Appleton Coated is one of the 100 Top Partner companies recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week for its use of Green Power. Appleton Coated has been a Partner with the EPA Green Power Partnership® since 2011 and named to the National Top 100 in 2014 and 2015. Appleton Coated’s Green Power is matched with Green-e® certified Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). Appleton Coated is one of only 2 paper mills on the list alongside other Top 100 members Apple®, Pearson®, Starbucks®, and University of Wisconsin. Appleton Coated CEO Doug Osterberg comments, “We are very pleased to be recognized by the United States EPA for our efforts. At Appleton Coated our commitment to sustainable practices includes the products we make and the power we use to make them. We want to make it easy for all of our customers – including many who are also Top 100 partners - to choose environmentally responsible paper products. We want to assure them that they are working with a mill partner that prioritizes sustainability practices internally and in the market place.”

Without serious intervention against corruption, it will be impossible to address the problem of illegal timber trafficking in Europe. Presenting its findings in Rome, the TREES project has successfully shed light on the role that bribes play in encouraging the illegal timber trade in Europe. “Corruption is strongly connected to the illegal timber trade, but at the same time appears to be a ‘victimless crime’,” said Antonio Brunori, Secretary General of PEFC Italy, a TREES partner. Identifying corruption It is traditionally very hard to identify corruption, as it is based on an agreement between several parties, all involved with mutual benefits. Moreover, the corruption (at least formally) produces documents that hide the irregularities - when all the documents appear to be legal and correct, it is extremely difficult to detect the crime. “It is vital that we act to minimize this type of criminal activity occurring within the forestry sector, in order to minimize the damage to the environment and the enterprises that work legally,” Mr. Brunori continued. “The findings from the TREES project will provide an important starting point.” click Read More below for additional information

RETEC Technologies has joined Two Sides North America, the non-profit organization that promotes and encourages the responsible production, use, and sustainability of print and paper. “Our team has developed RF3 as a substitute for Wax and Polyethylene coatings so that the material can be repulped, recycled and composted. Our Founder, Francois Dandenault, has perfected this Repulpable Fast Film Formation (RF3) Technology and it is now available to the Packaging and Printing markets. We are very excited to join Two Sides North America, to promote the responsible production, use and reuse of fiber,” says Dan Hoffman, Business Development Manager, RETEC Technologies.

The meaning behind seven of the most recognized sustainability labels, including the PEFC label, was the focus of ALDI SOUTH’s “in the footsteps of the 7 seals” campaign. ALDI SOUTH is a leading German retailer with almost 5,300 stores globally. With its ‘Seven seals’ campaign, ALDI SOUTH presented its customers in Germany with seven important sustainability seals from the ALDI SOUTH product range in an extensive information campaign for the first time. “Many of the everyday products in the food trade are marked with a sustainability label,” said Ralf-Thomas Reichrath, Deputy General Manager in the Central Purchasing (field quality control) at ALDI SOUTH in Germany. “However, while organic or fair trade labels are recognized quickly, there are still uncertainties surrounding the meaning of many other labels. We want to change this with our 7 seals campaign,” Reichrath explained.

Results from a recent U.S. consumer survey suggest that the majority of Americans agree that print and paper can be a sustainable way to communicate when produced and used responsibly. In fact, it seems many people distrust and are not swayed by corporate green claims used to promote online services over paper. See below for my five favorite results from the June 2016 Toluna survey. 1. 88% agree that when forests are responsibly managed it is environmentally acceptable to use trees to produce products such as wood for construction and paper for printing (81% of 18 to 24 year olds). This is my favorite one! It tells me the large majority of Americans accept the use of trees as a renewable resource to make forest products - as long as it is done responsibly, i.e. by using sustainable forest management and best practices. Great news! It’s no wonder that “go paperless – save trees” claims may be lost on most consumers, even millennials. Not only are these type of claims misleading (for more on that click here) but I would also argue that they are an ineffective marketing startegy. In fact, they probably make most people skeptical or cynical of the real corporate goal…see stat below! - click on Read More below for the rest of the story

Crown’s 2020 sustainability goals are as follows: By the end of 2020, reduce energy consumption by 5% per billion standard units of production from 2015 levels. By the end of 2020, reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 10% per billion standard units of production from 2015 levels. In addition to these reduction goals, Crown continues to drive environmental improvements by investing in a variety of energy efficiency projects each year. During 2015, Crown finalized 105 different emissions reduction initiatives that are anticipated to save over 10,000 metric tonnes of CO2 each year.

In order to gain more insight into these three vital areas, three Task Forces have been created to analyze the specific challenges in detail, and feed their findings and recommendations back into the working draft of the standard. Each Task Force is made up of members from Working Group 1– the group responsible for the revision of the sustainable forest management standard, alongside additional experts to support the work. All three groups met for the first time in June and will provide preliminary concepts and ideas to the WG in October.

