ZHAW and Timber Finance publish a guide to investing in timber

Closing the gap between finance and the timber industry

The white paper gives investors an overview of investment opportunities and sustainability aspects along the timber value chain. It combines original analysis with a review of scientific studies, places timber within the debate on sustainable investment and explains the climate contributions of forests and timber: long-term carbon retention, sink capacity and substitution. It also reviews the available financial products with their opportunities and risks, and shows how timber stocks can replace emission-intensive construction stocks in a portfolio. The work was supported by Built by Nature and the Migros Pioneer Fund.

The importance of the timber industry as a carbon sink is growing in the financial sector.

Wide coverage at home and abroad

The quote comes from Simon Tribelhorn, managing director of the Liechtenstein Bankers Association, which welcomed the white paper. Besides Wirtschaftsraum Zürich, the news was picked up by ZHAW, Lignum, the Liechtenstein Bankers Association, Bau Info Service, Presseportal Schweiz and punkt4.info, among others. In the UK, Pressat, Business Mole, SME Bulletin and The Good Men Project reported on it. Internationaler Holzmarkt devoted an article to the white paper in October 2023.

How Timber Carbon sees it

The white paper created a common basis for the finance and timber sectors. How Thomas Fedrizzi framed the investment strategy at the time is shown in the Internationaler Holzmarkt article. Timber Carbon, launched in 2026 as a spin-off of Timber Finance, quantifies, certifies and monetises the carbon removed in mass timber buildings as carbon removal credits on the voluntary carbon market.