Sustainability is much bigger than recyclability. On this episode, Jesse considers often overlooked aspects of the packaging supply chain to determine its environmental impact.

Smurfit Kappa has begun operating a sophisticated Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP) to reduce emissions and increase the profitability of its Townsend Hook Paper Mill in Kent. The new CHP, which provides steam and electricity for the paper machine, will slash the mill’s carbon footprint by at least 15%. Earlier this year, Smurfit Kappa reported reaching its fossil CO2 emission reduction target three years ahead of schedule.

Avery Dennison is excited to announce winning the 2018 Sustainability Award for its new Sustainability Procurement Program at the Label Industry Global Awards ceremony last night in Rosemont, Illinois. The Label Industry Global Awards, created in 2004 to celebrate innovation and excellence, are presented annually during Labelexpo. The sustainability award is presented for a specific sustainable product or process by a supplier/converter company in the label industry introduced during 2017, that has a demonstrable impact in the industry.

Over the past two decades, the company’s approach to sustainability reporting has evolved significantly: from focusing solely on environmental commitments and actions to evaluating every part of the business and its impact, including societal and supplier governance. The 2018 Sustainability Report provides an updated overview of how the company is striving to drive its sustainability agenda across all areas of business, and the progress towards its goals in protecting food, people and futures.

Tens of billions of single-use coffee cups, many of which could have been recycled, end up in landfills each year in the United States. This is because of either ineffective cup collection and separation at the municipal level, or because of technical difficulties with cups at most recycling facilities. Sustana however, has continuously invested in resources to recycle coffee cups at scale, proving that the wide-scale recycling of single-use coffee cups is possible.

As autumn arrives in Geneva, Marco Bertolini’s appropriately named ‘Autumn in the forest’ is this month’s photo in the spotlight. A runner-up in our 2017 ‘Experience Forests, Experience PEFC’ photo contest, Marco shares the story behind his photo and explains why for him autumn is the most fascinating time of the year.

The second public consultation on the revised FSC® Trademark Use Guide for Promotional Licence Holders ends on 1 October 2018. Please submit your comments by then through our online consultation platform. The aim of the revision is to streamline the trademark use requirements to make it easier for non-certificate holders to promote FSC-certified products while ensuring that the changes do not compromise the credibility of FSC. It will also address Motion 29/2014 ("The Logo Motion").

UPM has been recognized as a Global Compact LEAD company for its strong engagement to the United Nations Global Compact, the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative. The recognition was addressed to only 34 global companies at the Global Compact Leaders Summit in New York on 24 September 2018. "LEAD companies represent the highest level of engagement with the UN Global Compact," says Lise Kingo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact. "Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and creating the world we want will not happen without bold actions from the responsible business community," Kingo says.

University of Virginia Printing and Copying Services has joined Two Sides North America, the non-profit organization that promotes and encourages the responsible production, use, and sustainability of print and paper. “We are proud to have UVA Printing and Copying Services join us as a member organization. Our Two Sides coalition of university members is now at 14 and includes many schools with in-house printing facilities, and those that offer graphic communications as well as Paper Science & Engineering programs. They are a key part of our network to ensure the facts about print and paper reach the students, teachers and parents,” said Phil Riebel, Two Sides North America President. Click Read More below for additional information.

The UPS Foundation, which leads global citizenship and philanthropy programs for UPS, announced it will award nearly $2.7 million in grants to preeminent environmental organizations worldwide. The missions of these organizations align with The UPS Foundation and the company’s environmental sustainability goals, which address creation of global standards and best practices as well as other issues such as renewable energy sources and reducing its absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from global ground operations. This announcement comes after The UPS Foundation recently awarded $10 million in grants to 44 organizations that advance diversity and inclusion around the world. The most significant grants will advance The UPS Foundation’s commitment to fund the planting of “15 Million Trees By 2020” in urban and rural areas around the globe. Last year, the program funded the planting of more than 2.7 million trees, bringing the number of total trees planted to over 12.5 million - 84% to its goal. Click Read More below for additional information.

Pulp and paper manufacturing is a water-intensive process. All of our mills are located in watersheds with sufficient supplies, but responsible water management and water conservation will always be a significant part of our sustainability efforts at Domtar. In 2017, our mills used enough water to fill 164,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Although our mills have access to sufficient water from local rivers and lakes, that water is not immediately suitable for pulp and paper making and requires both mechanical and chemical treatment. How we treat water differs at each location and depends on factors such as: •Natural water chemistry •Effluent from upstream users •Surrounding land use •Season of the year •Weather events, including droughts and floods •Which products the mill makes. Click Read More below for additional information.

