At PEFC we are convinced that one size does not fit all when it comes to forest certification. Forests are highly diverse; as is their management, local traditions, cultural and spiritual expectations, average property sizes and support structures. This is why we work through national forest certification systems, enabling countries to tailor their sustainable forest management requirements to their specific forest ecosystems, the legal framework and the socio-cultural context. While these national systems are developed locally, they need to undergo rigorous third-party assessment to ensure consistency with international requirements. International benchmark standards are used by our national members to develop their national standards. The benchmark standards set out the requirements that national standards must meet in order to achieve PEFC endorsement. Our Sustainable Forest Management standard is a benchmark standard. International standards are applied directly in the field. These include our standards for Chain of Custody and Trademarks, which are used by thousands of companies, certification bodies and accreditation bodies around the world.

Just a quick reminder that Two Sides provides a host of easily downloadable resources and tools to help you tell the great environmental story of print, paper and paper-based packaging, bust the myths, address misleading claims and share consumer perceptions about our products. Many of these resources are linked below. To access additional Members Only resources, you can log in to the Members Only section of the website. Also, don't forget that many Two Sides materials can be co-branded with member company logos. If you’ve forgotten your member login information or would like more information on co-branding, please email us at info@twosidesna.org. • Fact Sheets that provide research and data to help explain the most misunderstood aspects of the industry, from paper recovery and recycling to paperless "green" claims to the environmental impact of e-communications. • Easily-shareable infographics that highlight topics like sustainable forestry, the value of reading print on paper and anti-greenwashing campaigns. • An in-depth booklet that is full of Myths and Facts designed to educate the public about the print and paper industry. • The Busting the Myths survey report, which gives members insight into consumer perceptions and attitudes about the paper and print industry. • Blogs full of informative content, supporting an active social media presence on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to promote the value of print to a broad audience.

New York won’t enforce it’s recently enacted plastic bag ban for another two months, the state announced this week. Amid an ongoing lawsuit, the state Department of Conservation posted a notice on its website pushing back the enforcement date from April 1 to May 15. While the ban went into effect at the beginning of March, the enforcement was delayed due to a suit brought on by New York businesses who argue they had little time to prepare. The suit is essentially on hold as the courts prioritize cases amid the coronavirus crisis and critics claim the ban is a health risk.

To support certified entities and certification bodies during the COVID-19 challenge, we have extended the transition period for our three revised international standards by six months. This extension applies to the 2020 versions of the Chain of Custody (ST 2002), PEFC Trademarks (ST 2001) and Certification Body Requirements - Chain of Custody (ST 2003) standards. The transition date is now 14 February 2022. This extension gives certified entities and certification and accreditation bodies an additional six months to align their procedures with the requirements in the 2020 versions of these three vital standards. The aim of the extension is to give our stakeholders more flexibility in when they move to the 2020 standards, as we understand the current situation is very difficult for many companies around the world.

“American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) members take safety very seriously, and our industry diligently continues to manufacture products to help customers address current challenges related to COVID-19. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have provided guidance indicating there is no evidence COVID-19 is spreading through the mail, and WHO has further stated that the risk of catching the virus from a package that has been moved, traveled and exposed to different conditions and temperatures is low. “Paper products play an important role in facilitating product safety, enhancing hygiene and responding to COVID-19 challenges. Our industry remains committed to meeting the needs of its customers and the public, particularly in this dynamic environment.”

Russia, Indonesia, California and Australia– the list of forest fires of unprecedented size and force is growing. Why is this occurring and how should the world respond to combat this threat? Australia has been burning like never before. The forest fire season typically peaks in January and February, but the fires that started in November last year have already killed over thirty people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in the states of Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. While record-breaking temperatures and a long-running drought had authorities monitoring the situation closely, nothing of this magnitude was expected. The most urgent phase of this round of fires is over, for now, but the blazes will take months to extinguish entirely. The full damage to Australian infrastructure and forest ecosystems is still to be revealed. As a new decade starts, we are entering uncharted territory. In the last five years, fires have destroyed thousands of hectares of forests in the United States, Canada, Russia, Sweden and China. click read more below for the rest of this story

