Why traceability matters

The EU Deforestation Regulation requires traceability of many products back to their forest origin to ensure that their production has not contributed to deforestation or forest degradation.

Forests are vital for our climate and for life on Earth. At Holmen, we will not contribute in any way to deforestation. Holmen has long invested in traceability, and we regenerate the forest so that growth consistently exceeds harvesting. Here’s what you need to know about the origin of paper products from Holmen’s mills in Sweden.

What Swedish law says about forest management

Forest utilisation in Sweden is regulated by law. The country’s first Forestry Act, passed in 1903, is considered the world’s first modern forest legislation. It introduced requirements for reforestation to ensure future forest growth. Forest owners planning to harvest trees must notify or seek permission in advance. This process ensures transparency and allows the public to see where harvesting is planned.

Nature conservation and planning

Learn how Holmen actively works to preserve, enhance and create natural values in the ecological landscape. Holmen uses a variety of digital data sources to plan every action in the forest, working with operational plans, stand data and species composition. The printed guide #1, “EUDR – tracing the origin of paper products”, is produced in a compact format, providing an overview and answering five main questions, including where Holmen’s raw material comes from and the guiding principles for purchasing.

Avoiding deforestation is essential

The Guide #1 also includes an interview with the publishing company Mondadori Group, about their paper choices and the growing consumer interest in the origin of paper. Avoiding deforestation is essential, and the interest is particularly strong among book readers. However, with regulations like the EUDR setting new standards, environmental responsibility is not only a matter of consumer choice, Mondadori emphasises, highlighting the need for businesses and society to engage.

Did you know that:

  • 31% of our planet’s land is covered by forest.
  • 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions each year were caused by deforestation outside of Europe between 1990-2020.
  • You can read more about the administration needed to comply with the EUDR on our webpage EUDR and the origin of board and paper products.