Sealed Air Corporation announced they have joined the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, a new global organization comprised of nearly 30 companies to date making a five-year commitment to invest $1.5 billion in solutions to help eliminate plastic waste in the environment. “The Alliance brings together key members across the value chain, from materials suppliers to waste management companies, to jointly develop solutions that minimize and manage plastic waste, as well as promote means to use waste plastics in a circular economy,” said Ted Doheny, Sealed Air President and CEO. “Our increased investments in innovation, including collaborations with partners such as the Alliance, will help us accelerate progress toward our 2025 sustainability goals.” Click read more below for additional detail.

The Finnish Parliament has yesterday 6 February 2019 approved a law that sets a gradually increasing 30% biofuels target for 2030. Furthermore, the law sets a world-leading advanced biofuels target of 10% in 2030. UPM welcomes the Finnish government's ambition to take transport decarbonisation seriously: "UPM is a leading producer of advanced biofuels as defined by the EU Renewable Energy Directive, and we consider this move by Finland as a bold step forward in setting concrete measures for transport decarbonisation," says Sari Mannonen, Vice President, UPM Biofuels. UPM produces wood-based UPM BioVerno renewable diesel at the Lappeenranta Biorefinery in Finland. Click read more below for additional detail.

The state of the province’s forestry sector is grim unless the McNeil government provides a short extension for the completion of Northern Pulp’s Wastewater Treatment Project. “We are ready and willing to see this project through,” said Kathy Cloutier, Director of Corporate Communications for Paper Excellence Canada. “Without a short extension, thousands of jobs throughout the province are at risk.” “We just need a little bit more time.” The proposed plan would mean untreated wastewater will no longer leave the Northern Pulp site prior to being treated and released into the Northumberland Strait. Click read more below for additional detail.

Forestry is to become more digital so the forest can be utilized in a more efficient and sustainable manner. This is SCA’s position and other players in the forest industry who are now launching the joint research program Mistra Digital Forest. Accessibility to major digital information flows is rapidly increasing and is creating new opportunities. By linking together the information flows, the forest industry can improve the efficiency and the added value of the forest at the same time as contributing to greater sustainability through more considerate forest operations. The Mistra Digital Forest research program will therefore focus on the digitalization of the entire forest value chain. “We consider this a very exciting and interesting project that is looking to the future. We can now become even more efficient in the way we use the forest and contribute to a more sustainable society,” says Magnus Bergman, head of technology and operational development at SCA, and continues: “We already work with many digital solutions, but this project offers the potential to form a closer link between the requirements of our sawmills and our method of calculating the optimal way of using the timber. The digital information gives us more opportunity to simplify work processes and provides better support to our machine operators. Click read more below for additional detail.

The chemical industry is faced with enormous challenges in meeting the climate goals set by the European Commission and growing sustainability expectations. Firstly, fossil energy must be further reduced. Secondly, product sustainability must be improved, both during the product’s use and at the end of its lifespan. Last but not least, resource efficiency must be improved, raw material consumption decreased, and ecologically harmful loss pathways must be minimised through the advancement of a stringent circular economy. However, something inextricably linked with the above challenges is oftentimes ignored: The chemical industry can only become a sustainable sector once it bids farewell for good to fossil raw materials such as crude oil, natural gas and coal, and uses nothing but renewable carbon as a raw material in organic chemistry. Click read more below for additional detail.

Metsä Board Corporation has been recognised by CDP for its leadership in developing supplier engagement to tackle climate change and manage carbon emissions. CDP, a non-profit global environmental disclosure platform, has awarded Metsä Board a coveted position on its third annual Supplier Engagement Rating leader board. The leader board comprises of companies from around the world that have been specifically identified as leaders in their efforts and actions to manage carbon emissions and address climate-related issues across their supply chains in the past CDP-reporting year. This recognition further builds upon Metsä Board’s recent achievement of being placed on the 2018 CDP A list for both climate change and water security. Metsä Board also scored A- in the CDP’s Forest programme. Click read more below for additional detail.

Several brands including Procter and Gamble Company, Unilever, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo recently announced their plan to participate in TerraCycle’s Loop Program that develops circular solutions for hard-to-recycle products and packaging. These companies have all agreed to distribute more products in reusable packaging in place of their current one-time-use, disposable packaging. The goal of Loop is to “provide materials to a company that can be used as a sustainable alternative to virgin materials; using less crude oil and instead utilizing a material that would normally be sent to landfill.” Read more about this innovative program at TerraCycle.com and find out more about how you can participate as a consumer at LoopStore.com. Click read more below for additional detail.

We are pleased to announce that the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the American Forest Foundation (AFF) have formed a new partnership to grow the amount of certified family and other small holdings in North America. Through this partnership, SFI and AFF are working together on a Small Lands Group Certification Module (Module), an innovative way to grow certified family lands and small holdings by building on the foundation of SFI's Fiber Sourcing Standard, and drawing on the strengths of the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) forest management standard. Under this Small Lands Module, companies certified to the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard will be able to form a new type of certification group to certify small lands within their wood and fiber supply area. Click read more below for additional detail.

The investments of recent years have had a positive effect on both the levels of energy use and CO2 emissions at the Laakirchen paper mill. This improvement is demonstrated clearly by the Paper and Carbon Profiles, which represent the established method within the industry of showing environmental impact and provide an overview of the relevant parameters. Moreover, Laakirchen Papier AG voluntarily commissioned Quality Austria to undertake an examination of these calculations. During 2017, Laakirchen Papier completed a variety of reconstruction and extension measures, in the course of which the raw material used was switched from primary to secondary fibres. This change has contributed greatly to a reduction in the electricity requirement and CO2 emissions during the production of SC paper (product name “Grapho”) to levels that are considerably lower than those prior to the reconstruction and expansion work. Click read more below for additional detail.

Between 2005 and 2015, U.S. forests grew by the equivalent of 2,740 NFL football fields each day. That’s a total of almost 1.3 million acres a year! In the U.S., we grow many more trees than we harvest. In fact, there are 20% more trees today than there were on the first Earth Day Celebration in 1970. Yet, our nation consumes more paper products than many parts of the world. How can this be? It turns out that consumption of paper and other wood products, along with sustainable forest management, is essential to maintaining this growth. Click read more below for additional detail.

Government regulation can be a blessing or a burden. In every case, it’s the result of a public process. In contrast, says Domtar CEO John D. Williams, too many of today’s extra-governmental, voluntary programs — shadow regulations — fall short of this process. Shadow regulations are built on opaque algorithms and are of nebulous value, and they threaten the very transparency that legitimate sustainability regulations are supposed to advance. Recently, Williams spoke to the Charlotte Economics Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, to highlight our commitment to sustainable manufacturing as well as his concern about organizations that solicit and aggregate corporate data and rate companies without transparency or a remedy for inaccuracies. Click read more below for additional detail.

Greif, Inc. announced that it was awarded an A- score for environmental leadership by the non-profit organization CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project). CDP operates a global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage the impact they make on the environment. The A- Leadership distinction outpaces the overall average of a B- score, along with the North America regional average of C on a scale from A to F. "We are thrilled that our efforts in environmental sustainability have been recognized by the CDP," said Pete Watson, Greif's president and chief executive officer. "Environmental impact and management both factor strongly into the decisions we make as a company in the present and with our future strategy. We will continue to enhance our standing as a leader in environmental stewardship." Click read more below for additional detail.

Illegal logging and the international trade in illicitly harvested timber is a serious crime estimated to account for 15-30% of all timber traded1. It is most prevalent and persistent in tropical forest areas worldwide. Illegal logging undermines the legal trade in forest products by depressing prices, contributes to national and global insecurity by spreading corruption and funding militias, affects the health, safety, and livelihoods of communities, and is responsible for deforestation, habitat loss, species extinction, contributions to global warming. It is arguably the greatest and most vexing challenge faced by those seeking to preserve working forests, particularly in tropical regions. Click read more below for additional detail.

The Navigator Company has been rated as a global leader on corporate climate action by environmental impact non-profit CDP, achieving a place on the CDP Climate Change A List. Diogo da Silveira, CEO of The Navigator Company said that "We are proud of this international recognition from CDP and our aim is to go even further: be a Carbon Neutral Company by 2035". The Navigator Company has been recognized for its actions in the last reporting year to cut emissions, mitigate climate risks and develop the low-carbon economy, based on its 2018 disclosure to CDP. Click read more below for additional detail.

UPS announced the company has been highlighted as a global leader for its corporate climate action efforts by CDP (formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project). “It’s rewarding to see UPS’s efforts to cut emissions, mitigate climate risks and develop the low-carbon economy being recognized,” said Tamara Barker, chief sustainability officer at UPS and vice president of environmental affairs. “UPS will continue to look for ways to lessen its environmental impacts as it’s important for companies to step up to do their part.” Click read more below for additional detail.

Metsä Board has once again been highlighted as a global leader in corporate sustainability by CDP, a non-profit global environmental disclosure platform, by achieving a place on the CDP A List for both climate change and water security. This is the fourth consecutive year that the company has been included on the CDP Water A List and the third consecutive year on the CDP Climate A List. Metsä Board also scored A- in the CDP’s Forest programme. Metsä Board is among the top 27 companies placed on the global Water A List. This achievement is in recognition of Metsä Board’s actions in the last reporting year to manage water more sustainably. Additionally, Metsä Board is among the top 126 of companies featured on the global Climate A List. This positioning is a recognition for the company’s activities in cutting emissions, mitigating climate risks and developing the low-carbon economy. In 2018, over 7,000 companies disclosed through CDP. Click read more below for additional detail.

UPM has been ranked on the 23rd place in the list of 100 most sustainable corporations by the Corporate Knights, the Canadian-based media and research company. UPM is the only company listed in the Paper and Forest Products category. On the same date the company is also highlighted as a global leader on the CDP Forest A List. Corporate Knights analysed some 7,500 companies with revenues more than USD 1 billion. The Global 100 Index use determined quantitative sustainability indicators, including carbon productivity (revenue-to-tonne-CO2 ratio), the percentage of taxes paid and board gender diversity, for example. 50 per cent of each company's score measures the percentage of revenues earned from products and services that have environmental or well-defined social benefits. Click read more below for additional detail.

Stora Enso has been top-rated in combatting global warming by the international non-profit organisation CDP, which works to build a sustainable global economy. CDP has included Stora Enso on its new 2018 Climate A List, which identifies the global companies that are taking leadership in climate action. “We are proud of this recognition of our long-term work to reduce our emissions,” says Noel Morrin, EVP Sustainability at Stora Enso. “For over a decade we have been actively reducing the energy intensity of our operations and our dependence on fossil fuels. In December 2017, Stora Enso became the first forest products company to set ambitious science-based targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout our value chain.” Click read more below for additional detail.

2019 is a very special year for the PEFC family as together we celebrate our 20th anniversary. Before the birth of PEFC, forest certification was designed primarily for large-scale forest owners, managing huge areas of land and able to shoulder the burden of certification. But this meant the millions of small-, family and community forest owners were shut out, unable to afford a certification that was not created for them. It was back in 1999 when European small-forest owners came together to create an international forest certification system that had their needs at heart. On 30 June 1999, PEFC was created! “Having no certification system suitable for smallholders was a serious issue back in the 90s,” said Ben Gunneberg, the CEO of PEFC International since the very beginning. “Not only for the many small-forest owners that could not benefit from certification, but also for the world.” Click read more below for additional detail.

Bloomberg, Cox Enterprises, Gap Inc., Salesforce, and Workday, with guidance from LevelTen Energy and its renewable energy procurement platform, closed 42.5 megawatts of a 100 megawatt North Carolina solar project by global renewable energy developer, service provider and wholesaler, BayWa r.e. This group of companies, coming together as the Corporate Renewable Energy Aggregation Group, is the first example of companies aggregating similar, relatively small amounts of renewable energy demand to collaboratively enter into a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA), collectively acting as the anchor tenant for a large offsite renewable energy project. The unprecedented coordination between five international businesses lays the groundwork for other corporates to procure renewable energy cooperatively, maximizing value and reducing risk. The five members of the group, with support from the Business Council on Climate Change (BC3) and the Business Renewables Center (BRC), began collaborating in late 2017. Many potential renewable energy purchasers have historically been faced with a key problem: businesses looking to procure smaller energy loads have been unable to contract directly with large offsite renewable energy projects due to limited energy demand. This has so far restricted business’s ability to catalyze the development of new renewable energy projects. To solve this problem, the group evaluated several mechanisms for aggregating smaller amounts of renewable energy demand to afford them the collective buying power that is typically necessary to contract directly with a large offsite renewable energy project. Click read more below for additional detail.

