Kährs view on forestry

Kährs view on forestry

Forests are vital to life on Earth. They purify the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, prevent erosion, and act as an important buffer against climate change and nourish wildlife biodiversity. Forests also support the lives of local communities and help them to thrive, they provide sources of food, fuel, timber, and many other ecosystem services that we rely upon. Wood is an essential part of Kährs design heritage, the business being set up deep in the heart of a Swedish forest. For several decades, we have put responsible wood sourcing at the heart of our business, using our leading position and size on the flooring market to improve forest management.

Being Forest Conscious

Wood is an excellent material from a design, quality, and climate perspective provided that it comes from responsibly managed forests. As a large user of wood, sourcing from many countries around the world we have a big responsibility to not only expand and drive our agenda but also inspire others to do the same. In 2022, Kährs set a goal that our wood would be from 87% sustainable sourced wood, which includes FSC®-certified, PEFC certified, FSC controlled wood and PEFC controlled sources and include more recycled wood in our products, by 2025.

As part of our plan for the next decade we will develop projects to enhance biodiversity, regenerating resources and drive innovation to use wood in even smarter and more efficient ways. 

Kährs forest agenda focuses on three areas:

1. Make responsible forest management the norm through collaboration, consultation, inspiration, and education

  • Lead projects and collaborate with others to enhance biodiversity.
  • Continue expand and to only use wood from sustainable sources certified by the most credible, global third-party certification systems or through our own due diligence system (follow rules set up by certification process).

2. Support forestry through supporting initiatives to halt deforestation

  • Identify and secure that all raw materials sourced through our supply chain are not contributing to deforestation or the conversion of natural ecosystems. All wood used in Kährs products is sourced from responsibly managed forests which do not contribute to deforestation.
  • Support landowners in Sweden with subsidized plant support for new oak trees when selling wood raw materials to Kährs.
  • Support landowners and other purchasing companies in the way how to raise oak, manage oak and how to cut to length in a way that suits Kährs.

3. Drive innovation to use wood in smarter ways

  • Continue to drive innovation around our wood use to ensure that all material is used efficiently, and that carbon is stored for as long as possible. We will work to design all products from the very beginning to be reused, refurbished, and eventually recycled with an aim to help our customers prolong product life.
  • Continue to drive innovation to use other wood species and diverse our wood portfolio.

Kährs requires all suppliers to source wood that meets our more sustainable sources requirements (Sustainably sourced wood or recycled wood). We enforce strict requirements on all suppliers to ensure that wood which enters Kährs supply chain is responsibly sourced. Kährs supplier code of conduct, outlines critical criteria for suppliers using forestry applicable materials. These materials must, for example:

  • Only come from forests that have been legally harvested.
  • Not come from forestry operations engaged in forest-related social conflicts.
  • Not be harvested in geographically identified intact natural forests (INF) or high conservation value forests unless they are certified as responsibly managed.

Through our comprehensive Due Diligence System, Kährs takes very conscious decisions to secure our supply chain – especially for areas where risks exist. All suppliers must be able to track the origin of the wood used in Kährs products in line with EUTR/EUDR and Lacey Act in US market.

Kährs actively implements multiple safeguards though our Due Diligence System, as a safeguard, we request random and targeted third party audits to verify compliance.

Kährs always strives for long-term cooperation and partnership with our suppliers. We build our business relations on shared values and place high trust in them. However, under no circumstance do we accept wood that does not meet our critical requirements. If we discover irregularities, we take immediate action.

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