As the world of communication continually shifts towards digital, many consumers are being given a message that this is better for the environment. This latest Two Sides survey provides an insight into how consumers view these initiatives, including the environmental impacts of digital versus paper-based communications, and how they perceive and use paper in their daily lives. Organisations and governments are increasingly driving communications online and either withdrawing paper-based documents such as bills and statements, charging consumers who wish to receive them, or making paper more difficult to access. Carried out by international research company Toluna in June 2016, the survey questioned more than 7000 consumers worlwide (528 of them in the UK). Among the findings, the survey reveals that many consumers want to retain the choice of using print and paper, at no additional cost, and that many question or feel misled by "go paperless - go green" and similar greenwash claims - believing cost savings to be the primary driver for organisations looking to phase out paper-based communications. Although there are concerns about the environmental impacts of print and paper, many respondents prefer paper-based communications to digital options for a variety of reasons including ease of reading and a lack of internet access. A large majority recognise that paper-based communications can be a sustainable way to communicate when produced and used responsibly, including recycling. More education is needed to raise awareness about the industry’s positive environmental message related to sustainable forest management and recycling. For example, despite European forests growing in size (44,000 square kilometres - an area bigger than Switzerland in the past 10 years or the equivalent of 1,500 football pitches a day), 65% of UK respondents perceive that European forests are shrinking. The majority of respondents do not know that paper is one of the most recycled products in Europe with recovery rates of 72%. There is a preference for print on paper in all age groups, indicating a more fundamental and more human way that we react to the physicality of print on paper. Compared to the 2011 Two Sides surveys, the following positive trends are apparent showing that messages from the industry are gaining traction: •79% agreed that print on paper is more pleasant to handle and touch when compared to other media (compared to 70% in 2011) •73% agreed that paper is based on a renewable resource (65% in 2011) •16% believe that our forests have either stayed the same or increased in size (vs. 10% in 2011) •31% believe that the paper industry has a higher than average recycling rate (25% in 2011) •14% have seen adverts related to the effectiveness and sustainability of print and paper (vs. 8% in 2011), and a large majority rated the ads as credible and useful. To read the full report, please click the download link below.

We are delighted to announce that the 2016 Collaboration Fund will support projects in Italy, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Thailand and the US. “Through the selected projects, we will be helping the development and implementation of national systems in Africa and Asia, supporting small- and family forest owners gain access to certification through innovative new tools, integrating the rubber sector into forest certification, advancing certification at the landscape level, and working to inspire the fashion world to utilize forest products,” said Sarah Price, Head of Projects and Development at PEFC International. “This year we had a fantastic range of projects submitted to the Collaboration Fund. It was extremely exciting for us dive into such well-developed proposals, and to see the breadth of solutions and innovations that our members and forest partners are putting forward and willing to deliver.”

Developing a national forest certification system for India is a big job. The country is vast, the forests are diverse, and with a population of over 1.2 billion, there are a lot of stakeholders to involve! Taking on this monumental task is the Network for Certification and Conservation of Forests (NCCF), our National member in India. India has a rich heritage of forest, with breathtaking diversity in terms of species, ecological zones, forest types and sub types, as well as a diversity and range of forest goods and services. NCCF is working to ensure that all these aspects are taken into consideration as the national standard for sustainable forest management is developed.

Corduroy is back in fashion with foresters and conservationists who want new ways to conserve wetlands crossed by resource roads. The earliest days of Canada’s timber trade featured wetland crossings made of logs lined up in rows, which resembled corduroy fabric. Road building gradually became more permanent, sometimes affecting water flow in wetlands. Putting a modern spin on corduroy roads is one of the recommendations in a new field guide just released by FPInnovations and Ducks Unlimited Canada. The guide, “Resource Roads and Wetlands: A Guide for Planning, Construction and Maintenance,” developed in part with funding from the SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant program, offers best management practices to mitigate the impacts of roads on wetlands in Canada’s forests.

On a cool spring day in 2014, graphic designer Justin Ahrens and photographer Brian MacDonald found themselves clad in Spandex, knee-deep in a muddy pond outside of Sturbridge, MA, diving through the muck in a panic as a SteriPEN ever-so-slowly drifted out of sight. It was an unusual way for a designer and photographer to spend their day. But Ahrens and MacDonald are a little different. The two were riding their bikes 1,200 miles from Boston to Chicago to raise funds for Lifewater International, which provides safe drinking water to hundreds of thousands of people throughout Africa. They dubbed the effort Wheels4Water.

Economic, lifestyle changes and the focus on sustainable packaging will drive market growth by 5.4% annually during the period 2016 to 2021 to $44.8 billion, according to “The Future of Labels and Release Liners to 2021,” a new report by Smithers Pira.
 Smithers Pira’s analysis shows label market growth is being driven by economic, social, demographic and lifestyle changes, brand owners’ increasing focus on source reduction and sustainable packaging, consumer demand for convenience food, and the growing presence of large retail chains. Another growth factor in label market demand is the relatively low cost with which labeling can be replaced or changed; and a continuing need for barcodes and other secondary packaging applications that support food safety and pharmaceutical compliance issues.