PEFC invites stakeholders globally to nominate candidates for the Certification Body Requirements for Chain of Custody Revision Working Group and for our newly established permanent Sustainable Forest Management Working Group. The nomination deadline is 6 February 2019. Please ensure that your nomination represents one or more of the five stakeholder categories below: -Certified PEFC scheme users: forest owners and managers; forest based industry (processing and trade) (max. 5). -Uncertified PEFC scheme users: PEFC scheme assessors; certification bodies; accreditation bodies; consultants (max. 5). -Customers and consumers: retailer organizations; consumer organizations; institutional consumers of forest based products, including governments (max. 5). -Civil society: science, environmental, social and other interest groups (max. 5). -PEFC National Governing Body members (max. 5). Click read more below for additional detail.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) is pleased to name Melina Gerosa Bellows as SFI’s Chief Education Officer. She oversees the overall strategy and implementation of initiatives under SFI's Education pillar. Prior to joining SFI, Bellows worked at National Geographic for 17 years, where she created and launched the award-winning National Geographic Kids brand and served as Chief Education Officer overseeing all of the children's businesses. Bellows is also a best-selling author and an award-winning freelance writer and blogger. “Melina is a visionary leader who believes in the power of words and education to transform lives and the world we all share. Her ability to reach and inspire youth, combined with SFI’s rapidly growing presence in the education space is going to have a huge impact on the next generation and how they care for forests,” said Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI Inc. Click read more below for additional detail.

Berry Global Group, Inc. proudly announces they have joined the Alliance to End Plastic Waste as a founding member. This new organization is currently comprised of 27 companies and is making an initial five-year, $1.5 billion commitment to invest in solutions to eliminate plastic waste in the environment. “This Alliance is different from other organizations in that it spans the value chain. Brand owners, plastic resin producers, chemical companies, converters like ourselves, as well as waste management companies and recyclers, all aligned towards a common goal of how we ultimately end plastic waste,” said Tom Salmon, Chairman and CEO of Berry Global Group, Inc. In addition to the Company’s efforts with the Alliance, Berry also partners with key organizations to encourage recycling as well as internal efforts to improve product recyclability and increase offerings with recycled content. Click read more below for additional detail.

Hydropower is clean and renewable, but harnessing energy from running water can disrupt aquatic ecosystems. New solutions are being tested to help restore fish stocks. While the sun and wind can be unpredictable, hydropower is an emission-free, renewable method of generating electricity that comes with an added advantage: it is rapidly adjustable. There is no debating that hydropower plants have had a significant effect on migratory fish stocks, as they create obstructions that prevent fish from returning to their home stream for spawning. In certain locations, stocks have collapsed to an endangered level. Finland has adopted a National Fish Passage Strategy prioritising the restoration of the natural reproductive cycle of migratory fish in harnessed waterways. This government programme has seen an additional EUR 8 million in funding allocated for the restoration of fish stocks. Collaborative projects have already been completed in ten different river systems. Restoring fish stocks and preserving biodiversity is a long-term effort requiring committed work for many years into the future. Click read more below for additional detail.

We have updated our training schedule with two options for online update trainings in March, each held on two half days. Experienced auditors that need to attend a PEFC recognized training can sign up for one of those online trainings. One will be held on 6 and 7 March 2019, both days from 13:30 - 17:00 CET, the other one on 13 and 14 March 2019 from 9:00 - 12:30 CET. The fee for each of the trainings is CHF 500. The online training is a form of blended learning. You will do an online case study exercise in preparation for the online classroom training. The training will update you on PEFC activities, key elements of the PEFC Chain of Custody standard and discussion of the case study exercise. You will receive a certificate of attendance after successful completion of the course. With this certificate you can demonstrate compliance with the PEFC training requirements. Click read more below for additional detail.

EcoVadis is the leading system for evaluating and rating global corporations’ suppliers, and has conducted over 45 000 assessments in 150 countries. Companies using EcoVadis’ services include Coca Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, L’Oréal and Heineken. “We’ve been working hard for some time on integrating sustainability issues into all aspects of our business instead of viewing them as separate issues. This is one of many testaments that Holmen and our paperboard mills have a very strong sustainability profile,” said Elin Swedlund, sustainability manager at the Holmen Group. Both Iggesund Mill and its sister facility in Workington were assigned Gold Standard, the highest rating. This means both paperboard mills are among the top one per cent of all companies assessed by EcoVadis, and among the top two per cent of paper industry companies assessed. Click read more below for additional detail.

Do you prefer to receive important documents digitally or on paper? Either way, we believe you should be able to choose. Unfortunately, corporations don’t often give consumers a choice between digital and paper communications. The default is frequently digital, and consumers can find it difficult to revert to paper communications. To make matters more challenging, the choice to receive paper often comes at a cost. Keep Me Posted advocates for your right to choose how you receive information — printed or digitally. The campaign also asks companies to eliminate the extra fees associated with paper communications and to ask consumers for consent before replacing paper with digital documents. “We are a pro-citizens’-rights campaign. We are standing up for people who may be disadvantaged by their lack of choice on how to receive important communications, and for people who don’t agree to the switch to digital that is being imposed on them,” says Phil Riebel, president of Two Sides North America, the organization that developed and operates the North American campaign. “Our goal is to generate grassroots support to protect the consumer’s right to choose between paper, digital and any other available delivery method,” says Riebel. “We present independent research to quantify negative impacts and penalties for consumers who are denied paper communications, and we monitor service providers’ digital communication policies, both to educate consumers and to urge companies to do the right thing by giving consumers free and viable choices.” Click read more below for additional detail.

APRIL Group was announced as the winner of the Best UN Sustainable Development Goals Program Award at the Sustainable Business Awards (SBAs) Indonesia. The award recognizes APRIL Group for its work to measure the impact of its operations and strategically align its sustainability investments moving forward, using the global framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the SBA ceremony at the Mandarin Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sihol Aritonang, President Director, PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper, the operating arm of APRIL Group, accepted the award from the Minister of National Development Planning, Indonesia, Bambang Brodjonegoro, and Shinta Kamdani, President, Indonesia Business Council for Sustainable Development (IBCSD). APRIL also received a Special Recognition award in the Business Responsibility and Ethics category. Click read more below for additional detail.

Glatfelter announced that it has entered into a consent decree with the United States Government, the State of Wisconsin, and Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products, under which Glatfelter expects to fully resolve its liability for the Lower Fox River and Green Bay environmental remediation and related Superfund litigation. The consent decree is subject to approval by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. The Lower Fox River and Green Bay site involves the remediation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from the bed of the river, and has been the source of complex, multi-party litigation since 2008. Under the terms of the settlement, Glatfelter agrees to pay to the United States $20.5 million to resolve all claims for past government cleanup, enforcement, and oversight costs and natural resources damages. Glatfelter will also be responsible for payment of future oversight costs. In addition, Glatfelter will be primarily responsible to perform the long-term monitoring and maintenance work in certain portions of the site, with Georgia-Pacific performing that work in other portions of the site. Click read more below for additional detail.

Hans who is responsible for sustainability issues in the SCA Forestry business area, will be new Director General of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) International. The Forest Stewardship Council is an international member organization that works for environmentally adapted, socially responsible and economically viable use of the world's forests. During the 25 years since the FSC was founded, they have created a certification system that gathers environmental organizations, industrial representatives, trade unions, indigenous population and other stakeholders for solution-oriented dialogue on forestry. Click read more below for additional detail.

Domtar is taking the lead in educating the next generation of paper industry professionals about our supply chain, paper production, sustainably forestry initiatives and more. Our mill in Kingsport, Tennessee, recently hosted a networking and educational event for sales and marketing professionals from several of our merchant partners. The participants, who are relatively new to the paper industry, came away from the event with a better understanding of how we source trees, make paper and follow sustainable practices. The event included industry and company overviews, a tour of the Kingsport Mill, a meeting with mill leaders, a visit to the Ridgefields converting facility and presentations from various Domtar professionals, including those in sustainability and marketing. Click read more below for additional detail.

Klabin’s Puma unit in Ortigueira, Paraná was awarded ISO 50001 certification, making it the first plant in the country’s pulp and paper industry to follow the best practices required by said certification. This recognition attests to the unit's efforts to improve its energy performance and efficiency just little more than two years after its start-up. “The certification, which was obtained after a series of audits, reinforces Klabin’s commitment to sustainable development and recognizes the engagement and dedication of all professionals involved in the topic, whether employees, contractors or suppliers," said Sadi Oliveira, Industrial Pulp Officer at Klabin. “We’re very pleased with the certification, which represents yet another achievement.” Click read more below for additional detail.

The holiday season is fun, festive and a time meant for giving. It’s joyous to decorate and make gifts look fancy, but the added touches for allure can cause confusion on what to recycle once the fun has ended. Our homes are filled with cards from family and friends, cardboard boxes from shopping online to find the right gift and wrapping materials to ensure the surprise is spectacular. But which of these are recyclable? Here are some tips to help you make the right decision on whether to put these common holiday items in the recycling or the trash bin. Remember: when it doubt, throw it out. “Wishcycling”—the act of putting something in your recycling bin in the hope that someone, somewhere will figure out what to do with it along the way—actually impedes the recycling process. Click read more below for additional detail.

Set-up by APRIL Group, a leading producer of fiber, pulp and paper, RER is managed under 60-year ecosystem restoration licenses issued by the government of Indonesia. A key element of the program is the use of an integrated production protection ring landscape model, where plantation operations on the perimeter of the restoration area not only provide protection from fire and encroachment, but also support ecosystem restoration and forest protection. The RER program has achieved some extraordinary results since work began, including the documenting of the presence of hundreds of species of fauna and flora and the total absence of fire from the concessions. As of June 2018, there are now 757 recorded plants and animal species resident in the RER area, ranging from birds, reptiles to diversify trees and plants. Click read more below for additional detail.

“Costco’s private-label brand encompasses a diverse portfolio of product categories. By joining How2Recycle, Costco is empowering their members to properly prepare a wide array of packaging types and materials for recycling. Costco is well poised to help recover large quantities of material by featuring consistent, accurate recycling messaging on package,” said Caroline Cox, How2Recycle project associate. Costco will be rolling out the label on a variety of packages including Kirkland Signature Organic Raw Kombucha Ginger Lemonade, Baby Wipes and Facial Wipes. Click read more below for additional detail.

The American Forest & Paper Association recently recognized our Hawesville Mill in Kentucky for its water conservation efforts with a 2018 Leadership in Sustainability Award. Hawesville water conservation efforts will save nearly 3.2 million gallons of water per day. Hawesville Mill applied continuous improvement principles to make small, relatively inexpensive upgrades, repairs and process changes that not only save money but, more importantly, also conserve vital water resources for our operations and the ecosystem around our facility. Click read more below for additional detail.

Gabon’s aspiration to become a world leader in certified tropical wood has taken a big step towards realization, following a special certification forum organized by the Ministry of Water and Forests in late November. Responding to the recent declaration by President Ali Bongo Ondimba that all Gabon’s forest concessions are to be certified by 2022, the forum was organized to develop concrete steps in order to reach this target. The most significant move was the recommendation from stakeholders to the government that all forest concessions within the country should be able to prove the legality of their wood by 2022. Furthermore, all concessions should be moving towards certification, such as PAFC (PEFC members in central Africa) by 2024. Click read more below for additional detail.

American Forest & Paper Association President and CEO Donna Harman issued the following statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers announcement of a new proposed Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. “We are pleased to see action being taken on an issue that has stymied past administrations. Stakeholders, including forest products manufacturers and state and local governments, deserve the clarity and certainty that this rule provides as they work to ensure our nation’s waters are clean. As one of the largest manufacturing sectors in the nation with a successful record of implementing sustainable manufacturing principles, we consider that a ‘win-win’ for the environment and economic growth and job creation.”

