Sustainability management is being improved all along the wood supply chain by Stora Enso together with key customers and suppliers.

Stora Enso is working in co-operation with German customer Axel Springer, UK customer Random House Group UK, US customer Time Inc. and a Russian supplier Tikhvinsky KLPKh to improve social responsibility management and transparency in the wood supply chain from Russia. The Tikhvin project has been designed to analyse how corporate social responsibility can best be integrated into wood supply management from the forest to the mill, and further on to the customer.

Russia's importance is growing for Stora Enso, in terms of wood procurement, investments and market potential. The Group’s strategy in wood procurement is to have a strong and active presence in Russia. This gives Stora Enso a unique position to build direct partnerships with harvesting enterprises, in order to work together to achieve common goals.

The Tikhvin project is a good example of such an approach. It focuses on the legality of the wood, working conditions and community involvement, as well as environmental responsibility. The project partners considered these issues to be most critical, due to the rapid rate of developments and the high level of public scrutiny.