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When it comes to providing supply chain assurances, producing conservation outcomes, and supporting education and community engagement – Forests are the Answer. The 2018 SFI Annual Conference will explore this theme and engage you in a discussion focused on why Forests are the Answer to so many of the most important sustainability challenges we face in the sector and in our communities.
The SFI Annual Conference brings together thought leaders and influencers: forest sector representatives, conservation and community partners, and Indigenous leaders as well as some of the most engaged forest product customers in North America. This year’s conference will discuss topics relevant to national and international initiatives across the forest sector. Come to the 2018 SFI Annual Conference to learn more and engage with the SFI community.
The 2017 SFI Annual Conference by the Numbers
97% of post-conference survey respondents would recommend this conference to a colleague
Between 300 and 500 people attended the SFI Conference and joint sessions held with the Canadian Institute of Forestry
People came from around the world representing 11 countries: United States, Canada, China, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan, Malawi, Netherlands, South Africa, and Switzerland
SFI’s student mentorship program included 28 students from 13 universities and three countries
Highlights from Past SFI Annual Conferences
Below is a video of highlights from the 2017 SFI Annual Conference.
Sonoco has released its 2016-2017 Corporate Responsibility Report. The report, which is available on the Company’s website at www.sonoco.com/sustainability, celebrates Sonoco’s successful projects while reporting on the Company’s significant progress toward long-term sustainability goals. In 2016, Sonoco reduced total water usage by 4.09 percent, total energy usage by 0.52 percent and total greenhouse gas emissions by 3.35 percent (all figures are year over year). Sonoco Recycling recovered the equivalent by weight of 57 percent of the product that Sonoco places into the marketplace. Click Read More below for additional details.
Nature positive has become one of the defining concepts shaping international discussions on biodiversity, climate and sustainable development. The challenge now is implementation: turning ambition into practical action that delivers lasting benefits for both people and nature.
Forests are central to that discussion. They conserve biodiversity, store carbon, regulate water, support livelihoods and provide renewable materials. Nature-positive discussions rightly recognise the importance of protecting forests. They also provide an opportunity to consider how sustainably managed forests can contribute to biodiversity, climate action and resilient communities at the same time. Sustainable forest management provides a practical framework for balancing these objectives in ways that keep forests healthy, resilient and productive.
The Global Nature Positive Summit 2026, taking place in Kumamoto, Japan, from 14–16 July, provides an opportunity to explore exactly these questions.
Building on the sustainability success of paper based packaging and recycling, the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) today released a new tool, The Design Guidance for Recyclability, a data-driven resource to aid packaging designers and brands in the design and manufacture of packaging to meet recyclability goals. The guide provides data on how certain non-fiber elements, such as coatings and additives, impact the recyclability of paper-based packaging. Key findings include: *Non-fiber elements may present a recycling “challenge” when they slow down the mill’s pulping process, plug screening systems or leave residue on finished paper or paperboard. However, innovations in packaging design and materials, as well as improvements in recycling technology, have made these treatments easier to recycle than historically. *Being a “challenge” does not mean “not recyclable.” Each non-fiber element applied to each kind of packaging was rated by some mills as not a “challenge.” The Design Guidance for Recyclability is available for free download at: afandpa.org/sustainability/design-guidance