Atlanta, GA—The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is delighted to announce Mercer International as the recipient of the 2024 SFI President’s Award. Mercer is spearheading the advancement of wood technology to redefine the North American construction landscape and is being recognized for its leadership and commitment to educating customers on the value of sustainably managed forests and promoting SFI certification in the supply chain.
Mercer has been integral in ensuring the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) community is informed on SFI’s new standard requirements specific to climate smart forestry, biodiversity conservation, and building relationships with Indigenous Peoples’. As a result of their engagement, more organizations in the AEC community are recognizing the value of using SFI-certified wood for their new construction.
The SFI President’s Award celebrates excellence and exceptional initiative in furthering SFI’s mission of advancing sustainability through forest-focused collaboration.
Pictured left to right: Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI, presents the SFI President’s Award to Lee Rueb, Forest Certification Coordinator at Mercer International, and Nick Milestone, VP of Projects and Construction at Mercer Mass Timber, at the 2024 SFI Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.
“Mercer’s leadership is driving real change when it comes to realizing mass timber market opportunities. They exemplify collaboration in the supply chain to ensure that the building sector understands sustainable procurement policies and the role of SFI certification. I’m thrilled to see how this has led to the inclusion of SFI certification in procurement policies,” said Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI.
Some of the notable successes Mercer has had in encouraging SFI inclusion in supply chains include its strategic partnerships with industry-leading, forward-thinking companies and their work with high-profile mass timber construction projects. SFI certification has emerged as a key competitive advantage, ensuring that their partners and clients not only meet but exceed environmental standards. This commitment to sustainability provides a distinct market edge in an industry increasingly driven by green credentials.
“We are immensely proud to receive the 2024 SFI President’s Award, as it underscores our dedication to leading the advancement of sustainable practices within the construction industry. Our work with SFI not only emphasizes the critical role of certified sustainable materials in modern building but also highlights our commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible forest management. This recognition reaffirms our belief that together, through sustainable innovation and collaboration, we can make a significant impact on both the industry and the planet,” said Bill Adams, Vice President, Sustainability and Innovation at Mercer International.
Mercer’s ability to integrate engineering, manufacturing, and construction teams under one roof ensures smooth project execution and positions the company as a supply chain expert. This expertise means Mercer’s opinion matters when it comes to including SFI-certified products in a project.
About Mercer International
Mercer International Inc. is a global forest products company with operations in Germany, the USA and Canada with a consolidated annual production capacity of 2.1 million tonnes (air-dried metric tonnes, ADMTs) of pulp, 960 million board feet of lumber, 210 thousand cubic meters of cross-laminated timber, 45 thousand cubic meters of glulam, 17 million pallets and 230,000 metric tonnes of biofuels. More information about the company can be found on the website at mercerint.com.
ABOUT SFI
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) advances sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. We are an independent, nonprofit organization that leverages four interconnected pillars of work: standards, conservation, community, and education. SFI works with the forest sector, conservation groups, academics, researchers, brand owners, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments. Collaborating with our network, we leverage SFI-certified forests and products as powerful tools to help solve sustainability challenges such as climate action, conservation of biodiversity, education of future generations, and sustainable economic development.
MEDIA CONTACT
Christine Leduc
VP, Communications and Government Relations
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
613-706-1114
media@forests.org
