Smart software from CMO streamlines EUDR compliance

Daniel von Heynitz, Chief Technology Officer at CMO, rolling out Tracer in Vietnam.

The European Union's Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) marks a significant step in the global effort to combat deforestation and promote sustainable forestry practices. Enacted to ensure that products entering the EU market do not contribute to deforestation, this regulation imposes strict due diligence requirements on companies producing or trading in forest products. It affects the entire forestry sector - regardless of the country of origin.

By mandating traceability and verification of supply chains, the regulation aims to reduce the environmental impact of forestry operations and promote more responsible land-use practices worldwide. This policy not only influences producers and exporters in deforestation-prone regions but also reshapes the economic and operational landscape for forestry businesses globally, emphasising the importance of sustainability in international trade.

Achieving compliance with EUDR is a complex challenge, but CMO, a leading forestry software and services provider, has developed software platforms that streamline these processes, making them more accessible and manageable for businesses.

CMO offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to meet the diverse needs of smallholders, commercial forestry companies, and the broader supply chain, with a strong focus on compliance with the EUDR. CMO tailors solutions to ensure adherence to all major certification requirements, including Forest Stewardship Council (FSCTM) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) standards, alongside EUDR compliance.

Michal Brink of CMO doing an FSC Group audit on small-scale growers in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Empower is a comprehensive sustainability command centre developed to oversee and enhance a business’ compliance efforts. The principal aim was to create tech for smallholders to plan and control their farming practices. To this end, Empower gives the smallholder full control over their tree plot, with a clear picture of the standing volume of the trees planted and thus when best to harvest them.

One of its most notable features is the efficient onboarding of members, which simplifies the integration of new users into the system and ensures that all stakeholders are aligned with sustainability goals from the outset. Additionally, Empower facilitates comprehensive on-site audits, allowing organisations to conduct thorough evaluations of practices and processes to ensure adherence to established standards.

FSC/EUDR group scheme members onboarded by CMO Thailand with Empower.

Continuous improvement
The application also includes an Action Log, a vital tool for addressing and closing non-compliances swiftly. This feature helps in identifying areas that require improvement and provides a structured approach to managing corrective actions, thereby fostering continuous improvement. Moreover, Empower’s capability to manage stakeholders both nationally and locally ensures that all stakeholders are engaged and informed, thus promoting a coordinated approach to sustainability.

Empower becomes even more powerful when paired with Tracer, a tool that maps supply chains and monitors volumes and commodity movements in real-time. Together, they promote efficiency and transparency.

Smallholders in Thailand get to grips with Empower.

Tracer captures detailed product information, supplier data, and coordinates throughout the supply chain, providing a complete overview of the entire production and distribution process. This level of detail is crucial for generating accurate and reliable reports, particularly for the EUDR due diligence statements, ensuring full compliance with the stringent regulatory requirements.

Over the past year, CMO has collaborated with Weber & Schaer (W&S) in Germany, the Sabah Rubber Industry Board (SIRB) in Malaysia, and the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT) to promote sustainability practices and certification within the rubber industry. This partnership leverages CMO's Empower software to enhance sustainable practices and ensure compliance with industry standards.

In Vietnam, CMO has just concluded a successful trial for CMO Tracer in partnership with W&S in June and July 2024. The trial has allowed the first shipment of EUDR-compliant rubber to be sent to the USA. The users appreciated the simplicity of the new application, but also supplied valuable feedback around usability and language optimisation. The application was quickly adopted by the various processing plants that took part in the pilot project.

The CMO team, which has used its extensive knowledge and experience in forestry and certification to develop their software toolbox, are looking forward to scaling their EUDR solution for the benefit of the whole southern African forest industry – particularly where commercial farmers and smallholders are involved in the supply chain.

Focusing on forestry’s role in greening the economy

Biomass collection system on show at the last Focus on Forestry field day in Mpumalanga.

‘The value of forestry in a greening economy’ is the theme of the Focus on Forestry Conference & Expo taking place at the Karkloof Country Club in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands from 7-9 November 2023.

The conference is organised by CMO, Nelson Mandela University and Forestry South Africa. It covers the full forestry value chain and is designed to inform forest landowners, managers and contractors, although tremendous benefit will be obtained by academics, researchers, consultants, training providers, governmental organisations and others participating in the sector.

