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New sustainability manager getting back to ‘grass roots’

Matt de Jongh (centre) with Responsible Wood CEO Simon Dorries and Jason Ross, marketing and communications officer.

NEWLY-appointed sustainability manager at Responsible Wood Matt de Jongh is excited about returning to the ‘grass roots of forestry’ he knows so well.

Responsible Wood CEO Simon Dorries said Mr de Jongh was well suited to the position “with a strong background in forest management, a practicing forester and a wide knowledge of the workings of government.”

Mr de Jongh holds a BS Forestry from ANU and a graduate certificate in business administration from the University of New England.

“We see this as an exciting role aimed at promoting certified sustainably-managed forests in Australia and New Zealand under the PEFC-endorsed Responsible Wood program,” Mr Dorries said.

“Matt will be based in Canberra working both sides of the Tasman. One of the key aspects of his position will be the roll out of the 2021 version of the Sustainable Forest Management Standard.”

Prior to joining the Responsible Wood team, Mr de Jongh was policy manager at the Australian Forest Products Association, senior adviser at the Natural Resources Commission and worked for a time in forest policy at the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

“Since early schooling, I developed a passion for the environment and promoting sustainable forest management and the many associated environmental, social and economic benefits,” Mr de Jongh said.

He has worked in both operational and policy roles particularly in regional and rural communities, developing a good working knowledge of how policy decisions can impact communities.

“This has often involved building and maintaining strong relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders,” he said.

With more than 16 million ha of Australian forests certified, the Responsible Wood scheme covers 90% of commercial forests. In addition, PEFC certification covers more than 320 million ha of global forests and is the largest forest certification system in the world.

More than 20,000 companies have obtained PEFC chain-of-custody certification, demonstrating a commitment to responsible sourcing of certified products.