Green-minded consumers have long been exhorted to "reduce, re-use, recycle" to cut down on the amount of waste they send to landfills. Now, one company is taking the concept a step further, using a strategy dubbed "pre-cycling" to help e-commerce retailers operate more sustainably and burnish the corporate eco-image. Running a green business used to mean simply choosing recyclable materials for packaging and shipping. However, retailers can gain a bigger return if they consider an item's entire supply chain journey before they pick a packaging solution, according to Sealed Air Corp.

It’s no surprise that perhaps one of the most important ingredients in the food and beverage industry is water. Because it is such a precious resource in everything from product processing to facility operations, many in the food and beverage industry are finding new ways to wring maximum value and efficiency from every drop. Amid rising prices and growing water scarcity, food manufacturers around the world are finding ways to increase their system-wide water efficiencies through recycling programs and other initiatives.

The I Want To Be Recycled campaign, a national initiative between Keep America Beautiful, Stamford, Connecticut, and the Ad Council, with offices in New York City and in Washington, have announced a new partnership with Best Buy, Richfield, Minnesota, designed to remind consumers to recycle shipping and product packaging during the winter holiday season. The initiative will include customized packaging design that emblazons "I Want To Be A Pizza Box. Recycle Me." on all orders shipped from BestBuy.com and drives consumers to learn how to properly recycle at www.IWantToBeRecycled.org. The boxes that incorporate this messaging will be used to ship Best Buy products nationwide starting in November 2016. Best Buy also will promote this partnership with Keep America Beautiful across social channels upon launch. The I Want To Be Recycled campaign is designed to educate and engage people to understand the how, what, where and why of recycling, demonstrating in an array of ways and through varied platforms that individuals can “Give Your Garbage Another Life.”

PEFC-certified companies are now recognized as automatically meeting the due diligence requirements in Australia’s illegal logging regulation. Under Australia’s Illegal Logging Prohibition Regulation 2012, importers of regulated timber products, and processors of Australian harvested logs, are required to establish and maintain a documented due diligence system. The due diligence system sets out the process by which the importer or processor will carry out due diligence and meet the requirements of the regulation. Australia’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resource has determined that under PEFC (including AFS, Australia’s PEFC-endorsed national forest certification system) Chain of Custody standard, certified businesses are required to maintain an equivalent due diligence system.

With a committed government, engaged local stakeholders and a new PEFC support office, Viet Nam is well on the road to developing its own national forest certification system in line with PEFC international requirements. “It is fantastic to be here and see the strong desire from the national government and local stakeholders alike to develop the Vietnam Forest Certification Scheme (VFCS),” said Ben Gunneberg, CEO of PEFC International, during his visit to the country. “The progress they have made so far, and the sheer potential for uptake of forest certification, is impressive.” The government’s commitment to establishing the Vietnam Forest Certification Council (VFCC), which will take on the role of running the national system, was once again reiterated by Mr. Ha Cong Tuan, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) as he met with Ben for a one-on-one meeting.

J.D. Irving, Limited’s (JDI) tree improvement program started almost 40 years ago. The tree improvement process included selection of the best individuals in the region’s forests for qualities like rapid growth, tree straightness, and freedom from insect and disease problems. Traditional methods of grafting and planting these trees for quality seed production began at the Parkindale Seed Orchard. This process continues today, allowing for cross pollination among the best trees to produce well-adapted genetically-superior seed for use in the nurseries. Regular seed production is wind pollinated – trees in the orchard cross-pollinate as pollen is released into the air and lands on the receptive female flowers of another tree. JDI also produces seeds with two known parents for testing across the region. These trees also form the basis for the next generation of tree improvement.

"Our vision is to lead the world in essentials for a better life. From the products we make to help moms care for their families to having the proper regard for the environment, this vision inspires us to care for the communities where we live and work," said Tom Falk, Kimberly-Clark Chairman of the Board and CEO. "In 2015, we achieved or surpassed our 5-year sustainability goals and will continue to set aggressive goals for ourselves to make a positive impact in the world around us." To achieve its 2015 goals, Kimberly-Clark collaborated across its teams and with key customers, suppliers, business partners and nongovernmental organizations. The company expanded its socially- and environmentally-focused programs and made great strides to reduce its environmental footprint while delivering programs to enable positive social impact. "We're proud of the progress we've made in finding ways to grow Kimberly-Clark sustainably," said Sandra MacQuillan, Chief Supply Chain Officer. "As technology evolves and as we learn more about what we can do, it is possible that we could have a footprint that gives back, rather than takes - an aspiration we are all excited by."

Today, HP Inc. announced a commitment to achieve zero deforestation by 2020. All HP brand paper and paper-based product packaging 1will be derived from certified and recycled sources by 2020, with a preference for virgin fiber from certified sources of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). This pledge is one of several 2016 goals outlined in the company’s latest Sustainability Report released today. HP’s new goal reinforces its leadership position among global companies. According to Forest500 2, only 8 percent of companies have an overarching zero or zero-net deforestation commitment. This goal highlights HP’s ongoing efforts to help customers make responsible printing and purchasing decisions that lower the environmental impact of their operations. This zero deforestation pledge also reflects the breadth of actions the company is taking to address the effects of climate change.