A study undertaken late in 2015 by Leger (the Research Intelligence Group) asked international buyers of wood, pulp, and paper in the U.S., Europe, and Asia about their perceptions of forest products and environmental issues. The results are comparable to a similar survey done by Leger two years ago.

"Once again the Canadian forest products industry is getting top marks when it comes to our environmental credentials," said Derek Nighbor, CEO of the Forest Product Association of Canada on Monday (March 21). "Our sector has worked hard to reduce our environmental footprint and we are committed to continual improvement. This survey shows international customers feel confident when they source forest products from Canada."

The customers surveyed said they appreciate Canadian forest products because of their quality and sustainability, with the most positively perceived attributes related to assurance of legality and forest management practices.

The majority of purchasers also said that forest certifications are important when it comes to choosing forest products. Canada is a world leader in forest certification – an independent assessment that forest companies follow progressive environmental and social forest management practices. In 2015, Canada had 166 million hectares of certified forests, about 40% of the world total or almost four times more than any other country.

More information can be found on the executive summary available online.