{"id":65211,"date":"2025-11-06T20:39:22","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T19:39:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/sweden\/?p=65211"},"modified":"2025-11-06T20:39:25","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T19:39:25","slug":"nestle-drops-forest-giant-sca-as-supplier-over-sustainability-and-indigenous-rights-concerns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/sweden\/pressmeddelanden\/skog\/nestle-drops-forest-giant-sca-as-supplier-over-sustainability-and-indigenous-rights-concerns\/","title":{"rendered":"Nestl\u00e9 drops forest giant SCA as supplier over sustainability and indigenous rights concerns"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The world’s largest food and beverage company, Nestl\u00e9, has \u201cdecided to cease sourcing virgin fibre from suppliers involved in controversy in Northern Sweden\u201d. This effectively means that Nestl\u00e9 is cutting ties with Swedish forest giant SCA, which has long faced criticism for its negative impact on biodiversity climate and its failure to respect indigenous rights.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Aerial view of a placard with the text ”Forest SCAndal” and severe damage caused by forestry machinery, seen from above on a SCA clearcut in the north of Sweden. Christian \u00c5slund \/ Greenpeace<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Nestl\u00e9 has been sourcing cardboard from Europe\u2019s largest private forest owner SCA for many years. At the same time, SCA has been strongly criticized by environmental and Indigenous organizations with reports and testimonies about  systematic logging of forests with conservation values and destroying important reindeer grazing lands for the Indigenous S\u00e1mi.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cSweden has very weak environmental regulations when it comes to forestry and a government that is pursuing policies very hostile to nature conservation. Combined with deeply flawed forest certifications like FSC and PEFC, Nestl\u00e9 is right to identify northern Sweden as a hazardous market when it comes to trading with forest products\u201d, <\/em>says Daniel Rutschman, international campaign leader at Protect the Forest Sweden.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Protect the Forest and Greenpeace in Sweden have campaigned against SCA\u2019s unsustainable forestry for years. In September 2024, the two NGOs together with S\u00e1mi reindeer herders, took Nestl\u00e9 and other companies on a field trip to SCA forests. Shortly after, Nestl\u00e9 announced it were considering reducing sourcing from northern Sweden. Following a petition<\/a> launched on October 27th, 2025, Nestl\u00e9 announced it would completely phase out virgin fibre linked to controversial forestry in the region. <\/p>\n\n

An update on its website stated:<\/strong> \u201cFor several years, we have been working on addressing risks regarding land use, biodiversity and indigenous\u2019 communities rights in this region. As a result of this work, and our high standards, we have reconsidered our business relationships with suppliers involved in sourcing controversies. We have decided to cease sourcing virgin fibre from suppliers involved in controversy in Northern Sweden.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n

\u201cNestl\u00e9 has taken an important step in the right direction by cleaning out products originating from SCA\u2019s unsustainable forestry from its supply chain in Sweden. Now we hope that the packaging and paper giant DS Smith and the hygiene and tissue giant Essity will follow. People don’t want products made from the destruction of natural forests or in violation of indigenous rights and<\/em> Nestl\u00e9’s decision to stop buying from SCA is a clear signal that companies buying forest products from Sweden understand this\u201d<\/em>, says Karolina Carlsson, forest campaigner at Greenpeace in Sweden<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

Sweden harbours an important part of the EU’s natural forest heritage, but Sweden does not meet national and international environmental forest targets. The unprotected natural forests with high conservation values in Sweden are critical to maintain biodiversity, protect ecosystem functions and services, and contribute to climate change mitigation. Sweden\u2019s old-growth and continuity forests \u2013 some of Europe\u2019s last unprotected natural forest ecosystems \u2013 are disappearing one by one. Every year tens of thousands of hectares of such forests are notified for clear-cutting.<\/p>\n\n

