Groupe Française des Jeux (FDJ), a French lottery company, is now sponsoring the restoration and preservation of biodiversity in the Saint-Sylvestre forest in France by maintaining good forest practices verified through the FSC Ecosystem Services Procedure.
The forest, designated as a High Conservation Area, is owned by a group of FSC certificate holders and is represented by IP Forêt Services, a subsidiary of International Paper (IP). This branch coordinates IP’s forest management actions in France.
The innovative project supported by FDJ seeks to maintain, improve and restore vital habitats for rare and endangered species. Some of these species are included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Because of their efforts, IP Forêt Services has achieved an FSC biodiversity claim, certifying the positive impact of its forest management practices on Saint-Sylvestre’s natural forest characteristics. The company counted on the support of WWF France and other biodiversity experts to implement the initiative.
For close to a decade, FSC has been part of Française des Jeux’s corporate social responsibility approach. Since 2012, 100 per cent of the company’s paper game cards have been printed on FSC-certified paper.
The newly sponsored FSC Ecosystem Services builds on this long-lasting relationship: for the duration of 10 years, FDJ will support a three-hectare set-aside area to preserve key species of bats, birds, and other threatened animals.
By sponsoring the protection of ecosystem services, companies can strengthen their corporate social responsibility strategy and generate valuable marketing benefits. Many businesses are realizing this potential and investing in such nature-based solutions.
READ MORE | HERE