Stora Enso’s Global Responsibility Performance Report 2014 has won four awards in the independent annual sustainability report review, commissioned by FIBS, Finland’s leading non-profit corporate responsibility network. The four awards include the best sustainability report, best reporting on Human Rights and on Tax Footprint and the top choice of a consortium of Finnish corporate sustainability students. In FIBS’ review Stora Enso’s report was particularly acknowledged for its extensive and transparent sustainability reporting, with a special focus on reporting related to the target-oriented management of human rights.

Several years ago, GDUSA began to spotlight the good works of design firms active in “green” design. In the early days, the focus was well-meaning but narrow: how designers used and sourced specific products or services — good examples being recycled papers or vegetable inks — to reduce waste. Then, over time, a more holistic notion of “sustainability” arose that encompassed papers, products and services, yes, but also took into account broader concerns such as energy and emissions, forest stewardship and conservation, third party certifications and sourcing, media alternatives and relative footprints, shipping and distribution, internal studio procedures — all now seen as integral factors in sustainable design.

Two Sides, the global initiative to promote the sustainability of print and paper, has reported a 70% success rate in persuading global organisations to remove misleading green claims from their communications as part of its worldwide anti-greenwash campaign. 377 of the world’s leading corporations, including banks, utilities, telecoms and insurance companies have been researched and checked by Two Sides, exposing 240 of those companies to be using misleading greenwash statements in their marketing and communications activities. To date, 168 of those offending companies have removed their misleading greenwash statements as a direct result of ongoing lobbying by the Two Sides initiative.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®), an independent North American forest certification program, has applied for re-endorsement by PEFC. The public is invited to comment on the documentation submitted by the SFI Program for their SFI 2015-2019 Standard and Rules by 3 January 2016. In 2001 the SFI program became a PEFC National Member and in 2005, the SFI Forest Management Standard was endorsed by PEFC after a detailed examination by a PEFC-approved assessor. This endorsement adds international value to SFI Inc.’s position as a highly respected, third-party certification program in North America. The SFI program has grown to cover more than 100 million hectares of forest area in both the United States and Canada – nearly 40% of all PEFC-recognized certified forest worldwide.

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) presented its 2015 Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 Sustainability Awards at AF&PA’s annual meeting on Friday, Nov. 13 in San Antonio, Texas. Designed to recognize exemplary sustainability programs and initiatives in the paper and wood products manufacturing industry, AF&PA’s annual awards are given based on the merit of entries received across multiple categories. This year, seven companies received eight awards from 26 outstanding submissions across the industry.

Appleton Coated is one of 31 companies recognized worldwide by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for its environmental transparency leadership as demonstrated by its voluntary participation in the WWF Environmental Paper Company Index (EPCI) 2015. Appleton Coated has improved its scores since participating in the prior WWF EPCI in 2013. In the product category “Graphic Paper” Appleton Coated has achieved 60.2% of total achievable scores for WWF’s Environmental Paper Company Index (2015). In the sub-category “Responsible Fiber Sourcing” Appleton Coated has achieved 66% of total possible points.

*As the nation's leading papermaking state, Wisconsin feels the disruption caused by digital media acutely. The state's ink-on-paper economy has been shrinking for over a decade — pulpwood is the largest volume consumer of Wisconsin-grown timber — while the 2008 housing meltdown was so severe that sawmills and lumber works have yet to fully recover. *Family-owned woodland, which accounts for more than half of the state's forests, is being inherited by a generation that is less inclined to maintain the land as "working" forests — those that feed paper mills and saw mills — and more inclined to sell it off piecemeal. *Wall Street investors have been buying up forestland in Wisconsin and other states, then parceling it and flipping it. Some of the land becomes subdivisions and golf courses, and some is held by investment funds that sell it in far less time than it takes a tree to reach harvesting maturity. *The globalization of the economy since the 1990s has increased competition from warmer climates such as South America and southern Asia, which can grow pulpwood more efficiently than Wisconsin, where brutal winters annually interrupt growth cycles.

The Forest Stewardship Council US has recently launched a project to consider additional indicators that would define FSC certification on lands managed by the US Forest Service. Because the Forest Service oversees many beloved lands, it is required to manage for a range of values, including water, recreation, wildlife and timber. And due to the special nature of these lands, FSC certification of US Forest Service lands has not been possible to date. In fact, US federally managed lands are the only land type in the entire FSC system globally that are not currently eligible for certification.

The increasing value proposition that the PEFC brand provides to forest owners, companies and society as a whole, also confirmed by the first PEFC/GfK Global Consumer Survey that showed the PEFC label to be the most trusted forest certification label, comes with a downside: namely uncertified companies and organizations that try to associate themselves with PEFC’s reputation and brand trust by fraudulently misusing the label and claims. Ultimately, this puts at risk the good work undertaken by millions of actors from the forest, throughout the supply chain to the final consumer. PEFC is therefore taking steps to strengthen its trademark protection. PEFC is clear in its objective of protecting certified forest owners, companies and consumers against the abuse of the PEFC label and claims.