On a recent holiday to Prince Edward Island, I was served a drink with a paper straw … the first paper straw I have seen in a long time! I could hardly contain my excitement and began talking to the waitress about my “paper” life. She responded by saying “yes, there is a paper movement underway” … Wow! Interesting that someone outside the paper industry is saying this. Recent stories about the impact of materials in our waste streams - like plastic in our oceans, or the increasing amounts of electronic waste - have changed how companies think about the materials used in their manufacturing process. There is a movement to get away from the "one-and-done" model of the linear economy, toward a more “circular economy,” where the reuse, refurbishment, recycling and end-of-life disposal of a product factors into the manufacturing design. In a circular economy, manufacturing is done in a way that builds the overall health of the process - financially, environmentally and socially. Click Read More below for additional information.

Contrary to a widespread myth, forest harvesting is not synonymous with deforestation and does not threaten the sustainability of our forests, which are actually under-harvested. Thanks to innovation, the forestry industry is more and more productive and our forests are doing better, shows a publication launched today by the MEI. “It can seem counterintuitive to some, but the profit motive protects our forests. By this logic, forestry companies make substantial investments to reduce waste and get the most out of each tree harvested in the forest,” explains Alexandre Moreau, Public Policy Analyst at the MEI and author of the publication. Canada’s forest cover has remained relatively stable since 1990, despite the activities that take place there, and innovation has a lot to do with that. Click Read More below for additional information.

The Rainforest Alliance’s annual Follow the Frog campaign is underway and runs through September 24. The campaign encourages consumers to purchase goods that have been responsibly produced, as indicated by the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal. When the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal appears on a package of paper, bag of coffee, box of bananas, bar of chocolate or dozens of other products, it assures consumers that the products sustainably grown and harvested. Products that are sourced from farms, fields and forestlands that meet the Rainforest Alliance’s standards for conserving wildlife, protecting natural habitats and improving the livelihoods of workers and local communities can use the seal. For nearly two decades Domtar and the Rainforest Alliance have collaborated on multiple initiatives to promote sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation. Click Read More below for additional information.

K’ómoks First Nation, in partnership with Qualicum First Nation, welcomed TimberWest, the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB), and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) to the K’ómoks First Nation Band Office to announce that they will pilot the SFI Small-Scale Forest Management Module for Indigenous Peoples, Families, and Communities. This is to be implemented on Rosewall Forest Tenure Holdings Ltd, the jointly managed working forest of K’ómoks First Nation and Qualicum First Nation. “K’ómoks has been actively managing its forests for a number of years, and we have recently started working with TimberWest on market access and other sustainability initiatives through our Memorandum of Understanding,” said Nicole Rempel, Chief of the K’ómoks First Nation. “When SFI approached us to consider this small-scale forest management certification, we knew it was something we wanted to implement, and we knew TimberWest could lend their expertise. Obtaining SFI certification is a good long-term decision for the benefit of our community and the future generations that will be managing the forests in the years to come.” Click Read More below for additional information.

UPM's new brand promise, UPM Biofore - Beyond fossils, captures the company's strong commitment to a future which is not dependent of fossil raw materials. The new direction is a natural continuation to UPM*s purpose of creating value from the limitless opportunities of bioeconomy. Global megatrends, such as urbanisation and the growing middle class in the emerging markets, represent many long-term growth opportunities for UPM's businesses. Climate change, environmental concerns and the scarcity of non-renewable raw materials are driving societies and businesses all over the world towards the use of renewable, non-fossil raw materials and circular economy. They are also driving demand for renewable and responsible solutions and new technologies. Click Read More below for additional information.

BillerudKorsnäs leads the containers and packaging industry in Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) based on its total sustainability score in 2018. "Being named the most sustainable packaging company and, for the second consecutive year, one of the most sustainable companies in the world, is a great honor for us. Sustainability is an integral part of everything we do and with this position in the Dow Jones Index, we strengthen our position as a global driving challenger of conventional packaging solutions as well as working methods. This industry leadership is an excellent platform for our further pursuit of contributing positively to a sustainable future," says Petra Einarsson, President and CEO of BillerudKorsnäs. Click Read More below for additional information.

“Third-party forest certificationMyanmar MFCS systems are critical actors to ensure Myanmar timber products are accepted by international markets”, said Mr Khin Mg Yi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC), at the launch of Myanmar’s third party timber certification system by the Myanmar Forest Certification Committee (MFCC). “Myanmar had a long established and successful history of forest and timber management and related laws. In parallel with democratically people-centred political, economic and social reform, Myanmar has been conducting forest sector reforms to conserve forest resources,” Mr Khin Mg Yi stressed. Click Read More below for additional information.

