Sodefor

1. Sustainable forestry policy or commitment for all its operations?

2. Sustainability policy or commitment applies to direct and third-party suppliers?

3. High-level position of responsibility for sustainability?

4. Sustainability report published within last two years?

5. Member of multiple industry schemes or other external initiatives to improve forest management or transparency?

6. Activities with government, NGOs or academic institutions to improve the sustainability of forest products?

The company has been engaging with academic and non-governmental organisations to undertake research to improve forest management, and has received support from WWF for forestry, socioeconomic and environmental initiatives.

7. Lists countries and operations?

The company is engaged in timber production in Mai Ndombe Province and Tshopo Province, and timber processing in Nioki and Kinshasa (DRC).

8. Total area of natural forest designated for wood/wood fibre production (ha)?

9. Total area of forest plantation (ha)?

10. Area of plantation/natural forest within outgrower schemes (ha)?

11. Unplanted (areas designated for future development as plantation forest) (ha)?

12. Conservation set-aside and/or HCV area (ha)?

13. Area of Intact Forest Landscape (ha)?

14. Number of Forest Management Units (FMUs)?

15 - The company reports having 15 concessions, but this information is from an undated source.

15. Maps of forest management units (FMUs)?

16. Forest management plans available for all FMUs?

17. Monitoring of forest management plan implementation?

18. Number of company owned pulp and paper mills?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not own pulp or paper mills. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

19. Maps or addresses of company owned pulp and paper mills?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not own pulp or paper mills. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

20. Number of company owned sawmills?

The company states it operates two sawmills, but this information is from an undated source.

21. Maps or addresses of company owned sawmills?

22. Commitment to zero conversion of natural forest?

23. Zero conversion commitment applies to outgrower scheme and independent suppliers?

24. Commitment to minimise the impact of logging roads?

The company states that it undertakes a number of methods to reduce the impact of logging roads, including bypassing steep, swampy, ecological, sensitive areas; respecting a maximum deforestation of 30m for roads, maintaining canopy bridges at least every 5 km, avoiding disturbances to the banks of streams, and closing roads that will not be used until the next rotation.

25. Commitment to protect forest areas from illegal activities?

The company states it aims to prevent illegal hunting and poaching on its concessions. A full commitment to protect forest areas from all illegal activities could not be identified.

26. Evidence of monitoring deforestation?

27. Amount of deforestation recorded?

28. Commitment to biodiversity conservation?

The company states that it conserves biological diversity, water resources, soils, ecosystems and fragile landscapes to maintain the ecological functions and integrity of the forest. The company also states it has a wildlife management program to combat direct and indirect negative impacts of its activities.

29. Commitment to set aside areas for conservation?

The company states that their Forest Management Plans include the identification of conservation series "that guarantee the protections of areas of particular ecological interest, for example rare ecosystems or housing emblematic species". The company's guiding principles include identifying forests with high conservation values and ensuring their conservation or enhancement.

30. Examples of habitat management and/or habitat restoration of set-aside areas?

31. Implementing a landscape-level approach to biodiversity conservation?

Some of the elements of a landscape approach are referenced by the company, such as committing to maintain the ecological functions and integrity of the forest and conserving fragile landscapes.

32. Commitment to protect species of conservation concern, referencing international or national system of species classification?

33. Commitment to sustainably manage the use of non-timber forest products (NTFPs)?

34. Commitment not to use genetically modified organisms?

35. Commitment to only use alien species where impacts can be controlled?

36. Examples of species conservation activities?

The company states it has a wildlife management program to combat negative impacts of its activity.

37. Commitment to conduct High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments?

The company states that it identifies forest with high conservation values and applies the precautionary principle to ensure the conservation or enhancement of the attributes that define such forests, but it does not explicitly state that this applies to all new developments.

38. HCV commitment applies to outgrower scheme and independent suppliers?

39. Commitment to only use licensed High Conservation Value (HCV) assessors accredited by the HCV Resource Network's Assessor Licensing Scheme (ALS)?

40. High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments available?

41. High Conservation Value (HCV) management and monitoring plans available?

42. Commitment to the High Carbon Stock (HCS) Approach?

43. High Carbon Stock (HCS) assessments available?

44. Commitment to conduct social and environmental impact assessments (SEIAs)?

The company states it carries out socio-economic studies and forest inventories during the development of management plans, but there is no explicit mention of this applying to all new concessions.