After significant consultation with key stakeholders, Canada’s Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry released a report entitled: “Feast or Famine: Impacts of climate change and carbon pricing on agriculture, agri-food and forestry.” Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) was very pleased to participate in this important dialogue, which culminated in the publication of today’s report. The Senate findings included a list of 16 recommendations, many of which underscore the importance of the Canada’s forests and the forest products sector in addressing the climate change challenge. Click read more below for additional detail.

UPM increases the IFRS fair value of its forest assets in Finland, mainly due to higher forest growth estimates. In addition, the company adjusts its long-term wood price estimates slightly. The impact of these changes on the fair value of forest assets is approximately EUR 320 million and will be reported as an item affecting comparability in Q4 2018 under Other operations. The updated forest growth model indicates higher forest growth volumes that are explained mainly by sustainable forest management. "UPM's own forests are strategic source for UPM's wood supply. Active, timely and sustainable forest management combined with high quality seedling material have increased UPM's own forests' growth significantly over the years. Increasing forest growth and carbon sequestration enable higher sustainable harvesting volumes from UPM's own forests now and in the future," says Sauli Brander, Senior Vice President, Wood Sourcing and Forestry Northern Europe. Click read more below for additional detail.

UPM Raflatac is pleased to announce its RafCycle® recycling solution has expanded to the United States and Canada. Now, brands in this region can give new life to their self-adhesive label waste that would otherwise be landfilled. Converter and printer Fort Dearborn Company as well as several brand owners are participating in the launch. UPM Raflatac collects the paper and PET liner waste from its RafCycle partners and recycles it into new materials, which provides numerous benefits to printers, packers, brand-owners, and, of course, the environment. Turning waste into a resource is a key concept in the circular economy and an important part of UPM Raflatac's approach to labeling a smarter future beyond fossils. Collaboration across the value chain is important to making the RafCycle program successful in delivering more sustainable packaging solutions. Click read more below for additional detail.

European institutions have agreed on the Renewable Energy Directive REDII for the 2020s after the European Council adopted the agreement made earlier this summer. UPM welcomes the agreement that will increase the use of renewable energy to 32% in 2030 and requires 14% bioenergy to be used in transport. All the EU member states are obliged to implement a binding advanced biofuel blending mandate starting 2022. UPM Biofuels is one of the front-runners in the advanced biofuels industry. The UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery, the world's first to produce wood-based renewable diesel and naphtha on a commercial scale, has proven the potential as a significant producer of truly sustainable advanced biofuels. UPM BioVerno, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions by over 80% compared with fossil fuels, has found a solid marketplace. Click read more below for additional detail.

There was a long period when having a live Christmas tree was a big no-no, for reasons I can no longer remember. First, folks got upset about people buying trees instead of cutting their own. Then there was the controversy about people getting their own instead of cutting one. Actually, I think it had more to do with the disposal of the tree than anything else. There are a staggering 25 million to 30 million trees purchased every year in the U.S. Burning them in the chimney creates creosote problems. Landfill space is scarce and expensive. A live tree can stay in the house for about four weeks at most, then spend the next four centuries in the landfill. This is not a sustainable practice when you consider the number of trees involved. Click read more below for additional detail.

Kimberly-Clark, along with its partners from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), were honored by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) with a 2018 Leadership Award for Kimberly-Clark and WWF's "Heart Your Planet" collaboration. The program was unanimously selected for the Uncommon Partnership award for its success in engaging consumers to look for the WWF Panda logo and FSC® label on product packaging to support responsible forest management. "Kimberly-Clark continues to lead the U.S. tissue industry as a producer and influencer in promoting the importance of making more responsible products that use FSC®-certified fiber," said Jay Gottleib, president of Kimberly-Clark's North American Family Care business. "We are proud to have the WWF Panda logo and FSC® label printed on our packaging. This shows our support for these organizations, and demonstrates to our consumers that by using their favorite paper towel, facial and bath tissue, they are helping protect our forests." Click read more below for additional detail.

COP24 starts today, and once again, climate change is in the global spotlight. At PEFC, we have spent nearly 20 years helping to mitigate climate change through the promotion of sustainable forest management. With the inclusion of trees outside forests, we are now further enhancing our positive impact. We know that healthy, well-managed forests help combat climate change. By capturing and storing carbon, forests remove significant volumes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Through certification, we demonstrate their responsible management and enhance the value to these forests, ensuring they remain forests and continue to carry out their vital climate change mitigation actions. Click read more below for additional detail.

Cardboard boxes — corrugated packaging, in industry speak — are the most widely-recycled packaging material in the nation. In 2017, nearly 90 percent of cardboard boxes used in the U.S. were recovered for recycling. Most cardboard boxes are used for shipments of consumer products to retailers. Many of these large stores – think Walmart, Target, supermarket chains and shopping malls – have machines onsite to turn the unpacked cardboard boxes into neat bales of broken down, flat cardboard that are then sold to paper recyclers. It’s an efficient process that delivers optimum quality material to make new cardboard boxes. The rise of e-commerce has many people turning to the internet for their shopping, leading to a lot of cardboard boxes being delivered directly to consumers’ homes instead of retailers. The recovery rate of cardboard boxes from households varies, but tends to be lower than the rate from retail stores. Click read more below for additional detail.

When you’re wrapped up in the excitement of Christmas, keeping sustainability in mind can be difficult. That’s why we’ve put together these handy guidelines to illustrate just how simple it can be to have a green Christmas! https://www.dssmith.com/recycling/insights/blogs/2018/11/christmas-recycling

Forest Stewardship Council announced its 2018 FSC Leadership Awards in a celebration to be held in conjunction with the Greenbuild Conference. Recognizing enduring commitments to forest conservation, the Awards highlight the people and companies whose work demonstrates uncommon excellence in the field of responsible forest management. “FSC received an unusually large number of Awards submissions this year, which indicates the high level of enthusiasm, passion, and progress that powers FSC’s growth today,” said Corey Brinkema, president of the Forest Stewardship Council U.S. “This year’s winners demonstrate that we can in fact conserve forests even as we use forest products in our businesses and our daily lives,” he added. Click read more below for additional detail.

Earlier this year, Starbucks sent 18 truckloads of old paper cups to a paper mill in Wisconsin to prove a point: Contrary to a widespread myth, paper coffee cups can be recycled cost-effectively. The cups–25 million in total, from excess inventory that the coffee chain otherwise would have sent to landfill–were processed at the mill. Then the recycled fiber was sent to another partner to be incorporated into paperboard for new Starbucks cups. The pilot project was a way to “demonstrate that a coffee cup can be turned back into a coffee cup,” says Jay Hunsberger, VP of sales for North America from Sustana, the mill that recycled the old cups. At the mill, the cups were mixed with water and ground into a pulp with a seven-foot-tall corkscrew to begin to separate the plastic lining that helps keep coffee cups from getting soggy. The fibers were screened and washed to finish the separation, then made into sheets and sent to WestRock, a packaging company, to be made into paperboard. At a third company, Seda, the board was printed with the Starbucks logo and shaped into new cups. Click read more below for additional detail.

UPM has published a new biodiversity commitment, which is one of the company's responsibility targets for 2030. The new commitment and programme will be presented today at the Conference of the Parties (COP14) of the United Nations' Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The aim of the commitment is to continuously improve the diversity of UPM's own forests in Finland. The company owns 570,000 hectares of forest, and managing these forests sustainably is essential to ensure the supply of wood. UPM's own forests are strategically significant for wood supply, forest research, development of industry's best practices and training of employees. Improving biodiversity is part of the company's sustainable forest management. This protects water resources, promotes multiple use of forests and ensures the growth of forests that act as carbon sinks to mitigate climate change. Click read more below for additional detail.

South Africa has become the latest country to achieve PEFC endorsement of its national forest certification system, which is great news for the country’s many small-forest owners. “We are excited and energized to receive PEFC endorsement of our national system,” said Craig Norris, Chairman of the South African Forestry Assurance Scheme (SAFAS). “We have been working for five years to find solutions that will make forest certification accessible to the many smaller scale forestry operations within our country.” Click read more below for additional detail.

The annual Green Apple Awards, which recognise, reward, and promote environmental best practice around the world, saw Nicholas Power, Head of Key Accounts and Supplier Management at DS Smith Recycling, collect the award on 12th of November 2018 at a carbon-neutral ceremony in the Houses of Parliament. DS Smith won the award due to its long-standing partnership with Tesco, which has seen the national retailer divert 100% of its residual waste from landfill. The company was also recognised for its wide range of innovative projects, including logistics excellence, having helped Tesco to double the amount of waste carried in one load, which has halved the number of trips required for transporting waste streams. “We’re pleased to have received this award for environmental best practice, which highlights the dedication of teams across Tesco and DS Smith in allowing this partnership to achieve its full potential. Click read more below for additional detail.

The US shopping phenomenon is now part of the British retail calendar. So how can we ensure that Black Friday doesn’t negatively impact on recycling systems, and ensure that the packaging that protects all those goods that we buy does actually get recycled? Tom Campbell-White, European Strategic Development Director at DS Smith Recycling, explains. Since landing on our shores in 2010, Black Friday, and its younger sibling Cyber Monday, have led to a sharp spike in purchases made both online and instore over the third weekend in November, leading to the weekend being known as the “holiday shopping weekend”. According to research by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), three-quarters of retailers offered some form of promotion last year, and sales online far exceeded those on the high street. Research from November 2017 showed that 72% of people shopped on their computers or their phones,1 but this year, e-commerce sales are expected to be even higher – 98% of Black Friday shoppers in the UK are planning to shop online.2 Click read more below for additional detail.

PEFC invites stakeholders around the world to comment on the revised national forest certification system of Luxembourg, following its submission to PEFC for re-endorsement. To give your feedback, head to our Online Consultation Tool. PEFC Luxembourg joined the PEFC alliance back in 2002 and first achieved endorsement of its system in 2005. The national system was re-endorsed in both 2010 and 2014, and there are now over 35,000 hectares of PEFC-certified forest area in the country. We need your comments! The deadline is 14 January 2019. Click read more below for additional detail.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) is pleased to announce the election of four new members to its board of directors: Lillian “Ebonie” Alexander, Executive Director, Black Family Land Trust; Kevin Edgson, President and CEO, EACOM Timber Corporation; Brent Keefer, President, Hancock Timber Resource Group; and Dan Lambe, President, Arbor Day Foundation. These new board members will not only advance SFI’s work within its four pillars – standards, conservation, education, and community – but will strengthen the intersections between them. “These four board members join us at a critical juncture given SFI’s current work to set our strategic direction for the next five years. I’m looking forward to working closely with each of them and am confident that their diverse experience and leadership skills will bring fresh perspective to SFI’s future plans,” said Mark Rodgers, President and CEO, Habitat for Humanity Canada and Chair of the SFI Board of Directors. “The diversity and independence of our board is one of SFI’s defining characteristics and a foundation for our success. Each board member brings a range of impressive talents and skills to the table and I’m eager to see us all working together on behalf of sustainable forests,” said Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI Inc. Click read more below for additional detail.

Midland Paper Packaging & Supplies today announced that Bill Rojack, Vice President, has been elected to the Two Sides North America Board of Directors. Two Sides is a global independent non-profit organization created to promote sustainability as well as the responsible production and use of print and paper. An initiative by companies from the Graphic Communications Industry (including forestry, pulp, paper, finishing, publishing, printing, envelopes, and postal operators), Two Sides’ goal is to dispel common environmental misconceptions by providing users with verifiable information on why Print and Paper is an attractive, practical and sustainable communication medium. Midland Paper has supported Two Sides in their important work since Two Sides NA established its North American presence in 2011. Says Rojack, “I’m excited to take a leadership role in an organization I consider critical to the forest products industry. Two Sides NA doesn’t just promote the importance of print and paper, it advocates for truth and clarity vs. mis-messaged environmental claims and greenwashing. Click read more below for additional detail.

