Food and agri business Olam International has announced that it has achieved Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for all of its natural forest concessions in the Republic of Congo.
The milestone follows the certification of its Mimbeli-Ibenga forestry concession, the last of four concessions in the country of Olam’s subsidiary, CIB-Olam, to achieve certified status.
According to Olam, the accreditation brings the total area of natural forest in the Republic of Congo being sustainably and responsibly managed by its subsidiary, to 2.9 million hectares.
The firm says that a quarter of CIB-Olam’s certified concessions is permanently protected and reserved for local communities. Outside of these areas, its subsidiary is committed to reduced impact logging techniques and selective harvesting at levels significantly below those permitted by national regulations.
“We are proud to have achieved this milestone of becoming FSC certified for all of our operations in the Republic of Congo,” said Darshan Raiyani, head of Olam’s Wood Products business.
“Sustainable and responsible forestry has always been central to our approach and this certification underscores our commitment to continue to implement sustainable practices that respect local communities and protect biodiversity in the region.”
Kim Carstensen, managing director at FSC International, added: “As we begin the implementation of our new Global Strategic Plan, CIB-Olam is truly setting the pace for tropical forest certification and is a significant partner to FSC.”
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