Pacto Global recognizes CMPC for its wildfire prevention plan

Pacto Global is a UN initiative that encompasses more than 100 companies in Chile and 10,000 around the world. The aim is to promote the adoption and implementation of the sustainability principles and goals set out in Agenda 2030.

 The main cause of wildfires is human activity with 99.7% being caused through negligence or intentionally. This can cause damage to neighboring towns, even destroying them completely along with the flora and fauna of an area’s ecosystem. This has a serious impact on biodiversity and harms the environment.

In order to deal with this situation, CMPC has created a prevention, support and education plan around wildfires. This year it was acknowledged by the Pacto Global Chile Network, which is a UN initiative that has more than 100 participating members in Chile and 10,000 around the world that have signed on to Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

Pacto Global works together with companies on adopting and implementing the 10 Principles that are centered on four areas: human rights, labor relations, the environment and anti-corruption. Private companies also have the duty to report on their progress in each area and are called on to incorporate sustainability goals in their business strategies.   

In celebration of 20 years of history, Pacto Global Chile held a ceremony in which the Minister of Social Development and Family Karla Rubilar and representatives from the companies were recognized for their contributions toward Agenda 2030 with the aim of sharing how companies can impact the SDGs. 

There were seven categories set up for this. The first five are aspects taken from the Agenda known as the “5 Ps”: People, Prosperity, Planet, Partnerships and Peace. Two more categories were added to this. One was to highlight the way that Human Rights are addressed and the other relates to the Interconnectedness of SDGs, i.e. the company that best achieved positive impacts on several SDGs in an interconnected manner. CMPC was given the top award for its wildfire prevention model.

“The CMPC forest operation in Chile, Brazil and Argentina has strengthened the rural prevention and fire-fighting programs to protect people, the forestry company’s and third-parties’ property. It emphasizes education, prevention and control, boosts the commitment to human life, and ecosystems and biodiversity via measures such as preventive silviculture, building territorial resilience and community network that simultaneously serve as measures for adapting to climate change. This is in order to prevent any rural fires and to slow the spread if it does start and to mitigate any damages. It includes extensive reforestation and restoration plans for affected areas,” said Nicolás Gordon, CMPC Sustainability Manager.

The best fire-fighting strategy for CMPC is preventing them in the first place. That is why resources have been earmarked for fire prevention and fighting for this season with three lines of protection to fill out the company’s plan: preventive silviculture, neighborhood prevention and cutting-edge technology.

The company has 21 aircraft including two Tecnam P2006T coordination planes, nine AT-802 air tankers with a discharge capacity of 3,000 liters of water per plane, eight medium Bell 212-412 helicopters with a 1,200 liter Bambi Bucket each, and two Chinook mega-helicopters with a discharge capacity of 10,000 liters of water each. 

All of these tools are in conjunction with the skills of the trained personnel of 41 fire brigades with 460 fire fighters in total. This includes heliborne, ground, tanker, mechanical and interface crews that are joining the firefighter front line of the Metropolitan Region, the Central Brigade.