The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) has recognized Domtar with the 2026 SFI Leadership in Conservation Award, honoring the company's conservation partnerships and responsible forest management and fiber sourcing practices throughout North America. The announcement was made at the SFI Annual Conference.
Recognition for Conservation Leadership
Lauren T. Cooper, chief conservation officer at SFI, stated that Domtar exemplifies the kind of leadership shaping the future of conservation in North American forests. She highlighted Domtar's dedication to conservation through partnerships with researchers, field implementation, and regional collaboration, which helps bring SFI's conservation vision to life.
Key Contributions
SFI selected Domtar for its deep and sustained engagement with the SFI Climate Smart Forestry Initiative and contributions to field-level research. Notably, Domtar is a central partner in Silva21, a research program that brings together various stakeholders to enhance the resilience of Canadian forests. Regional leadership and specific conservation projects with other certified organizations related to habitat and biodiversity also influenced the selection.
Étienne Vézina, vice president of forestry and certification at Domtar, emphasized the importance of forest certification to the company. He noted that daily forest management operations are verified through government oversight and certification to independent third-party standards such as SFI's, ensuring they meet certification standards and stay at the forefront of future forestry practices.
SFI Certification Framework
SFI is an independent, globally recognized certification framework that provides Domtar's customers with assurance that the company adheres to rigorous responsible forest management and chain of custody standards. Organizations certified to SFI standards must undergo rigorous third-party audits conducted by accredited, independent certification bodies, ensuring credibility and transparency.
Samuel Bourque, certification manager at Domtar, highlighted that while leadership defines ambitious sustainability goals, real impact occurs in the forests where field teams advance climate-smart practices and protect biodiversity daily. This award recognizes the alignment between commitments and on-the-ground work.
Long-Term Partnership
Since 2004, Domtar and SFI have partnered across forestry operations, certification, sustainability, and innovation. All of Domtar's manufacturing facilities and forest operations are certified to SFI standards, and its owned and managed lands in Canada are also SFI-certified. Domtar is currently the world's largest holder of SFI Forest Management certificates.
Sustainability leadership is a priority for Domtar's owner, Jackson Wijaya, who supports the company's 2030 sustainability strategy. This strategy includes objectives to source 100% of wood and fiber from responsibly managed forests, collaborate with landowners, customers, academia, and non-governmental organizations, and advance critical habitat protection for threatened species.