The keynote address will be delivered by Dr Ole Sand, the Managing Partner of Criterion African Partners. He is a Norwegian national, residing in the US. The theme will explore the issues and opportunities surrounding the greening economy and the role that forestry plays.

With over 35 years of private equity investment experience, Dr Sand leads an investment team exclusively focused on the forestry sector in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The team invests in companies that provide economic development/impact, and climate change solutions through forestry and related technologies.

The Focus on Forestry conference covers the entire forestry value chain including nurseries, fire management, silviculture, forest engineering, wood biomass, carbon, risk management and certification. It is relevant to small-scale growers, medium-scale commercial growers through to large-scale industrial plantations, as well as sustainably managed natural forests and related ecosystems.

Day one focuses on general forest management, nurseries, silviculture, fire and other risk management and certification. Day two focuses on forest engineering, carbon and biomass harvesting.

The panel of international presenters will provide practical and useful information for management decision making and operational improvements.

A comprehensive exhibit area will be located immediately outside the conference venue, allowing delegates to interact with forestry equipment and services suppliers in between conference sessions. Networking is also a critical component of the conference, and a braai (barbeque) will take place each evening after the conference for catching up with old friends, making new business contacts, or discussing business.

The Focus on Forestry Field Day will take place on a Sappi plantation close to the conference venue. It will include static exhibits and live demonstrations, covering the full value chain. Conference attendance gives free entrance to the field day. Attendees will have the freedom to wander the field site at their leisure.

For more info, email: focus@cmogroup.io


UPCOMING EVENTS

Sawmilling SA AGM
7th June 2023
Engineering 4.0 Auditorium, University of Pretoria
Keynote speaker: Michael Peter, FSA
Info: Jacques.dtva@gmail.com

WoodEx for Africa
27-29 June 2023
Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg
The gateway to Africa’s timber trade
Info: www.woodexforafrica.com

Focus on Forestry Conference & Expo
7-9 November 2023
Karkloof Country Club, KZN midlands
SA’s premier forestry conference and expo
Info: andrew@cmogroup.co.za

Fire Management Symposium – Working on Fire
8-10 November 2023
Skukuza Conference Centre, Kruger National Park
Co-ordinating efforts for effective wildland fire management
Part of 20 Year Anniversary Celebration of the WoF programme.
Info: linton.rensburg@wofire.co.za
www.workingonfire.com

Focus on Forestry is back!

This ‘big daddy’ wheeled harvester from Tigercat attracted a lot of attention at the 2019 Focus field day held at White River, Mpumalanga.

The good news for forestry stakeholders is that the Focus on Forestry Conference and Expo is back after a four-year hiatus.

It will be held over three days from 7-9 November 2023 at the Karkloof Country Club in the KZN midlands. Save the date and dust off your boots, the organisers have promised an action-packed programme of presentations, an exhibition and a field day at a nearby Sappi plantation.

Focus on Forestry 2023 is organised by CMO, Nelson Mandela University and Forestry South Africa. It has been the premier get-together for forestry stakeholders in Southern Africa for a number of years. The last event was held at White River in Mpumalanga back in April 2019. Then COVID-19 came out of nowhere, shutting down public events, disrupting business and impacting almost every aspect of our lives.

Since then virtual events have become the norm, but they don’t quite hit the spot as the most valuable part of real live gatherings is the opportunity to exchange ideas face-to-face, network and socialise with forestry colleagues from near and far. 

Focus is targeted at a broad range of stakeholders including forest landowners and growers (large and small), managers and contractors, while also offering valuable insights to academics, researchers, consultants, training providers, governmental organisations and services and equipment suppliers into the industry.

Demonstrating a planting rig at the 2014 Focus event held near Piet Retief, Mpumalanga back in 2014.

The breakdown of the event is as follows:- 

 More detailed information will follow soon, including registration information for delegates, exhibitors and sponsors. Early bird registrations will be discounted, so watch this space!

 Enquiries can be directed to andrew@cmogroup.io.

 

This looks risky, but it’s not. Fogmaker about to demonstrate the power of its on-board fire suppression system at the 2019 Focus event at White River.
Foresters checking the log quality after a de-barking demo during the Focus field day at Hilton, KZN in 2017.
Michal Brink and Andrew McKuen of CMO, organisers of a number of Focus events over the past 10 years.
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