In September 2020, Asaleo Care celebrated its tenth anniversary of Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certification at its Kawerau manufacturing facility in New Zealand, marking a significant milestone in the company’s journey to promote responsible forestry. 

Asaleo Care has since maintained its FSC Chain of Custody (COC) certification and extended it to all its manufacturing sites and trading operations across Australasia. The FSC label means that forestry material, including pulp and paper-based inputs, used for the product has been responsibly sourced. 

Forestry-based products, such as pulp, tissue, paper, and timber, represent a triple threat to sustainability. The risk of deforestation directly leads to biodiversity loss and is a major contributor to global carbon emissions, while the industries for forestry and forest products are high risk for modern slavery practices.

Today, more than 100 products across the Tork, Purex and Handee brands produced at Kawerau carry the FSC label.

Pulp is our single largest raw material input, and we recognise that as a significant user of it, we have both a duty and an opportunity to promote responsible sourcing practices to help ensure that the world’s forests are looked after for generations to come. FSC is internationally recognised as the gold standard for sustainable forest management, and it allows our customers to trust that the pulp and paper we use has been legally, responsibly and sustainably sourced.

In FSC-certified forests, illegal logging is prevented, ecosystems, ecologically important areas and wildlife are maintained and protected, the wellbeing of indigenous forest communities is promoted, and importantly, workers' rights and safety are safeguarded.

Over the past ten years, Asaleo Care has continued to grow its association with FSC beyond certification.  In 2013, we became a member of FSC Australia, and in 2014, we were a gold sponsor for FSC Friday, a global celebration to raise awareness of the organisation’s responsible forestry principles and practices. We also sponsored the FSC Future Generations school education program, which aimed to improve children’s understanding of sustainability.

"With FSC Friday fast approaching, it is fitting that we acknowledge and celebrate Asaleo Care's decade long commitment to responsible forestry. Asaleo Care will achieve its 10th year of FSC certification on 14 September.  The commitment Asaleo Care has demonstrated to FSC throughout the last decade has extended well beyond certification, and we congratulate the Asaleo Care team for reaching this key milestone,” said Damian Paull, CEO of FSC Australia.

Our commitment to sustainability extends well beyond our responsible sourcing policies and manufacturing practices. We recognise the impact our business can have on the environment and we want to ensure that these natural resources can be enjoyed by future generations. That’s why we embarked on a multi-year restoration and revegetation project at Tarawera Riverbank, which borders the Kawerau site. The project aims to provide an important habitat for native wildlife and enhance biodiversity, while helping to prevent erosion and improve water quality.