45. Social and environmental impact assessments (SEIAs) available?

46. Commitment to best management practices for soils and/or peat?

47. Commitment to reduced impact logging?

The company states that it has fully adopted reduced impact logging on all active concessions.

48. Commitment to no planting on peat of any depth?

49. Commitment on peatland planting applies to outgrower scheme and independent suppliers?

50. Landbank or planted area on peat (ha)?

51. Evidence of best management practices for soils and/or peat?

The company states some examples of best management practice for soils. However, it is unclear whether it operates on peat, and therefore partial points have been awarded for this indicator.

52. Commitment to zero burning?

53. Commitment to zero burning applies to outgrower scheme and independent suppliers?

54. Evidence of management and monitoring fires?

55. Details/number of hotspots/fires in FMUs controlled by the company?

56. Time-bound commitment to reduce GHG emissions intensity?

57. Progress towards reducing GHG emission intensity?

58. Report GHG emissions from land use change?

59. Methodology used to calculate GHG emissions?

60. Time-bound commitment to improve water quality?

61. Progress towards commitment on water quality?

62. Protection of natural waterways through buffer zones?

63. Evidence of treatment of pulp and paper mill effluent?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not own pulp or paper mills. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

64. Evidence of sawmill run-off containment and wastewater treatment?

65. Time-bound commitment to improve water use?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not own pulp or paper mills. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

66. Progress towards commitment on water use?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not own pulp or paper mills. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

67. Commitment to eliminate chlorine and chlorine compounds for bleaching?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not own pulp or paper mills. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

68. Evidence of minimising or recycling solid waste produced during sawmilling processes?

69. Commitment to minimise the use of chemicals, including pesticides and chemical fertilisers?

70. No use of World Health Organisation (WHO) Class 1A and 1B pesticides?

71. No use of chemicals listed under the Stockholm Convention and Rotterdam Convention?

72. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach?

73. Chemical usage per ha or list of chemicals used?

74. Commitment to human rights, referencing the UN Declaration of Human Rights or UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights?

75. Commitment to human rights applies to outgrower scheme and independent suppliers?

76. Commitment to respect indigenous and local communities' rights?

The company commits to respect legal and customary rights of indigenous peoples. No equivalent commitment is made for the rights of local communities.

77. Commitment to respect legal and customary property rights?

78. Commitment to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC)?

79. FPIC commitment applies to independent suppliers?

80. Details of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) process available?

81. Details of process for addressing land conflicts available?

82. Commitment to mitigate impacts on food security?

The company states that it has put in place the necessary measures for an adequate supply of protein for its employees.

83. Commitment to provide essential community services and facilities?

84. Commitment to respect all workers' rights?

85. Reference to Fundamental ILO Conventions?

86. Total number of employees?

1500 - Figure is approximate and undated.

87. Percentage or number of temporary employees?

88. Percentage or number of women employees?

89. Commitment to pay minimum wage?

90. Commitment to address occupational health and safety, referencing the ILO Code of Practice on Safety and Health in Forestry Work?

91. Time lost due to work-based injuries?

92. Number of fatalities as a result of work-based accidents?

93. Provision of personal protective equipment and related training?

94. Percentage area (ha) verified as being in legal compliance by a third party?

95. Percentage wood/wood fibre supply verified as being in legal compliance by a third party?

96. Time-bound plan for achieving 100% FSC FM certification of FMUs?

97. Commitment to source only wood/wood fibre that meets FSC Controlled Wood requirements?

98. Percentage area (ha) FSC FM certified?

99. Percentage of wood/wood fibre supply from outgrower scheme and/or independent suppliers that is FSC FM certified?

100. Percentage area (ha) PEFC certified?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not operate in a county with a PEFC-endorsed SFM standard. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

101. Programme to support outgrower scheme smallholders?

102. Percentage of outgrower scheme smallholders involved in programme?

103. Process used to prioritise, assess and/or engage suppliers on compliance with company's policy and/or legal requirements?

104. Suspension or exclusion criteria for suppliers?

105. Percentage of suppliers assessed and/or engaged on compliance with company requirements?

106. Commitment to ethical conduct and prohibition of corruption?

107. Whistleblowing procedure?

108. Own grievance or complaints system?

109. Grievance or complaints system is accessible to internal and external stakeholders?

110. Details of grievances disclosed?