Sustainability
COMMITTED TO SUSTAINABILITY
A Long-Term View in Uruguay
Our activities are sustainable by balancing three equally important areas: economic, social and environmental.
For Montes del Plata, sustainability means managing business in a balanced and harmonious manner with the environment and all interested parties. To achieve this, we use the best available techniques and technologies and maintain an open and continuous dialogue with local communities.
Our approach to sustainability includes managing the possible impact of our activities. We conduct programs and actions to enhance the naturally positive aspects of our operations, as well as to mitigate the negative ones.
Local Development and Dialogue
The local communities near our forestry and industrial operations are main stakeholders. In Montes del Plata, we have developed different programs to maximize the opportunities that arise from the company's presence in the field, and we work hard to mitigate possible negative impacts.
The development and improvement in the quality of life of the inhabitants of these communities is an objective in itself. We seek to encourage, support and accompany projects that generate shared value and promote local development through self-management and strengthening of the social mesh.
Programas
Of Good Wood
In our day-to-day, while working in communities in up-country areas, we meet people that inspire us to create Good Wood Stories, which are inspiring stories that rescue values such as commitment, responsibility, and self-management.
Learn moreConservation of biodiversity
Caring for the environment and natural resources is very important for Montes del Plata. Approximately 35% of our land is unforested and used for other purposes including cattle grazing, conservation of native forests and special ecosystems such as palm groves and wetlands.
Some of these lands have been identified as High Value Conservation Areas (HVCA) given their unique historical-cultural and environmental attributes and thus require specific management actions. Scientific studies and monitoring activities, including rehabilitation and conservation of wild fauna and flora, are performed in these areas.
Áreas de conservación
M´Bopicuá Biopark
A contribution to the conservation of biodiversity and history.
M’Bopicuá Biopark is located in an area with great historical and environmental value on the banks of the Uruguay River in the department of Río Negro. With a surface area of 150 hectares, the biopark is comprised of a fauna breeding centre, an autochthonous flora trail and a historical area of high cultural value with the ruins of the “Saladero de M’Bopicuá” meat preservation plant that dates back to the 19th century.
One of M’Bopicuá Biopark’s main objectives is to breed wild fauna, especially endangered autochthonous species, and later introduce them to their natural habitats. Since it was established, several mammal, avian and reptile species have been reproduced and in some cases reintroduced into the wild.
Ethics and Conduct
We manage our business with a commitment to social, environmental and economic responsibility. Ethics and transparency remain the key pillars of our Values, Management Policy, and Code of Conduct. For ethics and transparency purposes, it is extremely important to ensure the integrity of all individuals who work for our company.
Management and Certifications System
From our very beginning in 2009, Montes del Plata has followed the principles and criteria set out by the Forest Stewardship Council® for forest management, which allowed us to win the FSC®’s Responsible Forest Management certification. This seal certifies that we manage our forests in a manner that is beneficial and responsible for society, the environment, and our company, in addition to being profitable.
Additionally, our Chain of Custody certification guarantees that to obtain our pulp we use wood which is harvested from controlled, verifiable, and acceptable sources.
We obtained these certifications after an audit process carried out by independent organizations that conduct an annual follow-up in which they verify that we comply with the principles and criteria.
In 2013, this certification encompassed all of the company's forestry assets. In 2014, we broadened the reach by promoting a certification group for our independent medium and small forest producers to help them comply with FSC®’s Principles and Criteria. By 2016, Montes del Plata had obtained the PEFC ™ certification for all of its forestry operations in implementation with the Uruguayan Sustainable Forest Management Standard UNIT 1152P.
In 2017, our Punta Pereira Industrial Complex obtained ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems, ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems and OHSAS, 18001:2007 Occupational Health and Safety Management System certifications. The latter also certifies our forestry processes.
These standards help us to continuously improve product quality, customer satisfaction, environmental performance, and worker health and safety.
Our Carbon Footprint
Since 2019, we have been measuring our carbon footprint (CF), one of the most prominent environmental indicators in recent years.
This study includes all forestry, logistics, and industrial activities of our operation.
Since 2020, we have had our CF verified by an independent third party, under ISO 14064-1 following the guidelines of this standard and the GHG (Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard). The factors considered in this measurement include:
- The carbon capture of the trees on our forestry estates, which remove and store CO2 from the atmosphere.
- The emissions into the air resulting from our operations.
Since the carbon capture significantly exceeds the emissions, it can be concluded that Montes del Plata has a negative carbon footprint. Despite this, the company aims to work on reducing emissions year by year to continue decreasing them and thus maximize its positive impact.
