Balance isn’t a target — it’s how we build a better business

By Andrew Morgan, Managing Director, SFM

Forestry hasn’t always been associated with balance. Traditionally, it’s been seen as a hard hat and high-vis industry, shaped by longstanding perceptions about who belongs in the sector. Like many stereotypes, that picture is outdated — and it certainly doesn’t reflect the business we’ve built at SFM.

This year’s UN Women Australia International Women’s Day theme, Balance the Scales, resonates with me because balance in our context isn’t symbolic; it’s practical. Today, our team sits at approximately 50:50 men and women. In forestry, that’s still relatively uncommon, but for us it hasn’t been about chasing a number. It has been about hiring capable people, building a strong culture, and ensuring the best ideas rise to the surface. When you focus on merit and remove outdated assumptions about who “fits” in forestry, balance tends to follow.

The benefits are clear

And they’re tangible. Forestry is a long-horizon business where decisions made today shape landscapes, investments and communities for decades to come. We operate at the intersection of climate change, biodiversity, global capital and regional economies. In that environment, diversity is not a social add-on; it is a commercial and strategic advantage. A team with varied perspectives is better at challenging assumptions, identifying risk and navigating complexity. It improves the quality of debate around the table and reduces the likelihood of blind spots that can undermine long-term outcomes.

I see this play out in our discussions every week. The strength of our team lies not just in technical capability, but in the breadth of thinking that informs our decisions — from forest management and compliance through to investment strategy, stakeholder engagement and innovation. There is healthy challenge, respectful disagreement and a shared commitment to getting the outcome right. From a Managing Director’s perspective, that makes for better decisions — and occasionally keeps me on my toes.

Forestry in 1986 looked very different

Modern forestry bears little resemblance to the industry of a generation ago. Today we are managing carbon markets, responding to evolving ESG expectations, deploying technology in sustainable land management and engaging with sophisticated institutional investors. That complexity demands skills across environmental science, finance, operations, communications and governance. Talent in those areas is not defined by gender, and our workforce shouldn’t be either.

Importantly, balance strengthens our credibility. Clients increasingly view diversity as an indicator of governance quality and organisational resilience. Communities expect inclusive leadership. Young professionals considering careers in sustainability or land management want to see pathways that are genuinely open to them. If forestry is to remain relevant and competitive in a decarbonising economy, we must ensure opportunity is accessible and visible.

Of course, achieving balance requires more than good intentions. It depends on how we recruit, how we develop leaders and how we support people across different stages of their careers. It also requires an environment where diverse voices are not just present, but heard. Culture is shaped in the everyday interactions — in meetings, in field operations, in project teams — where inclusion either becomes real or remains rhetoric.

At SFM, I’m proud of the balance we’ve achieved because it has made us a stronger business. It sharpens our thinking, strengthens our governance and enhances our ability to deliver sustainable, long-term value for investors and communities alike. That outcome is far more meaningful than any headline statistic.

International Women’s Day offers an opportunity to reflect on progress, but it also reminds us that maintaining balance requires ongoing attention. For our part, we remain committed to building a forestry business where capability is recognised, opportunity is equitable and leadership reflects the diversity of the world in which we operate.

That, to me, is what it truly means to balance the scales.