationships:
- Advanced our mutually beneficially partnerships with First Nations, including furthering our relationship with the Huu-ay-aht First Nations in our TFL 44 Limited Partnership
- 29 active agreements with First Nations or First Nations associations Community:
- Over $500,000 in community investments during 2020
- Donated properties to support the construction of the Community Unity Trail, a 25-kilometre multi-use trail between Tahsis and Zeballos on Vancouver Island Sustainability is a key strategic priority for Western and is supported throughout the organization, from the Board to executive management, to our employees.
Our 2020 Sustainability Report continues to demonstrate Western’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement on our most material sustainability topics. Western plans to build on the progress made in 2020 and continue to enhance and evolve our sustainable practices and disclosure.
Our 2020 Sustainability Report is available on our website at www.westernforest.com/responsibility