Sustainability is a concept that is based on the relationship between social, environmental and economic aspects, and in this framework the cork industry is often pointed as a model to follow.
Cork is 100% natural, 100% reusable and 100% recyclable material. Its extraction from the tree is done without it being cut and thus an environmentally sustainable process.
The cork oak forest provides a rich and diverse habitat for many plant and animal species, including some that are threatened, thus contributing to the biodiversity in it. It is also an ecosystem that contributes to soil conservation, regulation of the water cycle, carbon dioxide retention (about 6 tons of CO 2 / ha / year) and due to the slow combustion of the cork, the cork oak is also a excellent barrier against the spread of forest fires.
Also in the socio-economic level, the cork industry is very important, especially in our country where cork represents 2% of all exported goods. According to the World Wildlife Fund, only in the Mediterranean area, the cork industry uses, directly and indirectly, about 100 thousand people. Other activities related to the cork oak forest, such as livestock, hunting and tourism, also contribute to job creation, particularly in rural areas, thus helping to combat the population desertification that has been occurring in them.