Sustainable & Responsible Forestry

We’re committed to sustainable and responsible forestry.

We’re committed to sustainable and responsible forestry while developing the economy and improving living conditions for people living in and around our concessions.

Our forest concessions in the Republic of Congo cover around two million hectares (ha) which are managed by our subsidiary Congolaise Industrielle des Bois (CIB). Around 1.8 million ha are FSC® certified (license numbers). CIB is the longest holder of FSC certification in the Congo Basin.

A quarter of the area of our certified concessions is permanently protected from forest operations, reserved for the communities and as protected areas. In the harvestable areas, we’re committed to strictly apply Reduced Impact Logging techniques and harvest at levels significantly below those permitted by national regulations.

This approach to sustainable forest management is based on a selective harvesting model defined by the natural regeneration capacity of the forest. This means we cut approximately one tree per hectare every 30 years. CIB-Olam is the pioneer in RIL initiatives in the region.

Minimising Road Development

Road development is important to support timber operations but it’s minimised to ensure temporary roads are closed after harvesting. To reduce the impact of temporary access, we’ve developed a digital approach using GPS mapping and customised algorithms to identify the shortest route, protect indigenous trees and minimise damage to young ones. By removing human error, this saves time and fuel, and is expected to reduce total distance of trails built since implementation in 2018 by 113 kilometres.

Protecting Wildlife & Preventing Illegal Hunting

We support eco-guards employed by the government and other organisations to prevent illegal logging and poaching of animals, including large apes and elephants. Partnering with the international NGO, the Wildlife Conservation Society, we conduct sensitisation campaigns to educate employees and communities about the importance of environment protection, and to explain fauna legislation rights. We maintain dedicated areas within our concessions to enable indigenous people to continue traditional subsistence hunting of small game locally, excluding buffer zones around the National Parks.

Fire Prevention & Management

Due to the permanent semi-humid climate, the risk of fire in Congo's forests is low. However some forests in proximity to savannahs may pose a potential risk.  As part of our forest management plans (last reviewed in May 2020), we’ve put in place a fire response and management procedure  to prevent and respond to fire hazards in industrial sites.

Through our continued engagement, we’re raising awareness of fire-risks, and we monitor for incidents of fire with the local communities, which in some instances means the burning for land preparation for subsistence agriculture.

Water, Chemical & Waste Management

Our sustainable management approach includes protecting and managing water quality. Our wastewater treatment plant ensures all water used at our sawmills and facilities meets water quality standards before being discharged. We analyse all water samples at our on-site laboratory, which are regularly independently analysed and verified. We don’t use any hazardous and prohibited chemicals, and we’re committed to minimising the usage of all chemicals across our timber operations.

Our Latest News

Olam Agri – A dependable partner in Cameroon’s Food Security Agenda

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Olam Agri, IFC Loan Set to Strengthen Global Food Security for Over 40 Million People in Emerging Market

Singapore A new loan to Olam Agri, one of the world’s leading agribusinesses, will support the delivery of millions of tons of staple foods to developing countries, potentially feeding over 40 million people at a time of heightened food insecurity around the world. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets, has agreed to provide a loan of up to US$200 million to Olam Agri, the food, feed, and fiber agribusiness subsidiary of Singapore-based Olam Group. The loan will be used to finance the purchase of wheat, maize, and soy from Canada, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, and the United States for delivery to the company’s processing operations and customers in developing countries that rely heavily on imports of these staple foods. These include Bangladesh, Cameroon, Chad, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Thailand, and Turkey. The project is part of IFC’s gl

Home Maker To Home Builder – The Journey Of Women Building Houses In The Republic Of Congo

For 23 women from the village of Pokola, in Republic of Congo, this year's International Women's Day will be remembered as the beginning of an unprecedented journey. They committed themselves towards a livelihood they could never otherwise have imagined – and along the way, educating their husbands, families and future co-workers on equality and empowerment. Launched on March 8, 2021, Project MaC - 'Menagere a Constructrice' or 'Home Maker to Home Builder' allowed women in the north of the Republic of Congo to develop skills for constructing wooden houses, enabling them to secure roles with Congolaise Industrielle des Bois. The success of this project paved the way to launch the second edition on August 8, 2021. It was a moment of rejoicing for CIB, seeing the 23 women from the first edition graduate and welcoming the new batch of 20 women for the second edition. From 1968 until six months ago, forestry, wood and wood products operations were filled mainly by male workers at Congol

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