American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Donna Harman commended the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for organizing the America Recycles Day Recycling Summit. On Thursday afternoon, she will join industry executives in addressing the EPA headquarter-based summit and in signing an EPA pledge to help identify solutions to issues facing the U.S. recycling system. “Our industry shares concerns over the challenges facing the U.S. recycling system. Recovered paper markets are complex, dynamic and efficient, yet the paper and paper-packaging industry continues to innovate and adapt to market demands to drive future success. Moreover, paper, by weight, is the most recycled material from municipal solid waste streams in the United States today, and we have met or exceeded a 63 percent recovery rate for paper and paper-based packaging for each of the last nine years. Click read more below for additional detail.

“What is the value PEFC as a sustainability organisation can deliver – beyond certification?” asked Ben Gunneberg, PEFC International CEO and Secretary General, during his reflections at the 23rd PEFC General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. “Currently, around 10% of forests are certified globally, and our current approach is certainly suitable to more than double this number, but we now need to start addressing the needs of the remaining 80% of global forestry to ensure it too becomes sustainable and is key in addressing societal challenges such as climate change.” “Sustainable forest management is goes beyond safeguarding forest as an ecosystem. It is also about securing sustainable livelihoods for the hundreds of millions of people living, working and depending on forests. It is also about rural communities, about indigenous people, about small, family run enterprises, providing countless jobs far away from cities. “It is about all of us truly valuing the numerous benefits forests provide us with.” Click read more below for additional detail.

As the PEFC alliance grows, we continue to work together as a global team, collaborating and supporting each other: moving forward together – and 2018 has been a great example of this. From increasing access to PEFC certification for smallholders through Trees outside Forests, to collaborating with the fashion industry to promote the use of innovative forest-based fibres, we are unlocking new opportunities for certification. We are driving innovation through projects and partnerships worldwide, not forgetting vital outreach with key sectors such as the architect and construction community and awareness raising with consumers through our photo contest. Click read more below for additional detail.

At the annual meeting of Two Sides’ Country Managers in London on November 5th 2018, representatives from Australia, Europe, New Zealand, North America, South America and South Africa determined to continue efforts to stop organizations from making misleading, anti-print and paper claims in their customer communications. Since its inception, Two Sides’ anti-greenwash campaign has investigated 921 organizations worldwide. Of these, over two-thirds were found to be using unsubstantiated claims regarding paper’s impact on the environment, usually in breach of local advertising regulations. After being challenged by Two Sides, a total of 335 organizations have now removed or changed their messaging. In a joint statement, Two Sides’ Country Managers stated: “We are thrilled to be able to report the latest global anti-greenwash results. The Anti-Greenwash campaign is such an important initiative because without Two Sides’ intervention there would be no other body holding these organizations to account. But despite the success of the campaign, as well as clear rules on unsubstantiated environmental claims, greenwash tactics are still commonplace. Everyday, new claims are brought to the attention of Two Sides, from some of the world’s largest companies telling tens-of-millions of their customers that paper is bad for the environment.” Click read more below for additional detail.

November is a great month to renew your commitment to reduce, reuse, recycle, and buy recycled! Did you know the national recycling rate has increased over the past 30 years to its current rate of 34%? The paper recycling rate is even higher! In 2017, 65.8 percent of the paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling. This is double the annual paper recovery rate since 1990. To read more about this incredible paper recycling success story, visit PaperRecycles.org. In an effort to increase recycling across the country, Keep America Beautiful started the initiative, America Recycles Day, to encourage organized events that reduce total waste produced and maximize landfill diversion. It is the only nationally-recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States. In celebration and recognition of the day, we encourage everyone to take the #berecycled pledge. Click read more below for additional detail.

American Forest & Paper Association President and CEO Donna Harman issued the following statement regarding Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance to modernize ambient air policy under the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) program. EPA released a draft memo with the updated guidelines for receptor placement. “Applying decades-old ambient air policy under the NAAQS implementation program, represents an unrealistic ‘once-size-fits-all’ modeling approach. Paper and wood products manufacturers welcome EPA’s recognition that times and technology have changed by taking action to modernize ambient air policy. “By clarifying where the public is truly exposed, EPA eliminates many hypothetical modeling scenarios that can bog down projects unnecessarily. For example, assessments have been done for areas inside property boundaries where the public does not have legal access. Using receptor locations where the general public has legitimate and realistic access makes scientific and common sense. This action takes a long-overdue first step toward ensuring real-world air quality modeling is used to determine any air quality impacts from a project.”

Auditors from Bulgaria and surrounding countries are invited to join our PEFC Chain of Custody auditor training. The training takes place in Sofia, Bulgaria from 27-28 November 2018, and is specifically suited for both existing and future auditors, but interested consultants and companies are welcomed too. The training will take place at the Forest Institute at the BAS, Sofia, 132 "Kl.Ohridski" Blvd. The cost for the two-day training is CHF 500 per person. The training will be in English, with simultaneous interpretation in Bulgarian language provided. You will receive a certificate of attendance after successful completion of the course. With this certificate you can demonstrate compliance with the PEFC training requirements. Click read more below for additional detail.

UPM celebrates its 20th anniversary in China with a ceremony at the national booth of Finland at the China International Import EXPO (CIIE) together with government officials from Finland and China, business partners and customers. During the ceremony, Jussi Pesonen, President and CEO of UPM and Bernd Eikens, Executive Vice President of UPM Specialty Papers shared UPM's continued commitment and vision for the Chinese market. In the past 20 years, UPM has invested more than USD 2 billion in China, which is the single largest investment from Finland. UPM's environmental investments amount to USD 80 million. "UPM has witnessed the development of China's economy; which provides great potential for all of us," says Jussi Pesonen. "Today, we can proudly say that China plays an increasingly strategic role in UPM's global development. As China continues its transformation towards a green economy, we provide the most innovative and responsible forest-based solutions that support sustainable development." Click read more below for additional detail.

Smallholders are vital to the concept of meaningful sustainable commodity production. They are not only significant producers of wood-based and agricultural products, but they rely on forest and farm land for their livelihoods,” said Ben Gunneberg, CEO of PEFC International, speaking yesterday at Innovations Forum’s Sustainable Landscape Conference 2018. “If we fail to integrate them meaningfully into global supply chains, we fail in promoting sustainability in general and more specifically, the sustainable livelihoods of hundreds of million rural based families.” Addressing the unique needs of smallholders - which differ from country to country, from community to community, from sector to sector – requires bottom-up processes. Processes that ensure smallholders are an integral part of the conversation on establishing and securing the future of sustainable supply chains. “One size doesn’t fit all,” Mr Gunneberg emphasized. Click read more below for additional detail.

imberly-Clark Corporation has been recognized with two prominent awards for its efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint. The company received the 2018 Responsible Business Award for Climate Action from Ethical Corporation, and earned its sixth consecutive SmartWay® Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for leadership in freight supply chain environmental performance and energy efficiency. Kimberly-Clark won top honors for its global Energy & Climate program at the 9th annual Ethical Corporation Responsible Business Awards. The Climate Action Award recognized the company's innovative strategies to reduce the climate impacts of its operations through energy conservation, transformative LEAN energy management programs and the increased use of alternative energy sources including renewable energy. Click read more below for additional detail.

Join us at a special event in Singapore, 29 November, as we bring together two case studies to get regional actors collaborating. In a call for action, we will discuss new and emerging technologies to be utilized in sustainable forest management and responsible trade. The following organizations will highlight their commitment to sustainable forest management and responsible trade: PEFC International: We will share our experiences in helping stakeholders to develop systems in the region, especially for smallholders. Represented by: Richard Laity, Southeast Asia Development Officer. Trimble Forestry: Leading technology provider for integrated forestry solutions will be discussing the importance of forestry technology in Southeast Asia as well as providing live demos of their products. Represented by: Jani Kaskinen, Managing Director and Andrew Zhu, APAC Sales Manager. Double Helix: Innovation and technology in verification systems; scientific testing - DNA and Isotope analysis and document verification system at a consignment level. Represented by : Darren Thomas, CEO. Rumble Tools: Leveraging on the use of drones for assessment, monitoring and fighting fires. Represented by: Matti Naakka, Director, Naaka Enterprises. Click read more below for additional detail.

American Forest & Paper Association President and CEO Donna Harman issued the following statement regarding the joint Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Energy letter to Congress on biomass carbon neutrality. “We are encouraged that the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy and the United States Department of Agriculture are committed to taking action on the Congressional directive to produce clear, science-based policies that reflect the carbon neutrality of biomass and recognize it as a renewable energy source. More than seven years of policy uncertainty in this area jeopardizes our companies’ ability to invest in biomass and build and upgrade their facilities. Removing that barrier clears the way for future economic growth and job creation and helps ensure the U.S. is in step with global competitors. That’s a winning combination for everyone.” Click read more below for additional detail.

“We are ready and prepared to assist our country in achieving its objective to become the world leader in certified tropical timber,” said Rose Ondo, President of PAFC Gabon. "We share this ambition, which will increase the competitiveness of Gabonese forest products while at the same time safeguarding our unique forest ecosystem and improving the life of people and communities who depend on forests for their livelihoods." PAFC Gabon, as a grassroots organization that is governed and administered by local stakeholders, is well positioned to support its government’s goal of dramatically increasing both the uptake of certification and the expansion of sustainable forest management in the country. Click read more below for additional detail.

Repsol and Saica Natur have signed a new collaboration agreement in order to maximize the use of low density polyethylene film (LDPE) waste and take a new step in the transition towards a circular economy. With this project, Repsol and Saica Natur intend to combine their knowledge and skills to achieve new polyolefins that incorporate post-consumer recycled material. With a special goal to ensure quality consistency for more demanding applications, from the technical point of viewwhere recycling has hardly penetrated yet. This way, Saica Natur contributes not only with its expertise as a waste manager but also as a low density polyethylene (LDPE) recycled pellets producer. Repsol, the market leader in polyolefins in Spain and Portugal, provides the capabilities of its Technology Center, as well as its experience in the development of new products for its value chain. This agreement falls under Reciclex project, one of Repsol’s strategic pillars to promote the circular economy of its materials. Click read more below for additional detail.

The Virginia Department of Forestry today announced that it has certified all of Virginia’s State Forests to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and American Tree Farm System standards. These certified forests cover more than 68,000 acres. The state forests system is self-sustaining and receives no general funds, so they must support operations through timber sales like other private landowners. Certification of Virginia state forest lands demonstrates for Virginia landowners how certification can be part of their land management efforts while validating that working forests are sustainable. “The commitment to sustainability within Virginia State Forests began in 1919 with the gift of 588 acres of land in Prince Edward County from Emmett D. Gallion for the purpose of advancing the cause of forestry in Virginia,” said State Forests Manager Gary Heiser. “Since that time, the state forests have grown in acres, productivity and biological diversity through the dedication of many state forest employees committed to responsible forest management.” Click read more below for additional detail.

Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, has today become one of the first signatories of The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment which will work towards eliminating plastic pollution and creating 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable plastic packaging by 2025. Mondi has pledged to increase investment in research and development, and drive deeper collaboration throughout its supply chain to move away from non-renewable and non-recyclable plastic. It will use its expertise in paper-based and flexible plastic packaging to enhance its product design and thereby achieve 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable plastic packaging by 2025. Click read more below for additional detail.

With over 20,000 PEFC Chain of Custody certified companies worldwide, our Chain of Custody standard – in addition to delivering PEFC-certified products to the marketplace - has a tremendous impact on internal management processes of numerous businesses along the timber value chain. This means we must ensure the standard is the best it can be: that it is straightforward to use, that it meets customer expectations, and that it respects the integrity of our requirements and our system. We regularly review all of our standards to integrate best practices, lessons learnt, and stakeholder expectations, and the Chain of Custody standard is part of the current cycle of standards revision. Click read more below for additional detail.

