Policy

It is Weyerhaeuser's Policy to comply with the law and support sustainable forestry practices on lands that we own and in areas where we procure logs, chips, veneer and other wood-based materials as raw materials for our manufacturing facilities (“wood”). We are committed to operate in conformance with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) Fiber Sourcing, Certified Sourcing and Chain-of-Custody and PEFC Chain-of-Custody standards1 when procuring wood.

Expectations

We will:

  • Comply with applicable laws and regulations, including not knowingly purchase illegally taken wood as defined in the Lacey Act.
  • Assess and manage the risk of sourcing wood from controversial sources.
  • Protect water quality by requiring the use of Best Management Practices (BMPs) from suppliers providing wood directly from the forest.
  • Support the conservation of Forests of Exceptional Conservation Value.
  • Work collaboratively across our wood supply areas to support logger education and landowner outreach.
  • Support the independent certification of sustainably managed forests and recognize the principles and objectives of globally accepted forest certification standards.
  • Not harvest or buy logs from old-growth forests2. The only exceptions are forests harvested under provision from state, federal, and/or provincial government agencies; with active support from environmental groups due to a net environmental benefit; with support from tribes and indigenous peoples; or support for public land managers’ efforts to improve forest health.
  • Not purchase wood from major tropical wilderness areas unless the sources have been independently certified or verified as having originated from well managed systems.

Procedures

We have developed detailed procedures for our wood procurement personnel to follow to meet this policy commitment and expectations. These procedures address the objectives and indicators of the Fiber Sourcing, Certified Sourcing, and Chain of Custody standards.

  • Participate in and support the activities of the SFI State Implementation Committees (“SIC”) to promote and implement logger training programs, conduct outreach to private landowners, and effectively implement the principles of the SFI standards.
  • Assess our supply chain against the risk of sourcing wood from controversial sources3 as defined in the SFI and PEFC standards and mitigate identified risk through the implementation of an auditable risk assessment and due diligence system.
  • Require the implementation of BMPs to protect water quality in contracts for the purchase or harvest of wood directly from the forest.
  • Measure the success of our efforts by evaluating BMPs in areas where we procure wood directly from the forest and use that information to maintain conformance with BMPs and identify opportunities for continual improvement4.
  • Maintain programs to support the principles of sustainable forestry, including the promotion and conservation of biodiversity, support and use of forest research, and promotion of sustainable forestry through public outreach and engagement.

Training

Our wood procurement personnel are expected to participate in training on the PEFC and SFI standards and other requirements relevant to their functions. We work to maximize the purchase or harvest of wood from the forest from suppliers that have completed SIC-approved certification or training programs and maintain their certification or training status through continuing education programs.

Audience

This policy applies to all employees.

Consequences

Violation of the Lacey Act and/or the Endangered Species Act can result in civil and criminal penalties for individuals involved and for the company. Individuals may be fined and/or imprisoned as the result of criminal prosecution. In addition, violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Related Resources

Additional information can be found in the following associated policies and standards:

Internal

External

Owners

  • Senior Vice President, Timberlands
  • Senior Vice President, Wood Products

Last Updated

February 16, 2023

1 SFI 2022 Standards and Rules Section 3, 4 5. PEFC ST2002:2020 Chain of Custody of Forest and Tree Based Products.
2 We define old-growth forests as stands that are 1) greater than or equal to fifty (50) acres in size; and 2) have greater than or equal to 50% of the dominant, native tree species (appropriate for site conditions); and 3) are greater than or equal to 200 years of age west of the crest of the Cascade Mountains or 250 years of age east of the crest. This definition primarily focuses on forests found in the western part of the United States and Canada, where residual old-growth forests are more likely to be found. In other parts of the US and Canada, old-growth forests will be defined on a project basis to match location-specific forest types.
3 SFI 2022 Standards and Rules Section 3, 4 5. PEFC ST2002:2020 Chain of Custody of Forest and Tree Based Products.
4 To evaluate BMPs, we give preference to publicly available data from state or regional monitoring programs. Absent a reliable state or regional monitoring program, we will conduct our own monitoring programs to evaluate the effectiveness of BMP requirements and promotional efforts.

 

Related Resources  

Related Guidelines

We encourage the use of certified logging professionals, where available, and qualified resource and logging professionals by those who supply raw material to our manufacturing facilities.

We promote the American Tree Farm System as an effective tool for expanding and certifying sustainable forest management with family forest landowners in the United States and our procurement programs have a preference for Tree Farm-certified raw material sourced from these landowners.