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The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are seeing sustainability in practice, with PEFC-certified timber used in iconic venues like the Olympic Aquatic Centre. Source: Timberbiz In the construction of the Olympic Aquatic Centre, Mathis, a French company renowned for its expertise in constructing large wooden buildings, chose PEFC certification to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. During construction, Mathis collaborated closely with management teams and general contractors, aiming to meet the high expectations of both the Olympic Committee and SOLIDEO, the organisation overseeing the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. The decision to use wood as the primary material helped SOLIDEO to meets its environmental goals. For Mathis, this meant ensuring that the wood used was not only high-quality but also sustainably sourced, resulting in 95% PEFC-certified wood in the Olympic Aquatic Centre. “It is absolutely essential to ensure the best possible system, so we can say that we have certified wood. We are able to rely on a robust system because it carries the PEFC label,” explains Frank Mathis, CEO of Mathis. “The fact that we have a certification system like PEFC obliges all companies to come into line. This expectation must go down the whole chain. The question doesn’t have to be whether you feel like it or not. Those who want to continue to work have to get involved. The whole chain has to be part of this.” During construction, Mathis collaborated closely with management teams and general contractors, aiming to meet the high expectations of both the Olympic Committee and SOLIDEO, the organisation overseeing the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. The decision to use wood as the primary material helped SOLIDEO to meets its environmental goals. For Mathis, this meant ensuring that the wood used was not only high-quality but also sustainably sourced, resulting in 95% PEFC-certified wood in the Olympic Aquatic Centre. “It is absolutely essential to ensure the best possible system, so we can say that we have certified wood. We are able to rely on a robust system because it carries the PEFC label,” explains Frank Mathis, CEO of Mathis. “The fact that we have a certification system like PEFC obliges all companies to come into line. This expectation must go down the whole chain. The question doesn’t have to be whether you feel like it or not. Those who want to continue to work have to get involved. The whole chain has to be part of this.”