Canadian Biomass Magazine

BC logger commits to carbon neutrality over 10 years

October 11, 2018
By TimberWest

Oct. 11, 2018 - TimberWest has announced that it is committed to pursuing carbon neutrality over the next 10 years and has taken the first significant step in the process by measuring a total carbon footprint going beyond just its operations to incorporate supply chain energy use, forest carbon and its distribution network.


Working with KPMG as an advisor and PwC and the Carbon Trust as independent verifiers, TimberWest conducted a carbon accounting of its owned forest assets and activities starting with the organic matter on the forest floor, to the trees and resultant wood products, including TimberWest’s associated operational activities. This approach is believed to be a first-of-its-kind for a forest company to understand its end-to-end impact with respect to climate change.

“Working forests are a renewable resource and a potential positive contributor to addressing climate change. This end-to-end approach to understanding our carbon footprint is a key step in determining how we can be part of the solution to climate change through sustainable forest management and informed decisions across our supply chain,” said Jeff Zweig, TimberWest’s CEO. “This data sets an important benchmark from which we will measure our progress towards carbon neutrality over the next decade.”

“Using our forest industry and greenhouse gas verification expertise, PwC performed a limited assurance verification over the results of TimberWest’s voluntary carbon footprint assessment using the ISAE 3410 standard to guide our work. We also incorporated the ISO 14065 Standard for Greenhouse Gas Verification and the Canadian Forest Service carbon model, as well as other well-established forest estate and product carbon modelling techniques,” said Mike Harris, PwC Canada, Partner, Risk Assurance Services. “PwC is proud to have participated in this progressive verification assignment for TimberWest.”

Hugh Jones, Managing Director – Business Services at the Carbon Trust said: “Good measurement is the crucial first step to effective management. TimberWest is the first forest company we have provided with an organisational certification that goes beyond just the carbon footprint from its own operations, by also looking at the emissions associated with its supply chain energy use, the distribution of products to customers and long term carbon storage. By better understanding and communicating how it impacts the climate, both negatively through its own greenhouse gas emissions and positively through sustainably-managed forests, the company will be able to play an important role in building a sustainable, low carbon future.”

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