Amcor Chief Executive Officer Ron Delia signed the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment on behalf of the company’s 33,000 people. The commitment, which is sponsored by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme, was announced today at the Our Ocean Conference in Bali, Indonesia. Amcor is a core partner of the EMF’s New Plastics Economy initiative. “Plastic packaging is vital for products used by billions of consumers around the globe,” said Amcor’s Mr. Delia. “It’s highly effective and easy to adapt, so that those products are safe, nutritious and effective. “We’re constantly innovating to make plastic packaging even better, including in protecting the environment.” For example, last month Amcor announced a breakthrough, flexible-plastic film that provides high-barrier protection, can be used in sterilized packaging and is recyclable. Click read more below for additional detail.

Sealed Air Corporation announced a bold sustainability and plastics pledge to design and advance their innovative packaging solutions to be 100% recyclable or reusable by 2025. The company will accelerate its use of recycled materials, expand reuse models for packaging and lead the collaboration with partners worldwide to ensure execution. “At Sealed Air, we strive to leave our world, environment and communities better than we found them by leading innovative efforts to create differentiated, sustainable solutions,” said Ted Doheny, Sealed Air President and CEO. “Our history of sustainability is strengthened through our new sustainability and plastics pledge and, as an industry leader, it’s our responsibility to build a waste-free future, keep our oceans clean and leave a lighter carbon footprint.” Click read more below for additional detail.

UPM Raflatac has signed up to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment among 250 organisations including many of the world's largest packaging producers, brands, retailers and recyclers, as well as governments and NGOs. The Global Commitment and its vision for a circular economy for plastic is led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with UN Environment. The commitment has been officially unveiled at the Our Ocean Conference in Bali today Monday, October 29. By signing the commitment UPM Raflatac wants to demonstrate its commitment to labeling a smarter future beyond fossils. By developing sustainable labeling solutions and partnerships UPM Raflatac supports brand owners in eliminating unnecessary plastic packaging and achieving their target of 100% of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. Click read more below for additional detail.

The Forest Management and Wetland Stewardship Initiative (FMWSI), a partnership between Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the forest industry, including Millar Western, has launched new reference materials to assist practicing foresters in minimizing operational impacts on waterfowl, their nests and eggs, also referred to as “incidental take”. The newly released resources comprise Forestry and Waterfowl: Assessing and Mitigating Risk – Technical Report and the companion plain-language Practitioner Guide. The Technical Report provides a detailed rationale and methods supporting the steps of the decision-making approach, while the Practitioner Guide walks forest practitioners through the decision-making process and shares migratory-bird best management practices, all in an accessible format. Click read more below for additional detail.

“We are absolutely delighted that our Chairman, Peter Latham, has been honoured with the TTJ Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Ben Gunneberg, PEFC International CEO. “Peter has dedicated his working life to the timber industry, and now as Chairman of PEFC, he is leading our organization forward as we begin to implement our new strategy. I couldn’t imagine anyone more deserving.” The annual TTJ Lifetime Achievement Award rewards outstanding achievement in the timber sector. Now in its 22nd year, the TTJ Awards highlight the timber sector as a major, modern and forward-looking industry and recognize its achievements in areas that are vital to business success. Peter Latham OBE, who served as Chairman of James Latham from 2006 to 2017 and is currently the Chairman of PEFC International, received the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his 44-year career in the industry. Click read more below for additional detail.

The packaging leader has had a long-term commitment to making real and measurable progress against its five strategic sustainability priorities of forest, climate change, water, waste and people. Earlier this year, Smurfit Kappa announced that it had met, and in some cases exceeded, its previous sustainability goals in the areas of people, climate change and water with the last two goals achieved three years ahead of their 2020 deadline. While Smurfit Kappa’s paper-based packaging is renewable, recyclable and biodegradable, the paper production process itself is resource-intensive so a new set of goals has been outlined to build on the progress already made. These are: Maintaining >90% chain of custody certification of annual customer deliveries; Maintaining 100% chain of custody operating system certification; Assessing energy usage reduction opportunities in converting operations by 2020; Performing water risk assessments for paper mills not yet assessed by 2020; Decreasing water discharge intensity by 60% by 2025 compared to 2005; Decreasing paper mill fossil intensity by 40% by 2030 compared to 2005; Reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill by 30% by 2025. Click read more below for additional detail.

Walmart announced that it has reached an agreement with SunPower to have the commercial energy provider install solar systems at 19 stores and two distribution centers in Illinois. As part of the project, a mix of rooftop and ground-mount solar systems are expected to account for 23 megawatts, with start of construction targeted for the first half of 2019. This commitment moves Walmart closer to its 2025 goal of supplying its global operations with 50 percent renewable energy. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, the amount of anticipated annual carbon offset by this initiative will be equal to the amount of carbon sequestered by over 24,000 acres of U.S. forest in one year – the size of Elgin, Ill. Walmart is financing the solar projects through a power purchase agreement (PPA) arranged by SunPower, allowing Walmart to buy power at competitive prices and hedge against future utility rate increases with no upfront capital costs. Click read more below for additional detail.

DS Smith Plastics is doing their best to recycle wasted expanded foam products and with the help of local communities, more foam products than ever have been disposed of properly. One of the struggles with plastic products is that many facilities do not have designated services to dispose of the leftover packaging, this is especially the case when it comes to foam products like expanded polypropylene and polystyrene. In order to combat bad practices in the disposal of used expanded foam DS Smith Plastics, Foam Products is pushing to make it easier for anybody to correctly recycle any waste or littered products in convenient recycling collection posts. In many communities that house a DS Smith Plastics manufacturing facility, there can be excess plastic that communities have used, so to make it easier to dispose of, there are now labeled posts near every site that is checked and collected by the DS Smith Plastics team. Click read more below for additional detail.

Stora Enso’s Sustainability Report 2017 has been included in the top ten sustainability reports globally according to the latest Reporting matters publication by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). In WBCSD’s Reporting matters publication, Stora Enso’s Sustainability Report is praised for its disclosure of internal sustainability management processes. The external assurance of the report’s sustainability information also received good feedback as it strengthens the credibility of Stora Enso’s disclosure. “We are proud of our transparent reporting being acknowledged,” says Noel Morrin, EVP Sustainability at Stora Enso. “It is especially encouraging to see that the four-tier reporting structure we use to present the most material opportunities and challenges is recognised as good practice.” Click read more below for additional detail.

Our sustainable forestry practices help ensure we leave the forests we depend on, and the communities we’re a part of, better off for the long term. We work with landowners, conservation groups and others who share our commitment to preserve forestland. These efforts have many environmental and social benefits, including the protection of water supplies, the promotion of biodiversity and the preservation of hunting, fishing and camping grounds. One example is a large preservation project that will protect 32,600 acres of forestland known as Clarion Junction Forest. This land surrounds our Johnsonburg Mill, which is located between Pennsylvania Game Commission lands and the Allegheny National Forest. We purchased the land in partnership with the Conservation Fund’s Working Forest Fund program, and we will sustainably manage it as a working forest and a timber source for the Johnsonburg Mill while also preserving the natural habitat of many species of wildlife. Click read more below for additional detail.

Sustainable forestry and its role in the consumer goods industry is on the agenda for the Consumer Goods Forum’s Sustainable Retail Summit, taking place 25-26 October in Lisbon, Portugal. Zero-net deforestation is a key objective of the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) and many of its member companies. To achieve it, the CGF has recognized forest certification as an important tool within its sourcing guidelines. Sustainably managed forests provide many of the elements necessary for life on earth — air, water, food and shelter. Moreover, wood is renewable and one of the most environmentally friendly raw materials available, and the great news is, it is used in many of the products procured or manufactured by CGF members. Click read more below for additional detail.

J.D. Irving, Limited (JDI)’s forestry and forest products operations continue to identify ways to reduce and reuse waste, and put to beneficial use within our business and community. Lake Utopia Paper has recently completed a $28.8 Million environmental upgrade. Their new Environmental Treatment Facility takes wastewater and converts the organic material to renewable biogas. It is then converted to steam, which provides energy to the mill. Lake Utopia Paper has seen a 23% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. “This is a brand-new state of the art facility, that will serve Lake Utopia Paper for the long term,” said Rick Wasson, Manager of Technical Operations. “It will provide stability to the environmental system to ensure we are always meeting and extending our compliance obligations.” Click read more below for additional detail.

“We are entering a new age for timber, a new industrial revolution for timber,” said Peter Latham, Chairman of PEFC international, speaking today at the first Malaysian Timber Conference. MTC Peter 2018“This isn’t just a climate-positive story of using a renewable crop, a crop that can still lock in the carbon when at the end of its use; but also one in which certification can demonstrate how we look after our forests, how we cooperate with indigenous people, how we protect worker’s rights, and so much more.” Peter addressed the global supply and demand for forest certification and certified timber, its associated challenges and trends, and the outlook and opportunities for forest certification, during his speech on ‘Certification: opening or closing doors to global markets for tropical hardwood’. “In terms of global fibre consumption, tropical hardwood is a small part, but it is at the top of the pyramid, it is the prestige product,” Peter explained. Click read more below for additional detail.

SCA has filed a formal complaint against ASI, and has also informed FSC about the consequences for SCA due to the fact that important parts in a recent report from ASI is misleading and also was published on their website. SCA has been certified according to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC©) forest management standard since 1999. To confirm that the forest operations meet the FSC-standard, SCA is audited by a third-party certification company, SGS. In August 2017, Accreditation Services International (ASI) evaluated SGS performance during a surveillance audit of SCA forest operations. The report from ASI was finalized and distributed to SGS in July 2018. Click read more below for additional detail.

Paper-based packaging provider Smurfit Kappa is celebrating the first annual European Paper Bag day at its Sangüesa Paper Mill in Spain, to promote the use of paper carrier bags as an alternative to plastic bags. The milestone day was created by “The Paper Bag” platform, Europe’s leading association for kraft paper manufacturers and paper bag producers, to educate consumers about the benefits of opting for paper carrier bags. Less than 1 per cent of the plastic bags used every year are recycled. Smurfit Kappa drew on its high quality paper portfolio to produce an efficient alternative for paper bag producers which is strong, performs well in wet conditions and is safe for food contact. To mark European Paper Bag day, the Sangüesa mill cooperated with the Navarra Government by supplying the paper to produce 130,000 paper bags for distribution through local shops, supermarkets and consumers across the Navarra region. Click read more below for additional detail.

Amazon announced that it will invest $10 million in Closed Loop Fund to support recycling infrastructure in the United States. Amazon’s investment will increase the availability of curbside recycling for 3 million homes in communities across the country, making it easier for customers to recycle and further develop end markets for recycled commodities. The investment will divert 1 million tons of recyclable material from landfill into the recycling stream and eliminate the equivalent of 2 million metric tons of CO2 by 2028—equivalent to shutting down a coal-fired power plant for six months. Roughly half of Americans today lack access to convenient, sufficient curbside recycling at their homes. Closed Loop Fund finances the building of advanced recycling infrastructure and services, bringing this invaluable service to the community while saving taxpayers and municipalities money. Click read more below for additional detail.

“Certifying Trees outside Forests creates a win-win-win situation,” said Thorsten Arndt, Head of Communications at PEFC International, during the International Softwood Conference 2018* in Riga, Latvia, last week. “We can positively impact the lives of small famers and improve the management of trees in agriculture, whilst increasing the amount of wood available to society for products from sustainably managed sources.” “We will also enable cities to certify urban trees and parks, making it possible for them to provide assurances to their inhabitants that city trees are managed sustainably and raising awareness of the tremendous services that trees in cities provide to urban populations,” he added. PEFC is well-positioned to further expand the area of certified forests, explained Mr. Arndt. With the PEFC General Assembly expected to approve the revised sustainable forest management standard in November, trees outside forests will be eligible for certification. Click read more below for additional detail.

Postmark, Inc. has joined Two Sides North America, the non-profit organization that promotes and encourages the responsible production, use, and sustainability of print and paper. “Postmark wants to be a responsible partner in the graphic communications value chain. As an equipment manufacturer, we also want to spread the positive environmental story about print and paper. We look forward to working with the Two Sides network to achieve this,” said Morten Nielsen, President & CEO, Postmark.