”Companies that are still sourcing from Swedish forests are complicit in this scandal, and<\/em> the urgency should not be underestimated. With today’s rapid logging rate, estimates made by researchers, authorities and experts indicate that most of the remaining continuity forests and old forests with conservation values, outside nature conservation areas, will be lost within a few decades\u201d<\/em>, says Daniel Rutschman, international campaign leader at Protect the Forest Sweden<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

Contact info:<\/strong>
Daniel Rutschman<\/strong>, international campaign leader at Protect the Forest Sweden
daniel.rutschman@skyddaskogen.se<\/a>, +46(0) 76-112 88 26
Karolina Carlsson<\/strong>, Forest campaigner, Greenpeace in Sweden
karolina.carlsson@greenpeace.org<\/a>, +46 (0) 73-986 50 96<\/p>\n\n

Press images from SCA logging<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Read more:<\/strong>
Greenpeace Sweden and Protect the Forest petition (2025): Stop the Swedish Forest SCAndal<\/a>
Instagram post \u201cForest SCAndal\u201d w Greta Thunberg (2025): [link<\/a>]
Greenpeace Nordic report (2024): Killed by Cardboard<\/a>
Protect the Forest report (2024): SCA-files – 500 single mistakes<\/a>Instagram post after our Nestl\u00e9 field-trip (2024): [link<\/a>]
Greenpeace Nordic\/Renskog report (2025): The battle for the reindeer forests<\/a> (Kampen om renskogarna)<\/p>\n\n

Official statements from Nestl\u00e9:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

In October 2025, the following additions and changes were published on Nestl\u00e9\u2019s site:<\/p>\n\n

Nestl\u00e9\u2019s position on paper sourcing from Northern Sweden <\/strong>(new statement October 31st 2025)https:\/\/www.nestle.com\/ask-nestle\/sustainable-sourcing\/answers\/paper-virgin-fibre-northern-sweden<\/a><\/p>\n\n

\u201cWe have decided to cease <\/strong>sourcing virgin fibre from suppliers involved in controversy in Northern Sweden.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Nestl\u00e9 – Pulp and paper sourcing <\/strong>(changed statement underlined)<\/strong>
https:\/\/www.nestle.com\/sustainability\/responsible-sourcing\/pulp-paper<\/a>

\u201cActions in connection with biodiversity hotspots<\/strong>
We are taking actions, including significantly decreasing our sourcing demand from the Swedish Northern Boreal region. […] We have identified this region as a biodiversity hotspot and is expected to benefit from higher conservation efforts and social\/land rights considerations.\u201d<\/em>

(Previous statement: \u201cWe are taking actions, including exploring the decrease of our sourcing demand from the Swedish Northern Boreal region.\u201d)<\/em><\/p>\n\n

Nestl\u00e9\u2019s supply chain disclosure<\/strong> (added statement October 31st 2025 underlined)
https:\/\/www.nestle.com\/sites\/default\/files\/2025-10\/responsible-sourcing-disclosure-pulp-paper.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n

In Nestl\u00e9\u2019s list of paper and pulp suppliers<\/a>, the company singles out the Obbola mill, run by SCA. On October 31st 2025, the following additions and changes were published on Nestl\u00e9\u2019s site:<\/p>\n\n

\u201cThe mill associated with the company indicated with asterisks (**) is part of our supply chain mapping. In 2025, we have requested a significant decrease in volumes from this mill. This decrease is under implementation and the situation is closely monitored.\u201d
<\/em>
(**) applies only to SCA\u2019s pulp mill in Obbola.<\/p>\n\n

Nestl\u00e9’s previous supply chain disclosure<\/a> (downloaded October 25th 2025)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

About SCA<\/strong>
SCA is Europe\u2019s largest private forest owner and a major supplier of pulp and paper products on the global market. The European market accounts for about 60% of the company’s total sales.<\/p>\n\n

More on Swedish forests:<\/strong>
www.swedishforestvision.org<\/a>
www.moreofeverything-film.com<\/a>
Forest Monitor report 2025<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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