Sustainability: from buzzword to a global mindset
By Ms Louise van Wyk – Area Environmental Manager, Sappi Forests and Chairperson of FSA’s Environmental Management Committee
An article by Ms Louise van Wyk – Area Environmental Manager, Sappi Forests and Chairperson of FSA’s Environmental Management Committee To find the most sustainable solutions we need to consider the components of sustainability, evaluating whether a management practice and decisions are environmentally sustainable, socially sustainable, and economically sustainable. Striking the correct balance here is critical for sustainability to be viable, especially in the long term. The challenge we face is that sustainability is a forever moving target as conditions change, mindsets shift and global economies fluctuate. It is why collaboration at a local, national, and international level, is so critical and only going to become more so in the future.
The international Sustainable Development Goals otherwise known as SDGs are a great guide. Not only do they provide an international language for countries and continents to compare their efforts; they provide clear objectives for individuals, companies, countries, regions and even continents. As a Sector, I believe the SDGs offer us an opportunity to present measurable examples of how the SA Forestry Sector is contributing to national and international sustainability targets. By doing this we will be raising awareness about the positive contribution forestry is making and hopefully in the process, crush a few of the myths that surround forestry. It also offers an opportunity to report on how, as a sector, we are contributing to these targets which have the potential to create investment opportunities, especially as we move towards a “green-economy”.
When we look at forestry in the context of SDGs, in many ways we have already been prepared thanks to our long history of certification. Many of the day-to-day management practices we already implement stand us in good stead to positively contribute to the SDGs. It also means that as we have been actively striving to reduce our environmental footprint, while elevating social benefits and productivity for the past two decades, we have already developed the research networks and capacity needed to drive it. As an industry we are already financially committed to research and development spending and open to innovations and technology to improve sustainability. The foundations for this were laid down through our commitment to forest certification processes providing a strong base from which we can produce and align our performance indicators – be it environmental, social or economic – to the SDGs.
Moving forward, it is all about collaboration and communication. We have the groundwork in place, we now need to elevate this by looking at forestry’s contribution to SDGs and its impacts and benefits at a landscape level and understand how these fit into South Africa’s SDG commitments and its vision of the sustainable use of natural resources. It is about understanding everything is interconnected; therefore, you cannot look at one in isolation. What we do in our plantations will impact other resource users, likewise, their practices and the regulations put in place to manage the use of natural resources will impact us. If we are going to succeed and achieve the vision of sustainability we are striving for, we need to work together to form lasting and effective partnerships. The Public Private Growth Initiative (PPGI) that involves an array of government departments has shown this is possible, so to has our environmental stewardship programmes with NGOs and collaborative research programmes. It is possible and the key to it all will be how we communicate the sustainable nature of forestry. Going forward more emphasis must be placed on transparent and honest communication, which shows we understand the impact forestry has and how we are working on lessening it. It is about building trust, something that will be essential if we are to work collaboratively in the future.
Moving forward, it is all about collaboration and communication. We have the groundwork in place, we now need to elevate this by looking at forestry’s contribution to SDGs and its impacts and benefits at a landscape level and understand how these fit into South Africa’s SDG commitments and its vision of the sustainable use of natural resources. It is about understanding everything is interconnected; therefore, you cannot look at one in isolation. What we do in our plantations will impact other resource users, likewise, their practices and the regulations put in place to manage the use of natural resources will impact us. If we are going to succeed and achieve the vision of sustainability we are striving for, we need to work together to form lasting and effective partnerships. The Public Private Growth Initiative (PPGI) that involves an array of government departments has shown this is possible, so to has our environmental stewardship programmes with NGOs and collaborative research programmes. It is possible and the key to it all will be how we communicate the sustainable nature of forestry. Going forward more emphasis must be placed on transparent and honest communication, which shows we understand the impact forestry has and how we are working on lessening it. It is about building trust, something that will be essential if we are to work collaboratively in the future.
The world is changing, as globally we strive to be more sustainable in the face of mounting environmental challenges. Issues like climate change and pollution have made us reassess the way we live, work and do business, also opening our eyes to the potential of natural, renewable and sustainable resources. Working for an industry that is deeply rooted in all three, is a very exciting time. Sustainable forestry has so much potential, we know it and now it is time those outside the industry get to know it too.
In the future, I believe sustainability will be intrinsically woven into all that we do, to the extent that we no longer see it as a driver or the ultimate objective, but rather as a way of life.
Meet Ms Louise van Wyk – Area Environmental Manager, Sappi Forests and Chairperson of FSA’s Environmental Management Committee
Louise spent the first half of her career as an ecologist and environmental consultant, where she had the great opportunity of spending time in Africa’s natural forests. This led to her interest in commercial forests, created to sustainably supply wood products without resulting in the depletion of natural forests. As an Environmental Manager at Sappi Forests, she has spent the second part of her career spearheading sustainable forest management in the Mpumalanga Province through the application of certification principles, industry best practice, environmental legal requirements, and environmental monitoring. During Louise’s forestry journey, she was recently voted into the chair position of the Forestry South Africa (FSA) Environmental Management Committee (EMC) where she now has the opportunity to make a difference on an industry level.