Background

Huahai has been working with WWF-China since 2023 on improving forest management, responsible sourcing and supporting sustainable development in China.

Huahai has held FSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certification since November 2010. The company sources timber from Guangxi and Yunnan, China, supporting more than 57,000 hectares of FSC-certified forests in Yunnan – part of the Greater Mekong region and a WWF ecological priority area.

These forests face pressures such as shifting cultivation and timber theft. As Yunnan is home to Asian elephants, responsible forest management is essential for both wildlife conservation and the livelihoods of local communities. The company has invested in a new factory in Pu’er, Yunnan, generating local economic benefits and creating an important opportunity to advance responsible forest management in the region.

Scope of Work

Through Forests Forward, Huahai is committed to eliminating deforestation and forest degradation, strengthening its wood sourcing policies, and advancing responsible forest management.

Specifically, the company is aiming to:

• Maintain its FSC CoC certification and increase the percentage of FSC-certified products of produced by its the new factory in Pu’er, Yunnan province.

• Maintain its FSC Forest Management certification in Yunnan province.

• Advance responsible forest management in Yunnan province through capacity building of smallholder producers, helping to support local communities and biodiversity conservation.