We proudly present the last two shortlisted projects for the World Architecture Festival’s Best Use of Certified Timber Prize supported by PEFC: a hotel that revived a historic mountain village in Italy, and a visitor centre in China, that takes its guests back in time. The Zallinger Chalets are located in theZallinger Chalets WAF midst of a UNESCO world heritage site in the Italian Alps, where they revived the spirit of a historic mountain village. Originally consisting of a chapel and seven barracks, the village has changed significantly over the years. Through the traditional construction style, as well as the use of timber as the main construction material, the architects have brought back the charm of the little alpine village of 1850. Located in Hebei, China, and surrounded by Mulan Weichang WAFMongolian grasslands, the Mulan Weichang Visitor Centre was inspired by the shape of the traditional yurt camps of Mongolian nomads. The aim of the architects was to blend the building seamlessly into the surrounding nature. They achieved this by applying techniques from the local architecture and by using local materials, such as stone, wooden beams and rattan. Click read more below for additional detail.

Customers of fast-casual restaurants increasingly value corporate sustainability practices according to a new study released by Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), the 2018 Paper & Packaging Consumer Trends Report. More than half of consumers (55 percent) are willing to pay more for fast food products packaged in sustainable materials, with 35 percent agreeing they would pay up to 10 percent more. Moreover, compared to five years ago, the sustainability of food packaging is more important to nearly two in three Americans today (65 percent), holding especially true among Baby Boomers (67 percent) and Millennials (66 percent). “Consumers demand smarter packaging that serves both quality and sustainability functions, so it is crucial for the food industry to adopt recyclable and naturally compostable solutions and phase out disposable food packaging like plastics and polystyrene,” said Ian Lifshitz, vice president of sustainability and stakeholder relations, APP. “As brands,they also have the opportunity to win over consumers who choose companies that place sustainability at the heart of their business.” Click read more below for additional detail.

Visitors to London’s South Bank last month saw a dramatic change to the city’s skyline, all in support of the UK mental health and the anti-stigma campaign, Time to Change. As part of the annual London Design Festival, and designjunction, Head Above Water was a breath-taking, 9 metre high sculpture by British designer, Steuart Padwick. This piece of public art sought to stimulate the discussion to eradicate mental health-related stigma and discrimination. The project used precision engineered, renewable and sustainable PEFC-certified cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels supplied by StoraEnso. Installation was carried out by structural engineering experts Ramboll, making Head Above Water a model of sustainable, smart design and build. Click read more below for additional detail.

Irving Pulp & Paper (IPP) of Saint John will pay a $3.5 Million penalty related to 3 counts of effluent discharges into the Saint John River, subject to court approval October 9. The Crown and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) acknowledge there was no evidence of any fish mortality or environmental harm in the river at the time. However, the company did fail the prescribed test under Section 3 of the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations (under the Fisheries Act) that requires 50% or more of rainbow trout tested to survive 96 hours in 100% effluent. IPP has worked hard to meet and exceed all environmental regulations. The company pioneered and patented the world’s first reverse osmosis system in a pulp mill in 1998 to meet new environmental regulations at the time. This technology and others were part of an investment of over $250 million to avoid the installation of an effluent treatment facility that the mill’s neighbours did not want. This pollution prevention system collects, treats and discharges effluent within the pulp mill, re-uses treated effluent and minimizes final effluent volume and content. The company was internationally recognized for this effort and the discoveries by research teams, including those from the University of New Brunswick, who determined the positive impacts of the system on fish health. Click read more below for additional detail.

Stora Enso and energy company Gasum have signed a contract to build a biogas plant at Stora Enso’s Nymölla paper mill in Sweden. The plant, built and operated by Gasum, will turn the mill’s wastewater effluent into renewable energy. Gasum plans to upgrade the biogas into Liquefied Biogas (LBG) and sell it as fuel for cars, buses, trucks, and ferries. The expected LBG production of the plant is 75-90 GWh per year, equivalent to the amount of fuel needed annually for more than 200 average long haul lorries in Sweden. Production is expected to start during 2020. “We are happy to be part of a project that will turn waste into valuable renewable energy,” says Michael Lindemann, Mill Director at Nymölla Mill. “For Stora Enso, substituting fossil-based fuels in our society with renewable solutions is a vital way to combat global warming. The cooperation with Gasum is a good example of the collaborative efforts Stora Enso is taking to do this.” Click read more below for additional detail.

“No economic growth is good for a country if it stays in the hands of the few. The same applies for forestry,” said Tiina Huvio, Chair of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) Steering Committee, and Programme Director for the Finnish Agri-agency for Food and Forest Development (FFD). “To build sustainable wealth, you need to include smallholders in the value chain. Steps taken towards group certification, allowing small-size forest owners to participate, are also steps towards a stable society.” Click read more below for additional detail.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for UPM's possible Kotka Biorefinery in Finland has been completed and given to the authorities for their final conclusions. The UPM Kotka Biorefinery would produce approximately 500,000 tonnes of advanced biofuels made from sustainable raw materials for use in the road transport, marine and aviation sectors. The biorefinery's products could also be used for replacing fossil raw materials in the chemical industry. The renewable and sustainable raw materials and efficient processes of the possible Kotka Biorefinery enable significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil-based fuels and products. Click read more below for additional detail.

We have launched an initiative aiming to increase cup recycling within the UK. Our Specialty Cup range of single wall hot cups and paper vending cups now have a brand new, modern design with a QR code and a message to ‘please recycle this cup’. The QR code can be scanned by a mobile phone which will lead the consumer to a web page which contains details of the growing numbers of cup recycling sites and schemes across the UK. “We were renewing our single wall and paper vending cup offering and wanted to bring in new, modern colors. In addition to focusing on the cup aesthetic and functionality, we also wanted to do more to help to communicate the recycling message”, says Becci Eplett, Marketing Manager for Huhtamaki UK. Click read more below for additional detail.

Since Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Limited, or APRIL, a leading pulp and paper manufacturer, adopted a sustainable forest management policy in 2014, its stakeholder advisory committee has played an important role in advising and monitoring the implementation of the company's commitment across the social, environmental and governance spheres, as well as engaging regularly with nongovernmental organizations to listen to their views. The committee, which by its constitution is independent of the company and comprised of national and international experts on forestry, social issues and business, meets three times a year. It also appoints an assurance provider to evaluate APRIL's sustainable policy implementation. In its 2018 report, the stakeholder advisory committee reviewed the full four years of APRIL's efforts in responsible fiber supply, landscape-level conservation and restoration of natural forest, reduction of forest fires, transparency and supplier compliance with the sustainable forest management policy. Click read more below for additional detail.

Paper or plastic? It’s a debate that has raged for years about a variety of goods, including grocery bags, food packaging materials, lollipop sticks, personal care items and other single-use products. The latest item to make headlines is the humble straw. Plastic drinking straws are ubiquitous, but they may soon take a backseat to paper drinking straws. A series of highly publicized California rulings has sparked a growing movement to ban plastic drinking straws in the United States, with proponents citing environmental concerns. One of the newest laws on the California books makes it illegal for restaurant servers to give guests plastic straws unless asked. Several California cities have followed suit by enacting local ordinances that ban the distribution or sale of plastic drinking straws in some food-service establishments. And it’s not just in California. Several major U.S. cities are putting laws in place to discourage the use of plastic drinking straws and stirrers. Amidst the growing debate, public pressure has also driven businesses — from Starbucks and Bon Appétit to SeaWorld and Disney — to announce their own plans to eliminate plastic drinking straws. Click read more below for additional detail.

Sustainably grown renewable wood fibre is Finland’s most significant natural resource. Wood-based biomaterials are already being used to manufacture competitive, environmentally friendly products, and their use will increase in the future. To introduce these possibilities, Metsä Group presents the world’s first biodegradable film production – Intelligent Fibre. With its rich forest resources, Finland is the world's No. 1 country in bioeconomy. Metsä Group is a Finnish forest industry company leading the way – we base our business on the resource-efficient use of renewable natural resources and recyclable materials. The current welfare society is a product of the fossil economy, but we see that the unsustainable consumption can no longer continue. The core idea behind bio and circular economy is that every part of a tree and all fractions are used for purposes that create the highest added value. The Intelligent Fibre campaign reveals the future use of wood: all featured objects – the shoe, the headphones and the scale model of the bioproduct mill – are made of biodegradable materials. Click read more below for additional detail.

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.

Our members have practiced responsible and sustainable forestry for decades. To meet customer demand, they are now doing more than ever to increase the availability of certified fiber from certified fiber sourcing programs and third party-certified forestlands. Forest certification systems are not the only method to demonstrate that the wood our industry uses comes from responsible sources that are harvested sustainably. But it is probably the most recognized tool on the landscape to demonstrate sustainable harvesting and management. The amount of wood fiber that members procure from third party-certified forestlands continues to grow slowly. It’s a hard thing to do when the largest landowners are certified and small landowners make up so much of the environment—and the fiber supply! Click Read More below for additional information.

Smurfit Kappa’s commitment to sustainability has been recognised once again by the FTSE4Good Index. The packaging leader was listed on the sustainability index for the fifth year in a row after distinguishing itself for its strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance. Created by the global index provider FTSE Russell, the FTSE4Good indices are used by a wide variety of market participants to create and assess responsible investment funds and other products. To qualify once again, Smurfit Kappa was assessed on a rigorous set of FTSE4Good criteria which are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Click Read More below for additional information.

At Domtar, we believe investing in sustainability helps enhance our world for future generations. Our success depends on the health of the forest’s ecosystem. Responsibility, efficiency and engagement are embedded in our sustainability approach, especially when it comes to keeping forests as forests. Paige Goff, vice president of sustainability and business communications, has spent nearly 15 years sharing the Domtar story, first in brand and advertising operations for pulp and paper and, more recently, in sustainability. She manages our relationships with sustainability organizations, such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Rainforest Alliance (RA). Through our annual sustainability reporting, she also helps bolster our reputation as a leader in sustainable forestry and manufacturing. Click Read More below for additional information.

According to a recent “nudge” campaign by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), marketing messages touting the environmental benefits of going paperless are falling on deaf ears. The results of the CRA campaign show that such green claims have little impact on the consumer’s choice for switching from paper to online options. In the CRA campaign, tax payers were encouraged to file online and eliminate paper filing. A nudge campaign involves using soft messages to “nudge” the audience to make desired choices. In this case, the campaign used different messages ranging from no specific environmental messaging to strong environmental messaging – including a promise to plant a tree when switching to online filing. The results show that environmental messaging was no more effective than generic messaging, with the nudge campaign having a negligible impact of about 1% increase in online filing. Click Read More below for additional information.

The nation’s largest supermarket chain is ditching plastic bags across all its banners — but not all at once. The Kroger Co. on Wednesday announced it is phasing out single-use plastic bags and moving to reusable bags chainwide, with the transition expected to be completed by 2025. Kroger is undertaking the initiative in phases, and its Seattle-based QFC chain will be the company’s first retail division to phase out single-use plastic bags. The company expects QFC’s transition to be completed in 2019. The company noted that some estimates suggest that 100 billion single-use plastic bags are thrown away in the U.S. every year. Click Read More below for additional information.

There are many factors that make up the Domtar difference. One of them is our EarthChoice Ambassador (ECA) program. ECA is an employee engagement program that began in 2010 to promote sustainable principles throughout the company. Our ECA members are committed to promoting sustainable practices by focusing on our customers, employees, company and communities. By identifying and sharing innovative methods, educating and encouraging sustainable habits and leading by example, this group helps push our sustainability message throughout our organization. Click Read More below for additional information.

The Andesco Awards, which have been running since 2005, recognise the exemplary achievements of companies in the public utilities and communications sectors. Smurfit Kappa has a strong track record in sustainability and embeds circularity across all its business operations. The fibres Smurfit Kappa uses in paper production are from sustainably managed forests. In Colombia, the company has 44,000 hectares of commercial forestry plantations and 22,000 hectares of natural forests that are protected and preserved and FSC® certified. Click Read More below for additional information.