In September 2015, the US Environmental Protection Agency issued “Recommendations of Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels” to guide federal procurement. For lumber and wood, FSC is now the only EPA recommended standard. The Forest Stewardship Council US applauded this decision and sent a letter of thanks to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz.

To celebrate America Recycles Day on November 15—and to encourage Americans to recycle more plastics year round—Plastics Make it Possible® is offering some tips to widen the types of plastics collected for recycling, as well as a chance to win an iPad Air. Recycling plastic beverage bottles from American kitchens has become commonplace, but many other types of plastics also can be recycled, beyond the kitchen and even beyond the home. Plastics Make it Possible® urges Americans to recycle plastics used throughout the home, from the bathroom to the outdoors, as well as plastics used away from home.

How can brands protect forests? Join us at Sustainable Brands in London as PEFC International CEO Ben Gunneberg discusses this very question at the PEFC Activation Hub on 17 November. You will find us at our Activation Hub throughout the three day event, which takes place at the Beaumont Estate, Windsor, from the 16-18 November, as we highlight how PEFC certification can provide brand owners with the responsible sourcing assurances they require. “Consumers are increasingly demanding that the products they buy come from sustainable sources,” said Mr. Gunneberg. “By choosing PEFC-certified materials, brand owners can use the globally recognized PEFC logo, satisfying consumers’ expectations for responsibly produced products.”

2014 Sustainability Highlights •Verso demonstrated industry-leading safety performance, with a 2014 Total Incident Rate of 1.43, which is approximately one-half the U.S. Paper Industry's last reported average of 2.8 (2013). •The Quinnesec Mill in Michigan was recertified to Star status in the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). VPP recognizes facilities for having safety systems that exceed OSHA standards, a strong safety commitment and sustainable health and safety management systems. •Fifty percent of the fiber Verso used to manufacture its products was third-party certified to a credible forest certification standard and 32 percent of the total paper it sold was chain-of-custody certified. •Carbon-neutral, wood-based biomass accounted for more than 65 percent of onsite energy generation at Verso's mills.

Best Buy has been awarded a prized position on the CDP Climate A List for our efforts to reduce carbon emissions in the past year. The commendation puts Best Buy in the top 5 percent of thousands of companies that submit annual emissions data and climate management strategies to CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project). We are in good company. Other corporate “A Listers” now include sustainability powerhouses and partners such as Apple, Google, LG, Microsoft, Samsung, Sony and Sprint.

BillerudKorsnäs is among 5% of the corporations participating in CDP’s climate change program to be awarded a position on the Climate “A” List. The purpose of the list is to recognize companies’ actions to mitigate climate change in the past reporting year. The list is requested by 822 investors representing more than a third of the world’s invested capital. “2015 is an important year for our climate with the Paris conference COP21 as a milestone. In combating climate change all parts of society have to participate and we are extremely pleased that the dedicated efforts of BillerudKorsnäs now have been recognized by CDP.

CDP, the international non-profit organisation that promotes sustainability, has identified Stora Enso as a Nordic leader in disclosing climate change data to investors and other stakeholders. In CDP’s Nordic Climate Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI), Stora Enso receives a score of 99/100. High scores within the index indicate that a company provides robust climate data with a high level of transparency. “Since our core business is based on renewable raw materials, we are in a unique position when it comes to controlling our carbon emissions,” says Noel Morrin, EVP Global Responsibility at Stora Enso. “Combating global warming is a top priority and our commitment to transparent reporting helps us make the right decisions that can drive change.”

UPM continues improving the environmental performance of its graphic and newspaper and chemical pulp production. According to the Environmental Paper Company Index (EPCI) of The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), published today, UPM's performance improved yet again year on year. Published biannually, this Index promotes transparency and continuous improvement of the environmental performance of paper and pulp manufacturing companies. In the Index, WWF invites 80 sector leaders and evaluates their environmental policies and targets, as well as their environmental performance with regard to overall production of news, graphic, packaging and tissue papers and pulp.

UPM has achieved a top position on the Nordic Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI) for the high quality of its climate change related information. UPM's score was 99 out of 100. This is already the 7th time in a row that UPM is listed on the CDLI. Top scores indicate a high level of transparency in the disclosure of company's climate change-related information, such as data regarding carbon emissions and the use of energy.

Flint Group are pleased to present our portfolio of products for printers seeking Blue Angel certification. The Blue Angel is an environmental label organised by the federal government of Germany for the protection of people and the environment. It sets very exacting standards, is independent and has proven itself over more than 35 years as a guide for selecting environmentally-friendly products. The Blue Angel for Printed Matters (RAL-UZ 195) is awarded to printed matter that represents an environmentally friendly alternative to standard printed matter available on the market. Flint Group’s range of ‘Blue Angel’ products confirms our commitment to the environment and to ensuring best in class products are at the heart of our portfolio. These products have been developed to deliver exceptional performance characteristics coupled with leading environmental benefits.

American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Donna Harman today issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) reconsideration of the 2013 Boiler Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) rule. “With the compliance deadline of January 2016 looming, we’re pleased that the final Boiler MACT reconsideration rule has been completed and addresses many of the issues we asked EPA to reconsider, particularly around how to safely and quickly start-up and shutdown our boilers while preventing damage to control equipment.