A landmark initiative to bolster Thailand’s rich biodiversity and critical forest ecosystems has been unveiled, as SIG, a leading solutions provider of packaging, partners with WWF-Switzerland and WWF-Thailand. This third joint conservation endeavor under WWF’s Forests Forward program is set to protect and enhance connectivity across 60,000 hectares of key forest landscapes in Thailand, marking a significant step towards a regenerative future.
The project will focus its efforts on three ecologically critical regions: the Dawna Tenasserim, the Lower Songkhram, and the Dong Phayayen landscapes. These areas form part of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, globally recognized as one of the most biologically rich yet threatened regions on Earth. These forests are crucial habitats for an extraordinary array of species, many of which are endangered, including clouded leopards, tigers, Asian elephants, and a multitude of orchid species. However, the persistent threats of deforestation and habitat fragmentation pose a severe risk to this invaluable natural heritage.
Mr. Vatcharapong Ungsrisawasdi, Country Manager at SIG Thailand, articulated the vision behind this collaboration: “Our partnership with WWF Switzerland has provided SIG with significant opportunities to positively impact forests and the communities that rely on them worldwide. In this third project, our goal is to protect and connect key forest landscapes in Thailand, a region known for its rich biodiversity. This initiative demonstrates our commitment to responsible forestry and aligns with our broader goal of a regenerative future to ensure that growth helps people and the planet to thrive.”
The critical importance of forests cannot be overstated. They play an indispensable role in supporting all life on Earth and are fundamental to SIG’s business operations, providing the essential wood fibers needed for producing paperboard for SIG carton packs. Recognizing this, the company underscores that strong, collective private-sector action is paramount to halting and reversing the alarming trends of forest loss and degradation globally. SIG has been a proactive participant in WWF’s Forests Forward program, a signature initiative designed to galvanize corporate action for the benefit of nature, climate, and people.
Through this program, companies commit to ambitious targets concerning responsible sourcing, sustainable forest management, and direct investment in vital forest landscapes. Reinforcing its commitment, SIG has exclusively sourced FSCTM certified paperboard since 2021, adhering to high standards for responsible forest management practices that support both biodiversity and local communities. This new venture in Thailand is a strategic component of SIG’s broader environmental pledge to create, restore, protect, or improve the management of an additional 650,000 hectares of thriving forest by the year 2030. This ambitious target reflects a deep-seated understanding of the interconnectedness of ecological health and sustainable business practices.
The newly launched Thai forest project is structured around three core objectives, each designed to address critical aspects of conservation and community well-being. Firstly, it aims at securing corridors essential to forest ecosystem connectivity and integrity. These corridors are vital for wildlife movement, genetic exchange, and the overall resilience of forest ecosystems. Secondly, the project will focus on strengthening existing conservation lands and actively supporting the designation of new protected areas.
This involves working closely with governmental bodies and local stakeholders to ensure long-term protection for these invaluable habitats. Thirdly, and crucially, the initiative is committed to fully engaging communities in conservation design, implementation, and monitoring, while simultaneously providing alternative livelihood opportunities. This holistic approach recognizes that sustainable conservation is intrinsically linked to the well-being and active participation of local populations.
A comprehensive suite of activities will be undertaken to achieve these objectives. These include reconnecting fragmented forest complexes to create favorable conditions for the return and proliferation of apex predators like big cats, thereby restoring ecological balance. Specific efforts will be made to improve habitat connectivity to aid the natural dispersal of elephants in areas such as Khao Yai National Park.
The project also encompasses the restoration of riparian forests, which are critical for water quality and aquatic biodiversity. Furthermore, significant resources will be dedicated to the formal designation of new protected areas, securing land use rights for local communities to empower them as stewards of their environment, and promoting sustainable economic activities such as agroforestry and ecotourism. These alternative livelihood options are designed to reduce pressure on forest resources while enhancing local economies.
Mr. Rattaphon Pitakthepsombat, Deputy Conservation Director at WWF-Thailand, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration: “Our partnership with SIG is giving WWF-Thailand the opportunity to scale up our on-the-ground protection and restoration work in three of Thailand’s globally significant forest landscapes. This support will allow us to directly restore degraded forests and work with government and communities to designate new protected and conserved areas, reconnecting our forests and encouraging natural movement of iconic species, including tigers, gaur, and elephants.” His statement highlights the tangible impact the partnership will have on conservation efforts, enabling an expansion of current activities and the implementation of new strategies to safeguard Thailand’s unique wildlife.
The significance of private sector involvement in addressing global environmental challenges was further emphasized by Tim Cronin, WWF Forests Forward Global Lead. “We need private sector leadership to address the climate and biodiversity crises. And forests can play an outsized role. Leadership means more than stopping the damage, and actively restoring what’s been lost. It also involves going beyond a company’s own supply chains, to support action in places where it’s needed most. Through supporting this work in Thailand, SIG is showing the way and inspiring others to follow.” Cronin’s remarks underscore the catalytic role that companies like SIG can play in driving large-scale conservation outcomes, setting a precedent for corporate environmental responsibility that extends beyond immediate operational footprints.
This initiative in Thailand builds upon SIG’s previous successful forest landscape projects in Mexico and Malaysia, demonstrating a sustained and evolving commitment to global forest conservation under the Forests Forward umbrella. Each project is tailored to the specific ecological and social contexts of the region, yet all share the common goal of fostering healthier, more resilient forest ecosystems for the benefit of nature and humanity.
SIG’s dedication to sustainability is integral to its corporate identity. Founded in 1853 and headquartered in Neuhausen, Switzerland, SIG has grown into a leading global solutions provider of packaging for better – better for its customers, for consumers, and for the world. With a unique portfolio encompassing aseptic carton, bag-in-box, and spouted pouch solutions, SIG collaborates with customers to deliver food and beverage products safely, sustainably, and affordably to consumers worldwide. The company’s technological prowess and innovation capabilities enable the provision of end-to-end solutions for differentiated products, smarter factories, and connected packs, all designed to meet the dynamic needs of consumers. The overarching ambition is to create a regenerative food packaging system, where the entire lifecycle of packaging contributes positively to environmental and social well-being.
The company’s global reach is substantial, with approximately 9,600 employees worldwide serving customers in over 100 countries. In 2024, SIG produced an impressive 57 billion packs and generated €3.3 billion in revenue. This scale of operation is matched by a strong commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, evidenced by an AAA ESG rating by MSCI, a Platinum CSR rating by EcoVadis, and inclusion in the prestigious FTSE4Good Index. These accolades reflect a deep-rooted commitment to operating responsibly and sustainably.
The Forests Forward program, under which this Thai project falls, serves as a crucial platform for WWF to engage corporations in meaningful action for nature, climate, and people. Companies participating in Forests Forward commit to ambitious objectives related to responsible sourcing of forest products, the implementation of sustainable forest management practices within their operations and supply chains, and strategic investments in priority forest landscapes around the world. The program emphasizes that robust, collective action from the private sector is indispensable for halting and ultimately reversing the global trends of forest loss and degradation.
The Thailand project, therefore, is not merely an isolated act of corporate philanthropy but a strategic investment aligned with SIG’s core business values, its long-term sustainability goals, and the urgent global imperative to protect and restore forest ecosystems. By focusing on landscape-level interventions, community engagement, and the creation of sustainable livelihoods, SIG and WWF are aiming to create a lasting positive impact on Thailand’s biodiversity, its climate resilience, and the well-being of its people, setting a powerful example for corporate stewardship in an era of critical environmental challenges.
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