Forest Products Association of Canada CEO Derek Nighbor issued the following statement after U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments partially blaming Canadian lumber imports for forest fires in California. “First and foremost our thoughts are with people in Canada and the U.S. who have been displaced from their homes or are on evacuation alert, and with our first responders who are valiantly battling fires on both sides of the border,” said Nighbor. “The U.S. simply does not have the milling capacity to meet consumer needs and are only able to satisfy about 75 per cent of American wood demand. Unfortunately, Americans are being forced to pay higher prices for wood products because of U.S. tariffs on Canadian lumber. The U.S. could provide an immediate discount to Americans rebuilding after fires by rescinding tariffs on Canadian lumber, which has increased the cost of lumber by 20 per cent.” Click Read More below for additional information.

Elections matter. New administrations bring new policies and new approaches to environmental and energy issues, including those regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction. While policies may have changed, our members are continuing to make voluntary strides to reduce their GHG emissions as part of their overall sustainability and efficiency programs. Many customers continue to prefer products that are manufactured from a renewable and recyclable resource—wood fiber—and that use renewable energy in the manufacturing process. Having a renewable and recyclable resource as the foundation of the industry enables our members’ pulp and paper mills to meet, on average, about 66.6 percent of their energy demand from renewable biomass energy, avoiding greater use of fossil fuels and the associated GHG emissions that result from their combustion. Click Read More below for additional information.

It’s time to debunk another popular paper myth, which says email is better for the environment than paper. While sustainability-minded consumers often focus on the environmental effects of paper production, they should also understand the facts about electronic communication before declaring it a better choice. The updated report Print and Paper Myths and Facts by Two Sides North America offers important data about e-waste, chemical use and greenhouse gas emissions that result from the manufacture of computers and smartphones. This data includes the environmental effects of e-mail, text, social media and other electronic communications. Domtar is a member of Two Sides, an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes the sustainability of print and paper. Members include businesses and nonprofits related to industries such as forestry, pulp, paper, inks and chemicals, prepress, press, finishing, publishing, printing, envelopes and postal operators. Click Read More below for additional information.

Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) strongly rejects the unsubstantiated allegations suggested by Auriga in its report titled “APP and APRIL violate zero-deforestation policies with wood purchases from Djarum Group concessions in East Kalimantan”. The report contains factual errors and presents incomplete information which must be corrected. APP is not engaged in deforestation, either directly, through companies owned by APP, or indirectly, through third parties. All fibre suppliers to APP must meet our stringent sustainability criteria set out in our Responsible Fibre Procurement and Processing Policy (RFPPP) and verified by our Supplier Evaluation and Risk Assessment (SERA) process. APP does not own or control PT Sarana Bina Semesta Alam (PT SBSA), which is alleged to have acquired fibre supply from PT Silva Rimba Lestari (PT SRL) and PT Fajar Surya Swadaya (PT FSS). Neither PT SRL nor PT FSS are approved suppliers of fibre to APP. APP did conduct a SERA evaluation on PT FSS from March 2017 - November 2017, but it was not eventually approved as a supplier. Click Read More below for additional information.

The Mangrove Ecosystem Restoration Alliance (MERA) is a national platform for stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of the protection and restoration of mangrove ecosystems across the archipelago. Launched by Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN) and the Jakarta Natural Resources Conservation Agency of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in 26 July 2018, the goal of MERA is to reduce the vulnerability of coastal communities, natural resources and vital assets by 2022, by promoting effective management and implementing strategies to conserve and restore mangrove landscapes. In the first phase, MERA plans to restore 500ha of mangroves in three areas around Jakarta Bay; Muara Angke in North Jakarta, Muara Gembong in Bekasi, and Muasa Cisadane in Tangerang. Asia Pulp & Paper Sinar Mas (APP Sinar Mas) signed an agreement to join MERA to support the conservation and restoration of Indonesia’s mangrove ecosystems. As part of the agreement, APP Sinar Mas will commit IDR 4.2 billion (US$300,000) to the MERA programme over five years. Click Read More below for additional information.

Sonoco announced the expansion of its environmental and social stewardship initiatives to include commitments to achieve greater packaging sustainability and recycling in support the food industry’s efforts to reduce global food waste. These new time-based commitments, along with an update of the Company’s ongoing efforts to improve environmental, governance and social measure, are highlighted in its 2017-18 Corporate Responsibility Report, entitled Better Packaging, Better Life – for a Better World, which is available on the Company’s website at www.sonoco.com/sustainability. Specifically, Sonoco set out key commitments for more sustainable use and increased recyclability of packaging by 2025, including: •Sonoco will increase the equivalent by weight, the amount it recycles, or causes to be recycled, from 75 percent to 85 percent, relative to the volume of packaging it places into to the global market place. •Sonoco is committed to increasing the use of post-consumer recycled resins in its plastic packaging from 19 percent to 25 percent. •Sonoco will ensure that approximately 75 percent of its rigid plastic packaging can carry the relevant on-package recyclable claim. Click Read More below for additional information.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) opened its annual request for proposals (RFP) for the SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant Program today. Applications for the program will be accepted from eligible entities through October 9. Requirements for this year's program are available on the SFI website. The grants program supports SFI's work to promote sustainable forest management through partnerships with conservation groups and academic partners that are contributing to the understanding of critical conservation outcomes across the range of American and Canadian forests, and community groups working at the intersection of sustainable forestry, responsible procurement and thriving communities. SFI Conservation Grants focus on the connection between sustainable supply chains and the natural resource values we care about like water quality, biodiversity, species at risk, carbon sequestration and resiliency to climate change. Click Read More below for additional information.

Maracle 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 welcome Maracle to the Two Sides network! They join a growing list of Canadian member companies in the print and paper sector and we look forward to working with them to tell the great environmental story of print and paper across North America,” said Two Sides North America President, Phil Riebel. Click Read More below for additional information.

American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Donna Harman issued the following statement regarding Senate passage of the Interior-Environment, Financial Services, Transportation-HUD and Agriculture-FDA mini-omnibus appropriations bill for fiscal year 2019. The legislation included language clarifying Congress’ intent for long-term federal regulatory policy reflecting the carbon-neutrality of forest-based biomass. “This public policy supports U.S. paper and wood manufacturers’ ability to operate on a level playing field with global competitors, which is good for the economy and job creation. Our companies have sought clear policy on biomass carbon neutrality for more than seven years. We appreciate the Senate recognizing the need to foster growth in U.S. manufacturing with its action to ensure that federal biomass policy appropriately reflects our industry’s use of carbon-neutral biomass for energy production.”

“PEFC helps companies report on the contribution of sustainable forestry towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but this is just the very first step,” said Peter Latham, Chair of PEFC International, speaking at the SGEC/PEFC Forum in Tokyo, Japan. “PEFC is much more than just certification. Our numerous activities on the ground, our collaborative work with forest owners, communities and stakeholders at local levels enables companies to offer support beyond sourcing PEFC and certifying forests. Companies can benefit from PEFC beyond certifications to demonstrate a much wider contribution towards these vital goals.” Click Read More below for additional information.

Two Sides are pleased to welcome Smurfit Kappa, one of the world’s leading providers of paper-based packaging, as a new member. The noise around packaging has never been louder, with retail brands all over the world keen to make their packaging as sustainable as possible; looking towards paper- based packaging as the favourable option. This is because it is sustainable, renewable, recyclable and durable. "Paper-based packaging provides many benefits from protecting the products and preventing waste, to optimising logistics in the supply chain. Most importantly, it’s 100% recyclable and has the least impact on the environment”, says Steven Stoffer, Group Vice President Development of Smurfit Kappa. Click Read More below for additional information.

We’ve added to our series of Fact sheets, by publishing three more to our website. They cover a wide array of environmental issues; correcting the most common areas of misconception. Combined with interesting statistics and opinions from leading authoritative bodies, these Fact Sheets make a very influential and educational read. Our new Fact Sheets include: Paper Production and Sustainable Forests; Renewable Energy and Carbon Footprint; Paper Recovery and Recycling. Click Read More below for additional information.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln – Print, Copy, Merchandising, Mail & Distribution 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 welcome the UNL in-house print services as a new member. The Two Sides academic network has been growing steadily and we now have over 12 U.S. colleges that have joined us. These institutions are key for educating students about graphic communications, paper science & engineering, marketing and communications, and other fields that closely relate to the sustainability of print and paper.” said Two Sides North America President, Phil Riebel. “As part of a learning community, we have an opportunity to demonstrate what it means to be responsible stewards of our natural resources. At the University of Nebraska – Lincoln Print Services we constantly look for new ways to conserve and promote environmental stewardship and are committed to managing all of our operations in an environmentally sound manner. Click Read More below for additional information.

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) released its 2018 Sustainability Report, which highlights the U.S. pulp, paper, packaging, tissue and wood products manufacturing industry’s contributions to sustainability across the value chain, including members’ progress toward achieving the Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 sustainability goals. The full sustainability report, a video of highlights and other information are available at https://sustainability.afandpa.org. “We are pleased to represent companies that advance economic, environmental and social values,” said AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman. “Their commitment led them to achieve the Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 goals to improve energy efficiency and worker safety ahead of schedule.” Click Read More below for additional information.

American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Donna Harman issued the following statement regarding House passage of the H.R. 6147 Department of Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2019. The legislation included language clarifying Congress’ intent for long-term federal regulatory policy reflecting the carbon-neutrality of forest-based biomass. “When public policy supports U.S. paper and wood manufacturers’ ability to operate on a level playing field with global competitors, that’s good for the economy and job creation. Our companies have sought clear policy on biomass carbon neutrality for more than seven years. We thank the House for recognizing the need to foster growth in U.S. manufacturing with its action to ensure that federal biomass policy appropriately reflects our industry’s use of carbon-neutral biomass for energy production. We strongly urge the Senate to follow suit.”

As our standards revision process continues, it is not only the content that is changing, but their appearance too! We have introduced a colour coding system to make it easier for you to distinguish between the different types of PEFC documentation. Rather than looking at the document number, or scrolling through a list, you can now see which documents are relevant to you with just a glance. Click Read More below for additional information.

Resolute earned top marks for sustainability leadership at Business Intelligence Group’s (BIG) 2018 Sustainability Awards. BIG recognizes organizations and individuals who have made sustainability an integral part of their business practice, and who honor their sustainability commitments. This marks the second consecutive year Resolute has been recognized by the Sustainability Awards. In 2017, Seth Kursman, vice president, Corporate Communications, Sustainability and Government Affairs, received the top individual honor. “We are particularly proud of receiving the highest rating in 2018, as it recognizes our comprehensive sustainability strategy, which is designed to enhance our competitive position. Our approach reinforces our vision that profitability and sustainability drive our future,” said Kursman. “As an industry leader, we’ve moved beyond minimal regulatory compliance and environmental incident management to commit to transparency and maintaining annual sustainability reporting.” Click Read More below for additional information.

Much of Domtar’s sustainable forestry management occurs out of the public eye, often on large tracts of land that are miles away from neighborhoods and commercial development. As a result, our tree harvesting operations usually have minimal impact on nearby residents. But urban tree harvesting requires a unique approach. In the nearly 20-year period that it takes for trees to mature for harvest, the landscape can change, sometimes dramatically. The area around our Windsor Mill is a good example. Domtar owns and manages about 400,000 acres of forestland located near the mill. But that forestland provides only about 15 percent of the fiber the mill needs. In the mid-90s, to meet our growing fiber needs, the mill acquired several plots of fallow farmland in rural southern Quebec. The land was near a road, which offered easy access to the trees that we planted. Click Read More below for additional information.

Republic of Korea has become the latest country to achieve the PEFC endorsement of its national forest certification system for the first time. “Thanks to the PEFC endorsement of our national system, we expect the sustainable management of forests to become widespread in Korea,” said Gilbon Koo, Representative of Korea Forest Certification Council (KFCC), the body responsible for the development of the national system. “We also look forward to the increased production and export of PEFC-certified products originating from our sustainably managed, PEFC-certified forests.” Click Read More below for additional information.

Environmental non-profit Canopy and FSC are leading the charge for change in the fashion industry. Collaborating for almost 5 years, the CanopyStyle initiative, with over 161 brand partners such as H&M, GAP, Zara and Stella McCartney, committed to eliminate the use of ancient and endangered forests in their supply chains, explore innovative fibers like recycled clothing and to contribute to advancing conservation solutions. All have positioned FSC as the preferred forest certification system of choice.

