Unilin Panels starts the new year with 7,500 m2 of forest
01/12/2019
€17,590 and 7,500 m² of new forest in Westouter. That was the fantastic result from our “Happy New Tree” year-end promotion in 2018, and something we’re extremely proud of! “It’s our way of illustrating how important sustainability is to us,” explains Veronique Hoflack, president of Unilin Panels. “Preaching sustainability is easy. Together with our clients, we really wanted to make a difference and take action, so we raised funds and made other funds available to achieve this specific goal.”
Actions speak louder than words
As Veronique explains, the impressive sum came from two different sources. “Last year we organised a tombola as part of our Great Gala Night, the hospitality event that we hold biennially as a thanks to our partners, sponsors and customers in the timber industry. We added the proceeds from the tombola and sponsored tables to the budget that we normally reserve for new year gifts and we had €17,590. It was more than we could have imagined, and plenty for a 7,500 m² forest. The idea was so successful, both inside and outside of the company, that we are already planning to repeat it.”
Plant a ONE, TWO, TREE
The new forest in Westouter was planted on 30 November together with Natuurpunt and employees, customers and partners of Unilin Panels. “It would not have been possible were it not for their generosity and commitment, so we want to give everyone the opportunity to see the result and maybe plant their own tree at the “Plant a ONE, TWO, TREE event”,” explains Veronique.
Unilin panels and sustainability
Planting the new forest is not intended to be a one-off sustainability initiative. “We’re very much alert to the sustainability of our processes and products. We use 100% recovered wood, which means that no trees have ever or will ever be felled for Unilin chipboard. 90% of the wood that we use is post-consumer wood and we’re giving it a second life. The other 10% is pre-consumer wood from residual streams from the timber industry, such as from sawmills and verge maintenance. This also helps us to limit our CO2 emissions,” explains Veronique.
If you’d like to learn more about the sustainability ambitions of Unilin Panels, read our story here.
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