At the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS) in San Francisco, USA, Unilever committed to supporting work in Sabah, Malaysia as part of the strategy to achieving a deforestation free supply chain and further reducing emissions. Unilever will help sustainably certify 60,000 hectares in Sabah, Malaysia as part of a program led by Forever Sabah, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Malaysia and PONGO Alliance. Sabah is pushing to certify 100 percent of the state’s palm oil production to Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification by 2025. According to WWF, this will help to reduce 17 million metric tons of CO2e in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Unilever’s commitment will: • Look to cover 60,000 hectares with RSPO certification • Benefit approximately 200 to 300 palm oil farmers • Help restore two ecological corridors and two riparian reserves (area of habitat connecting wildlife population). Click Read More below for additional information.

UPM has been listed as the forest and paper industry leader in the in the Dow Jones European and World Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for 2018-2019 for the sixth time. "We create value by seizing the limitless potential of bioeconomy, this is what we are committed to do at UPM", says Sami Lundgren, Vice President, UPM Environment and Responsibility. Global megatrends and their impacts on the environment and society make it clear that a major turnaround in the use of non-renewable fossil-based products and materials is needed. As the leader of the bio-based forest industry UPM's mission is to be a part of the solution. Click Read More below for additional information.

At Domtar, our position as a forest products industry leader is rooted in our ability to focus on sustainability across our manufacturing processes. That’s apparent in the great progress we’ve made toward achieving our 2020 sustainability goals, especially through our waste-reduction initiatives. Much like using every part of a tree is a responsible forestry practice, the beneficial reuse of manufacturing byproducts is a key component of sustainable operations. In fact, 74 percent of our pulp and paper mills’ manufacturing byproducts now are beneficially reused instead of being thrown away. That’s much higher than our industry’s 47 percent average reuse rate. Since 2013 alone, our pulp and paper mills have reduced the amount of waste sent to landfills by 36 percent. Click Read More below for additional information.

Domtar products are part of everyday living for people around the world, and the forests where our products originate are home to a wide range of wildlife. That’s why protecting both habitats and resources is so important to us. Our conservation efforts are a foundational part of our sustainability philosophy of responsibility, efficiency and engagement. The most recent example of our ongoing commitment to wildlife management and conservation is a new partnership with the American Forest Foundation (AFF). This partnership will help private woodland owners in northwest Pennsylvania and southwest New York improve habitats for at-risk bird and wildlife species. Through these conservation efforts, we hope to increase the number of landowners engaged in active management of their properties, including the long-term production of sustainable wood fiber. We also plan to create, restore and enhance critical bird habitats across the area in a tangible, measurable and ecologically meaningful way. Click Read More below for additional information.

Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) released a comprehensive report that highlights efforts in support of caribou recovery across the country – along with a series of recommendations to the federal government that will help inform solutions to further preserve and enhance habitat for caribou and other species that inhabit Canada’s forests. The report includes a compendium of projects and initiatives taking place across the country as part of the Canadian forest products sector’s active efforts to support caribou recovery. The report highlights multiple factors impacting caribou populations, and the unique position Canada’s forestry professionals are in to support caribou recovery with science, research, and by advancing on the ground partnerships. Click Read More below for additional information.

3–7 September 2018 is Zero Waste Week, an annual awareness campaign for reducing landfill, increasing reuse and recycling, and helping to protect the environment. For Zero Waste Week, we’re exploring what zero waste is and what it means to DS Smith. ‘Zero waste’ is the idea that by making changes to the way we live, work, and use resources, we could eliminate all unnecessary waste from society. If all products could be designed so that they produce no waste by making all of their components reusable or recyclable, and if all people had access to reliable recycling services, we might be able to create a society where items will always be reused or recycled instead of being thrown away. Click Read More below for additional information.

Metsä Group has started cooperation with the Finnish 4H Organisation to strengthen young people’s relationship with forests and widen their understanding of forestry and the possibilities it offers. “Metsä Group is an important player in Finnish society. We employ a wide variety of jobs around the country and export products manufactured in Finland to international markets. Finnish forestry operates on a sustainable basis and its future outlook is very bright. The cooperation with the Finnish 4H aims to strengthen young peoples’ understanding of the economical, ecological and social significance of forestry as well as promote the excellent prospects the industry has to offer for the future both in Finland and globally,” says Juha Laine, SVP, Communications, Metsä Group. Click Read More below for additional information.