Oliva Cigar Company has announced that its cigar boxes are now produced entirely using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood – making it the first cigar manufacturer to achieve FSC Chain of Custody certification.
The milestone underscores Oliva’s long-term commitment to sustainability, environmental responsibility, and social accountability across its operations.
“This certification is not only about materials – it’s about a philosophy,” noted CEO Cory Bappert. “It ensures that all of the wood used in our boxes comes from responsible sources that support reforestation, biodiversity, workplace safety, and fair labour standards.”
The FSC Chain of Custody certification confirms that every stage of Oliva’s box production, from sourcing to finishing, follows rigourous sustainability protocols.
Oliva underlines sustainability commitment
The achievement caps a four-year company-wide project that involved developing new manuals, training employees across all departments, and expanding staffing to ensure standards were met consistently.
While certification marks a major step forward, Oliva said it viewed sustainability as an ongoing daily commitment. Each shipment of certified material will continue to be independently verified, ensuring that no uncertified wood enters the production process.
“The certification assessed our ability,” explained Director of Logistics and Product Regulations Bernie Rodriguez. “Now we are judged every day on how well we live up to it.”

At its Hacienda de Ernesto facility, Oliva develops its own seed varieties, to improve resistance and reduce pesticide use, protecting both the environment and the final product.
The FSC initiative forms just one part of Oliva’s broader sustainability strategy, which extends from the soil to the finished cigar. For more than five years, the company has operated a nursery outside Condega, Nicaragua, cultivating trees and plants for reforestation projects on its farms. It has also donated thousands of seedlings each year to schools and national programmes.
At its Hacienda de Ernesto facility, Oliva develops its own seed varieties, to improve resistance and reduce pesticide use, protecting both the environment and the final product. In addition, Oliva has adopted advanced Cuban soil-cutting techniques to minimise the disruption of natural biodiversity. The company has also established a circular farming system that closes the loop between factory and farm.
“Sustainability is not a campaign – it’s a way of thinking,” concluded Fred Vandermarliere, owner of Vandermarliere Cigar Family (VCF), Oliva’s parent company. “At Oliva, we understand that the only way to build a lasting legacy is to grow responsibly, give back to the land, and create cigars with integrity.”
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