Why we worked to obtain FSC certification
As shown in the diagram below, two cycles are involved in the creation of paper - the paper cycle, which centers on the recycling of waste paper, and the forest cycle, in which CO2 is fixed in the form of trees. As Mitsubishi Paper Mills produces types of paper where high quality is required, such as coated paper and inkjet printer paper, we were unable to use recycled fiber in the manufacture of many of our products.
For this reason, we sought to include environmental considerations in the forest cycle. Here, it is essential that forests are well managed. That is to say, forest management must take into account the forest ecosystems, and conserve forest resources. To ensure that the forest cycle functions effectively, we obtained FSC certification since 2001.
Biodiversity Conservation and FSC Certification
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plantations in Chile
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FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Certification
The certification system operated by the Forest Stewardship Council is intended to help conserve the world's forests by assessing and certifying responsible forest management from the economic, environmental, and social viewpoints and by awarding the FSC label to timber and forest products resulting from such responsible forest management.
Specifically, to receive the FSC label, organizations must comply with FSC's 10 Principles. With respect to biodiversity, recipients of FSC certification are required to comply with Principle 6, which mandates the protection of rare and endangered species, and Principle 9, which mandates the maintenance of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF), forests with high concentrations of biodiversity values. The system is based on the premise that the production of paper in line with the rules laid down by the FSC will help reduce the adverse impact of human activities on biodiversity.
FSC's 10 Principles
Principle 1: Forest management shall respect all applicable laws and international treaties and comply with all FSC Principles and Criteria.
Principle 2: Long-term tenure and use rights to the land and forest resources shall be clearly defined, documented and legally established.
Principle 3: The legal and customary rights of indigenous peoples shall be recognized and respected.
Principle 4: Forest management operations shall maintain or enhance the long-term social and economic well-being of forest workers and local communities.
Principle 5: Forest management operations shall encourage the efficient use of the forest's multiple products and services to ensure economic viability and environmental and social benefits.
Principle 6: Forest management shall conserve biological diversity and its associated values, water resources, soils, and unique and fragile ecosystems and landscapes.
Principle 7: A management plan shall be written, implemented, and kept up to date.
Principle 8: Monitoring shall be conducted to assess the condition of the forest, yield of forest products, chain of custody, management activities and their impacts.
Principle 9: Management activities in high conservation value forests shall maintain or enhance the attributes that define such forests.
Principle 10: Plantations shall complement the management of, reduce pressures on, and promote the restoration and conservation of natural forests.
Obtaining FSC certification
In 2001 our Hachinohe Mill became the first paper mill in Japan to obtain CoC (Chain-of-Custody) certification, and we began the production of FSC-certified paper. In 2002 we obtained FM (Forest Management) certification for our plantation in Chile (regions VIII and IX), thereby assuring ourselves of a stable source of FSC-certified timber. Subsequently, one after another we obtained CoC certification for our other paper mills in Japan, and expanded the number of our FSC-certified products.
With the obtaining of CoC certification in 2007 by German subsidiary Mitsubishi HiTec Paper Flensburg GmbH, all paper manufacturing facilities in the Mitsubishi Paper Mills Group became FSC-certified. We are currently working to obtain FM certification for our forest holdings within Japan, and have already achieved this for three forests in Aomori, Iwate, and Fukushima prefectures.
FSC-certified Facilities in the Mitsubishi Paper Mills Group
| Forest management | Forestal Tierra Chilena (Chile) | SGS-FM/COC-001162 |
|---|---|---|
| Iwaizumi forest (Japan) | SA-FM/COC-001289 | |
| Shirakawa and Shichinohe forest (Japan) | SA-FM/COC-002322 | |
| Woodchips | Hokuryo Rinsan (Japan) | SA-COC-001501 |
| Paper production | Mitsubishi Paper Mills (Japan) -Head Office -Hachinohe Mill -Takasago Mill -Kyoto Mill -Kitakami HiTec Paper -Process Development Lab. |
SCS-COC-000328 |
| Mitsubishi HiTec Paper Europe GmbH (Germany) Bielefeld Mill |
SGS-COC-002664 | |
| Mitsubishi HiTec Paper Europe GmbH (Germany) Flensburg Mill |
SGS-COC-003270 | |
| Paper converting | Asahi Kankoshi (Japan) | SGS-COC-002681 |
| Ostrichidia (Japan) | SGS-COC-002619 | |
| Sales | Mitsubishi Paper Sales (Japan) | SCS-COC-000424 |
| Diamic (Japan) | SGS-COC-002678 | |
| Pictorico(Japan) | SA-COC-002921 | |
| Mitsubishi Imaging (MPM) (USA) | SW-COC-001431 |
