Responsible Wood at Impact X
As global conversations intensify around net-zero targets, carbon-positive solutions, and responsible supply chains, Responsible Wood was proud to again participate in the Impact X Summit 2025 in Sydney, engaging with thought leaders, policymakers, and businesses to promote the role of forest certification and certified forest and tree-based products in climate action.
The summit, which took place on March 11, at Sydney Town Hall, brought together global and Australian sustainability leaders to accelerate investment and collaboration across sectors. With forests playing a vital role in carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable resource management, Responsible Wood’s participation reinforces the critical connection between certified forest management, carbon storage, and the built environment.
A Commitment to Preventing Deforestation
Forests are one of the most powerful tools in the fight against climate change, yet deforestation and forest degradation remain significant global challenges. At Responsible Wood, our certification system ensures that timber products originate from sustainably managed forests that do not contribute to deforestation or land conversion.
Our Standard AS/NZS 4708:2021 goes beyond sustainable harvesting, it includes climate-positive practices that require certified forest managers to:
- Minimise anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions
- Consider the long-term impacts of climate change on forests and forestry practices
- Enhance forest resilience and carbon storage capacity.
This is required by section 11.1.2 in AS/NZS 4708:2021 under Sustainability Objective 1: Maintain or appropriately enhance forest resources and their contribution to the global carbon cycle.
Through rigorous third-party certification, we support forest management that actively contributes to climate solutions, ensuring that forests remain carbon sinks rather than sources of emissions.
A Climate-Positive Material for the Built Environment
The construction sector is undergoing transformations as industries look for low-carbon materials to replace carbon-intensive alternatives like concrete and steel. Timbe,r particularly from PEFC and Responsible Wood-certified sources, is emerging as a key discussion point by builders and developers when it comes to reducing embodied carbon in construction.
Certified timber products offer a twofold climate benefit:
- Carbon sequestration – Trees absorb and store carbon during their growth, which remains locked in timber products used in construction.
- Carbon reduction—Compared to alternatives, mass timber reduces embodied emissions, making it ideal for sustainable buildings.
By bridging the gap between forest certification and sustainable design, Responsible Wood hopes to ensure climate-conscious developers, architects, and engineers have access to verified sustainable timber solutions that meet ESG and net-zero objectives.
Promoting the Circular Economy
Sustainability isn’t just about sourcing responsibly; it’s also about ensuring that materials are used efficiently and repurposed wherever possible. Our Chain of Custody Standard (AS 4707) actively promotes the use of recycled timber, aligning with circular economy principles by encouraging businesses to extend the lifecycle of wood products.
By incorporating recycled timber into certified supply chains, Responsible Wood supports a system where timber is not only renewable but also re-usable, reducing pressure on natural resources while maintaining material integrity.
Reflecting on the event, Matt de Jongh, Sustainability Manager at Responsible Wood added
“At Impact X, we’re reinforcing the message that forest certification isn’t just about forestry, it’s about responsible carbon management, climate adaptation, and providing sustainable solutions for industries far beyond the forest sector. Sustainable forest management and certified timber offer an opportunity to build a climate-positive future, but only if we ensure certification is recognised as a key pillar of responsible sourcing and net-zero strategies.”
Responsible Wood is committed to ensuring that forest certification remains at the centre of sustainability discussions not just within the forestry sector but across industries that rely on timber as a climate-smart solution.
