Suzano manages certifications for forestry and industrial operations, corporate processes, commercial operations, and international offices, attesting to responsible social and environmental conduct at all stages of our business. 

We have teams dedicated to this issue, responsible for guiding the company's different areas to act according to the requirements of nationally and internationally recognized certifications.

Our certifications demonstrate Suzano's commitment to operational excellence and enable the continuous improvement of processes and products, benefiting customers, suppliers, employees, society, and the environment. To this end, internal and external audits are carried out annually, which can be hybrid (“on-site” and “remote”) or entirely “on-site”, in line with the guidelines of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the other guidelines established by the regulatory standards.

Recognized worldwide for its responsible actions, Suzano's internal guideline is the continuous expansion of its certified forestry base, aiming to certify its entire scope. The aim is to ensure compliance with the strict Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) standards.

Additionally, we are committed to certifying the company's new industrial operations, including new ventures acquired or new production lines established, according to the FSC and PEFC Chain of Custody standards. In this way, we ensure that all operating units and products belonging to Suzano are part of the chain of custody, maintaining traceability and compliance with international certification standards.

Another important aspect of our commitment to sustainability is auditing third-party companies that provide services to Suzano, such as product processing, storage, distribution, and labeling. These audits aim to ensure that forest certification standards are strictly complied with throughout the production chain, guaranteeing the integrity and transparency of our processes.

Through annual critical analyses, the teams responsible for the certifications identify opportunities for improvement and make decisions in line with Suzano's short-, medium- and long-term vision, focusing on the continuous improvement of operations.
As key indicators and transparency in the area of forest certifications, the following are the main data available at the Sustainability Center:

• Total and percentage of certified area, by type of certification;
• Volume and percentage of own and third-party certified wood, by certification type;
• Percentage of area and wood supply verified by third parties as legally compliant;
• Percentage of products externally certified by agencies;
• Responsible management of our suppliers;
• Total number and percentage of suppliers that have undergone environmental and social assessment;
• Percentage of products with traceable origin of raw materials;
• Small wood suppliers.

Forest Stewardship

Forest stewardship certifications ensure the good use of natural resources and promote engaged and committed human relations. Responsible forest management stems from a solid socio-environmental governance model, which adopts the best sustainability practices and standards, to protect, recover, and promote the sustainable use of ecosystems and generate value for all the stakeholders we interact with, in full compliance with Suzano's strategy and long-term vision.

The company reinforces its commitment to adhering to the principles and criteria of the FSC® and PEFC, demonstrating good conduct by developing forestry products that respect every operational region's environmental, social, and economic aspects

These forest management certification standards establish criteria for the company to draw up and implement a monitoring plan, including indicators and targets to be achieved to relevant environmental, social, and economic aspects. These criteria are checked and evaluated during annual audits, with reports issued. The status of management certifications, such as valid, suspended, terminated, or blocked, is published on the FSC® and  PEFC websites.

Based on ethical and transparent behavior, we fully manage the aspects and possible impacts of our forest management activities and adopt effective measures to eliminate or reduce them when caused by our forestry operations. Furthermore, we have established metrics for mapping these possible impacts and control and monitoring methodologies that contribute to the continuous improvement of our processes.

Forest certification stimulates improvements in biodiversity conservation and the maintenance of ecosystem services, contributing to carbon sequestration, road maintenance, soil protection against erosion improving health and safety conditions at work, and involvement and engagement with local communities. It also facilitates the management of legal and administrative issues related to the origin of wood and derived products.

Suzano establishes communication mechanisms with the most diverse segments of society (stakeholders), keeping them updated on its activities. Among these mechanisms are three dedicated to receiving comments and complaints from its stakeholders. The first is the Stakeholder System (Relacione+), through which we receive, handle, record, and respond to complaints, as well as repair losses and damages arising from the execution of our operational activities. Occurrences and communication with stakeholders impacted by forestry operations are recorded using the Operational Dialogue tool, as are the resolutions and mitigating measures adopted.

The second mechanism is the Ombudsman's Office, which provides an anonymous channel for registering complaints, both for internal and external audiences. Complementing these channels, the company has Suzano Responde, a telephone and e-mail contact that allows complaints and questions from interested parties to be registered.

Chain of Custody

Our products (pulp, Eucafluff, MFC, paper and tissue/consumer goods) are covered by FSC® and PEFC chain of custody certifications, guaranteeing the responsible origin of 100% of the wood and transparency and good practices in the production process. For our products produced in the United States (paper), we also have SFI® certification.

Chain of custody certification attests to the traceability of forestry products, from the production of the raw material to the product that reaches the end consumer, including labor, health, and safety requirements. 

Suzano is committed to implementing and maintaining chain of custody requirements following internationally recognized norms and standards. To this end, it has a traceability program with trained professionals, computerized systems, and checks by internal and external third-party audits.

The commitment to standards, laws and certifications is set out in the Wood Supply Policy, which establishes criteria for the acquisition of land and wood in line with:

• Brazilian Forest Code;
• Criteria of the FSC® Membership Policy;
• FSC®, PEFC and SFI® forest management and chain of custody standards;
• FSC® controlled wood, PEFC controlled sources, and SFI® Fiber Sourcing Program;
• European Timber Regulation (EUTR);
• United Kingdom Timber Regulation (UKTR); 
• Lacey Act (EUA);
• Australian Illegal Logging Prohibition Act;
• Fundamental principles of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

Industrial operations

Industrial certifications demonstrate the use of best practices in process management at plants, guaranteeing customer satisfaction, continuous improvement in operations, environmental protection, and the occupational health and safety of employees in a balanced manner.

Suzano maintains integrated certifications (ABNT NBR ISO 9001:2015 | ISO 14001:2015 | ISO 45001:2018) at its industrial plants, port terminals, corporate offices, and international offices. It is worth highlighting the commitments made with the NBR 15755 Reciclato certification and the SMETA and EcoVadis protocols.