Stora Enso moves forward with water management pilot projects in China

Water is a crucial resource for sustainable plantation forestry in Guangxi, said Stora Enso, where it leases 85,613 hectares of land and manages extensive eucalyptus tree plantations.

The pulp and paper industry is one of Kemira's key customer segments, and the company has extensive know-how in water management.

By joining forces, Stora Enso and Kemira are bringing together their expertise in forestry and water management to work to improve the lives and surroundings of more than 2,600 villagers in Guangxi. The scheme also aims to find new avenues for responsible water management through stakeholder surveys, community work and water-related capacity building.

The three pilot projects are in Baimei, Yulin region, Nahupo, Nanning region, and Shengping, Qinlian region, all of which are in Guangxi.

The projects are part of Stora Enso and Kemira’s three-year corporate responsibility initiative on water stewardship and shared value creation. Launched in 2013, this initiative strives to enhance the responsible use of local water resources in collaboration with villagers, non-governmental organizations and the Chinese authorities.

The aim is to improve water supply and sewage treatment, and to provide solutions for water shortages and quality problems. After the construction phase, tailor-made training will be provided to all villages. The goal is to ensure that locals have the capacity to use water responsibly in the future and to maintain the constructed water management solutions on their own.

Noel Morrin, Stora Enso executive vice president for global responsibility, said: ‘Responsible water stewardship is a top priority for us everywhere we operate.

‘In Guangxi, water is a local concern that we are taking very seriously. If these pilot projects prove successful, the systems can be scaled up by local authorities and copied in surrounding communities to benefit even more people. However, the success of these projects will be defined by the villagers.’

Riikka Timonen, director of corporate responsibility at Kemira, added: ‘Since the water treatment systems address local needs and will be operated by the villagers themselves, it is very important that local residents are actively involved in the projects from day one.

‘Our expertise is needed to ensure that the constructed systems are of good quality and easy to operate – benefiting both local people and the environment.’