JMSYOISLUKERSRCTEIONANGCEHTOEASRF GFSECT Overcoming challenges through transparent cooperation TM In the fall of 2020, JYSK publicly committed to the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) sourcing target, stating that all JYSK products and pack- aging made from wood, cardboard, or paper would be FSC-certified by the end of 2024. As of 1 January 2022, this would already apply to all new products and packaging launched in JYSK (FSC TM N001715). While JYSK has been working with increasing the number of FSC-certified products in the assortment board. Also, packaging has a high turnover rate and represents a considerable part of our impact on both climate and environment,” says Lars Høgh Jensen, Packaging Development Specialist in JYSK. Need for capacity building Since 2020, JYSK has come a long way, but including packaging in the FSC sourcing target has not been without challenges because the sourcing target cov- ers packaging for all JYSK’s products, including the different items that are not made from wood e.g., textile products and duvets. of organisations independently FSC-certified all the way from the certified forest or other responsible sources, up to the point where the product or pack- aging is finished and FSC-labelled. “Based on misunderstandings or insufficient experi- ence with the system and FSC's chain-of-custody, it has been a challenge for some suppliers to secure the right documentation, and in JYSK we are very strict about that. It became clear to us that capacity build- ing, i.e. developing a more in-depth understanding, in our supply chain was necessary,” Lars says. “It was natural to us that our FSC sourcing target should also include packaging, as we are changing more and more packaging from plastic to cardboard.” Lars Høgh Jensen, Packaging Development Specialist in JYSK for many years, packaging was a new focus area in 2020, when the sourcing target was published. “It was natural to us that our FSC sourcing target should also include packaging, as we are changing more and more packaging from plastic to card- “Suppliers, who do not manufacture wooden prod- ucts, are for good reasons not always familiar with the FSC system, as they focus on other raw materials,” Lars explains. FSC's chain-of-custody requires an unbroken chain Transparency benefits all JYSK has been a member of FSC Denmark since 2006. With a long-standing cooperation, it was an obvious choice to reach out to them for support. “We appreciate that JYSK reached out,” says Søren Dürr Grue, Director, FSC Denmark. “This case is a great example of a mutually bene- ficial partnership. At FSC Denmark, we have the knowledge of the system, but it can be difficult for us to know, where in the global supply chains ex- tra support is needed. That insight is exactly what JYSK brings, as they know who we should reach out to and what kind of capacity building is needed,” Søren adds. As a result of the insights from JYSK, FSC Denmark PAGE 70
Photo: FSC Denmark developed a new webinar and a written guide fo- cusing on how to secure the right documentation in relation to packaging. They have already con- ducted two of these webinars, both with a high number of participants. And in JYSK, the positive effect of the webinars has already become visible. “We reached out to our suppliers and encouraged them to attend the webinars. Since then, we have seen great improvements,” Lars says. According to FSC Denmark, the benefits of know ledge-sharing and strong cooperation reach beyond the partnership with JYSK. “FSC cannot change the global supply chains on our own. We can only do so by working together and being open about the challenges,” Søren says and adds that in this case the solution does not only have a positive impact on the product packaging ending up in JYSK’s stores, but on the whole indus- try, as the capacity building reflects on the supply chains of several companies. JYSK has reached the first milestone of the FSC sourcing target, meaning all new products and packaging are FSC-certified. Now, all eyes are on the 2024 target. FSC (The Forest Stewardship Council), is an international non-profit organisation and labelling system for wood and other forest-based materials, which originate from sustainable forestry or other responsible sources. LARS LARSEN GROUP | ANNUAL REPORT 2021/22 | RESPONSIBILITY | PAGE 71