Swedwood Karelia’s FSC certificate has been suspended. The suspension affects 295,348 hectares in the Russian Karelia region.
FSC’s annual audit report for Swedwood Karelia LLC reveals six Major Corrective Action Requests (CARs) and 11 Minor CARs. Because five Major CARs were still open, the Audit Report led to the immediate suspension of Swedwood Karelia’s Forest Management certification. This suspension affects 295,348 hectares in the Russian Karelia region. The company’s Chain-of-Custody certification is not affected. Swedwood Karelia is a subsidiary of IKEA, the worldwide home furnishing company. FSC welcomes the fact that both Swedwood and IKEA have committed to taking immediate action to correct the CARs. In a statement, Swedwood confirmed its commitment: “We take our responsibility for the forests and the people who work there very seriously and we appreciate that correcting the deviations will improve the way we manage the forest in Karelia. IKEA is committed to responsible forest management and to the principles of the FSC. Our lease in Karelia has been FSC certified since 2006 and we believe that a reinstated FSC certificate will continue to be the best protection for natural values in the logging areas.”