BillerudKorsnäs and researchers at Uppsala University have together taken an important step towards the future’s paper batteries. Together they have taken basic research based on pure cellulose from algae and developed it to work with the same type of fiber that BillerudKorsnäs usually uses to manufacture packaging material. This development opens up for both inexpensive and eco-friendly batteries. The long-term aim is to enable large-scale production and the future use of paper batteries for applications in areas such as smart packaging.

Domtar’s Biomaterials team and research partners have been focusing time and resources on lignin development — specifically, developing lignin-based materials that could eventually serve as sustainable and biodegradable alternatives to petroleum and other fossil fuel–based products. We recently took another step forward in lignin development and the process of commercializing lignin-based applications by investing in Prisma Renewable Composites, which is developing advanced materials from lignin and other natural resources. With this investment, we will help commercialize the process of using lignin to make engineered plastic compounds, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and other high-value applications.

Smurfit Kappa’s industry-leading commitment to sustainability has been recognised once again by the Euronext Vigeo Eiris index. The packaging leader was listed on the sustainability index for the sixth year in a row after distinguishing itself for its Environmental, Social and Governance (‘ESG’) performance. The Euronext Vigeo Eiris index is composed of the 120 highest-ranking listed companies for corporate social responsibility performance. To qualify, companies are subject to examination of their sustainability programme by a team of analysts which reviews up to 330 indicators. Only companies that can produce hard evidence of their sustainability programmes and score highly against industry benchmarks make the final list.

A number of global companies have replaced or are doing trials to replace the material in their gift cards – from plastic to paperboard. Sweden’s largest cinema chain, SF Bio, has taken the plunge and is now replacing all its cards. “When our card supplier, Megacard, suggested we could make our gift cards from paperboard and thereby drastically reduce their environmental impact, it was self-evident to us to switch,” explains Anna Marcusson, product manager for gift cards at SF Bio. “In plain language, it means we’re phasing out the use of 10 tonnes of PVC a year by phasing out the plastic and replacing it with cards made of Invercote from Iggesund Paperboard,” she continues.

Meet Erin Herrin, area harvesting manager for Georgia-Pacific’s building products operations in East Texas. In her job, Erin works with family forest landowners who sell their timber to GP, providing information on how to best manage their property, protect streams and water quality, and reforest after harvesting. As a woman in a predominantly male profession, Erin is also an example to girls who want to pursue a career in forestry. She encourages them to continuously push themselves. “Don’t let self-doubt get the better of you and look for opportunities to progress yourself in your career, even the opportunities you don’t feel like you’re capable of.”

Forest fashions take center stage at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, starting today. As part of our Forests for Fashion initiative with UNECE/FAO, and a range of other partners such as the UN Forum on Forests, Cittadellarte Fashion B.E.S.T, PEFC Italy, PEFC Spain and SFI, we are highlighting the role of forests and forest products towards a sustainable fashion sector, throughout the HLPF. Exhibition on Forests, Fashion and the SDGs (8-20 July) The ‘Forests for Fashion’ exhibit brings together the work of many designers, all inspired to use forest-derived materials for their creations.

DS Smith is pleased to confirm that it has received the Brownfield Briefing Award’s Best Biodiversity Enhancement Award for its environmental remediation project at the site of its former papermaking mill at Silverton, Devon, UK. Silverton Mill was one of the UK’s oldest paper mills, and was located within the Killerton National Trust estate in Devon. It closed its doors in 1999 after a paper manufacturing history that had lasted over 200 years, but had left the surrounding area contaminated with industrial waste. The mill buildings themselves rapidly decayed in the years after the machinery was removed from the site. Click Read More below for additional information.

DS Smith recycles around a quarter of the UK’s paper every year. Here, Peter Clayson, General Manager for Business Development and External Affairs at DS Smith Recycling, looks at what the UK needs to do to achieve the recycling targets outlined in the Circular Economy Package. The EU Council has now formally adopted the Circular Economy Package, which incorporates binding recycling targets of 55% municipal waste recycling by 2025, rising to 60% by 2030, and 65% by 2035. The ambition is similar for the recycling of all packaging materials, with targets of 65% by 2025 and 70% by 2030. Targets for paper and card specifically rise to 85% in the same time frame. But when these aspirations are compared with reality, there’s a real concern that the UK is going to fall short. With a current municipal recycling rate of 45.2%, the country is well below the place it needs to be in order to increase its recycling by 10% within the next eight years. Click Read More below for additional information.

UPM has joined Together for Sustainability (TfS), a chemical industry initiative that promotes and improves sustainability practises within its supply chains. By joining the initiative the member companies share a wide coverage of supplier data, such as audit reports and sustainability assessments performed by independent experts. "UPM's traditional businesses are having high exposure to chemical industry supply chain, not only on chemical raw materials but also on equipment and services." says Ilkka Nurmi, Senior Vice President, UPM Sourcing. "While UPM is not a chemical company, we actively work on portfolio transformation and have a great growth potential in biofuels and biochemicals businesses where we are heavily entering the arena of chemistry", he continues. Click Read More below for additional information.

Domtar and SCA Clean Up at Lions Park in Dryden, Ontario: In June, Domtar employees, family and friends from the Dryden, Ontario community pitched in to make Lions Park a safe and welcoming community space. This SCA clean up was particularly special because the park recently lost funding from the local parks and recreation department due to budget cuts. Domtar and SCA Clean Up at Kirkwood Park in St. Louis: In May, the SCA and more than 100 Domtar HDIS employees and family members contributed more than 300 hours of service revitalizing Kirkwood Park by weeding, mulching and clearing out invasive, overgrown honeysuckle. “I’m always shocked to see the amount of work that can get done when people join together for one cause,” says Heather Stowe, Domtar’s corporate social responsibility manager. “We had over 100 people come out to Kirkwood Park. That just shows you how important this community is to its residents.” Click Read More below for additional information.

One year on, and our project to support Myanmar as it reforms its forest sector is gathering pace. This was clear last month, as the Myanmar Forest Certification Committee (MFCC) held its first annual multi-stakeholder coordination meeting. The half-day coordination meeting was attended by a range of stakeholders, including the Myanmar Government’s Forestry Department, Timber Enterprise and Department of Research and Innovation, FAO, FLEGT VPA advisors, international and national NGOs, certification bodies and the private sector. This coordination meeting marks an important step in this 3-year project to support the country as it transitions to the sustainable management of its forests, funded jointly by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, PEFC and MFCC. Click Read More below for additional information.

As of September, plastic straws will be replaced by sustainable and biodegradable paper alternatives in all McDonald’s UK and Ireland restaurants. The restaurant chain uses 1.8 million straws a day in the UK. The decision follows a successful trial in a number of McDonald’s UK restaurants to test how customers react to the switch to paper straws. Transcend Packaging in Wales, and Huhtamaki in Belfast, will supply the paper straws for all 1,361 McDonald’s restaurants. Click Read More below for additional information.

The Home Depot® announced that its stores have cut energy use 23.5 percent since 2010, exceeding the company's goal to reduce consumption by 20 percent by 2020. Hitting that energy-saving goal three years early is among progress detailed in the company's 2018 Responsibility Report, released last week. Titled A Year of Progress, the report outlines the company's sustainability progress and environmental, workforce and community initiatives. The report is available on The Home Depot's corporate newsroom Built from Scratch, including a summary infographic. In addition, a special episode of the company's "Give Me an H" podcast is available, featuring Ron Jarvis, vice president of environmental innovation. "As part of our values, we encourage our associates to be entrepreneurial, innovative and creative, and the successes you'll see in this report are a testament to their talent and dedication," said Craig Menear, The Home Depot chairman, CEO and president. "We're proud of their work, even as we look ahead with the understanding that there's much more to do." Click Read More below for additional information.

Sun Chemical released its 2017 Corporate Sustainability Report which details the work the company is doing to increase its use of bio-derived raw materials in its products and shows positive progress on its eco-efficiency goals. Highlights from the report focus on Sun Chemical’s commitment to the development of eco-friendly solutions, including how: •solvent-based liquid inks use resins responsibly sourced from certified forests, •water-based liquid inks use bio-derived resins that do not impact ink performance, •printed biosensor technology detects levels of pyruvates in onions to determine pungency, •bio-based food colorants are using spirulina derived from photosynthetic bacterium, and •its MirrorTech inks reduce waste by replacing metalized board with printable metallic ink. Click Read More below for additional information.

aper manufacturers encourage forest sustainability through their purchase and use of certified wood fiber and by promoting sustainable forest management policies and practices at home and around the globe. By providing a dependable market for responsibly grown fiber, the paper industry encourages landowners to manage their forestland instead of selling it for development or other non-forest uses.², ³ • Net forest area in the U.S. has been stable since the early 1900’s and has increased from 754 to 766 million acres between 2005 and 2015. Net volume of growing stock increased by over 10% between 2005 and 2015.4 Canada’s forest area of 857 million acres has been quite stable over the past 25 years.5 • Each year forests in the U.S. and Canada grow significantly more wood than is harvested. In the U.S., average net annual increase in growing-stock trees nationwide is about 26 billion ft³.6 In 2015, Canada harvested just over 5.6 billion ft3 of timber, well below the estimated sustainable wood supply level of 7.98 billion ft³.7 Click Read More below for additional information.

Domtar Corporation released its 2018 Sustainability Update, highlighting the company’s ongoing efforts to take a longer-term view of creating and preserving value for shareholders, customers, employees and communities. In an update to its 2017 report, Domtar announced that the company has met or exceeded three of the company’s six 2020 sustainability goals this year. “At Domtar, everyone has a role in sustainability because it is how we do business every day,” explained John D. Williams, Domtar's president and CEO. “Sustainability is an integral part of our long-term growth strategy, which is exactly why we have been able to meet or surpass half of our 2020 sustainability goals already in 2018—and why we are well on track to achieve the remaining.”. Highlighted in the 2018 update, Domtar’s commitment to integrating sustainability into its long-term growth strategy resulted in key accomplishments across the company’s 2020 goals. Click Read More below for additional information.

“For forest certification to be affordable and successful in meeting the needs of smallholder bamboo communities, it needs to be risk based, regional, nationally appropriate and internationally recognized,” said Ben Gunneberg, CEO of PEFC International, at the Global Bamboo and Rattan Congress (BARC2018 ). BARC2018“PEFC can provide this.” BARC2018, held recently in Beijing China, brought together stakeholders from around the world to discuss how bamboo and rattan can contribute to South-South cooperation, climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals, among many other issues. Click Read More below for additional information.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation reported its progress toward achieving its Sustainability 2022 strategy to create social, environmental and business value. "We continue to make strides in our efforts to create positive social and environmental change," said Thomas J. Falk, Kimberly-Clark's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "That's why we are committed to an ambitious set of sustainability goals that will have a lasting impact on the people we serve around the world and the communities we touch." Click Read More below for additional information.

Metsä Board, the leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards, has been awarded the Gold level rating by EcoVadis for the second consecutive year for its approach to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Overall Metsä Board was ranked in the top 1% of suppliers assessed by EcoVadis across all categories. “This is a significant achievement, as the EcoVadis assessment is becoming an increasingly important guide for our customers when judging their suppliers’ sustainability and corporate social responsibility performance. We recognise that sustainability must go beyond regulatory compliance to also focus on how companies manage their economic, social, and environmental impacts, as well as their relationships with stakeholders such as customers, employees, suppliers and government,” says Anne Uusitalo, Product Safety and Sustainability Director at Metsä Board. Click Read More below for additional information.

Pearson, the digital education company, published its 2017 Sustainability Report, which highlights the progress made in implementing its 2020 Sustainability Plan and a continued vision for integrating social and environmental issues into every aspect of the business. Pearson’s 2020 Sustainability Plan is centered around three pillars: 1.Reach more learners by removing barriers to education both through core business and partnerships and enabling learners to be their best selves; 2.Shape the future of learning by leveraging technology and innovating to meet each learner where they are, with content that equips today’s learners with the skills to shape a better tomorrow for people and planet; and 3.Be a trusted partner to learners, educators, suppliers, and communities: operating responsibly, creating value for society, and protecting the environment. Click Read More below for additional information.