Water — it covers 70 percent of the Earth, makes up more than half of the human body and is essential to life for all living creatures. It’s also an essential ingredient during the pulp- and paper-making process, as you’ll see in this water quiz. Take a journey with us to find out more about our water sustainability and conservation efforts. Read the following articles, and then test your knowledge with our water quiz! to take the quiz go to: https://newsroom.domtar.com/%ef%bb%bfwater-quiz/

Toilet paper is often misunderstood. Much of that results from a big misconception: that toilet paper (and other paper products) harm and shrink the world’s forests. Georgia-Pacific’s VP of Sustainability, John Mulcahy, explains why you can feel good about TP and sustainability. Q: Why is toilet paper taking such a bad rap? Q: What do you tell people who think toilet paper is bad for the environment? Q: So, is deforestation really an issue? Click Read More below to find the answers and more.

UPM is one of the first companies to link the pricing mechanism of a syndicated revolving credit facility (RCF) to both biodiversity and climate targets. The margin of the RCF is tied to two key performance indicators (KPIs): • achievement of a net positive impact on biodiversity in the company’s own forests in Finland • a 65% reduction of CO2 emissions from fuels and purchased electricity by 2030 from 2015 levels, in line with UPM’s commitment to UN Business Ambition for 1.5°C. “Connecting UPM’s sustainability performance to our financing demonstrates the importance of responsible business practises to our long-term value creation. Sustainable forest management plays an important role in mitigating climate change, as it ensures material long-term CO2 sequestration and improves adaptation to global warming. Enhancing biodiversity is not only about preserving forests, but is also a crucial element in sustainable industrial use, taking into account a wide range of flora and fauna. UPM is committed to achieving a net positive impact on biodiversity and we have developed indicators and methods to monitor it,” says Tapio Korpeinen, CFO, UPM.

Amazon is investing globally to enable new renewable energy projects as the company works towards net zero carbon by 2040. Amazon’s first renewable energy project in Australia is a 60 megawatt (MW) solar project anticipated to come online in 2021 in northern New South Wales. Once complete, the project is expected to generate 142,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy annually, which is equivalent to the annual electricity of almost 23,000 average Australian households. Amazon’s newest renewable energy projects in Europe include 122 MW from an onshore wind project in Västernorrland, Sweden, expected to come online 2022, and a new 50 MW solar farm in Zaragoza, Spain, expected to begin operations in 2021. Once enabled, these projects have the capacity to power the equivalent of 158,000 average European homes each year.

At Koehler, sustainable management, thinking and acting is part of the corporate strategy. This also includes taking care of the immediate surroundings of the individual plants and assuming responsibility. This includes sponsoring streams, building nesting boxes or maintaining orchard meadows. Or even a tree planting campaign, as has now taken place in Greiz. "As one of the largest employers in Greiz, we have a responsibility to the town and the people", says Udo Hollbach, Managing Director of Koehler Greiz GmbH & Co. KG. The idea of the tree planting campaign, which has now been put into practice, was born in discussions with the town council. "With this, we are not only doing something for the environment, but also promoting company health management".

In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA) has joined Two Sides North America, the non-profit organization that promotes and encourages the responsible production, use, and sustainability of print, paper and paper-based packaging. “There is no better example of how we can be better stewards of our precious natural resources than the sustainability story of paper and print. IPMA is proud to join Two Sides North America, and spread the positive environmental impact this industry has made,” said Mike Loyd, Executive Director, IPMA.

Under the collaboration agreement signed between Football club HJK and Kotkamills, a manufacturer of fully recyclable food service board, HJK is aiming to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of its matches in the upcoming season. HJK published in December 2019 its environmental responsibility programme and concrete measures to reduce its carbon footprint. The target is to decrease emissions by 20 percent during 2020 and to compensate the rest of its emissions through EU emissions trading. HJK is aiming for its first teams to be totally carbon neutral by 2025. “The collaboration with Kotkamills is part of HJK’s environmental responsibility programme and a significant advancement in reducing plastic emissions. Beer, soft drinks and coffee are served in 150,000 single-use cups every year at the Bolt Arena. With the help of Kotkamills, we can discontinue the use of plastic mugs and plastic-coated cups,” says HJK CEO Aki Riihilahti.

Connect with nature, explore the great outdoors and meet some wildlife friends while you’re at it. With over 1,600 award winning conservation sites, we take pride in providing a healthy environment and clean water for the plants and animals that live in the forests we manage. We continue to collaborate with world-class scientists and environmental groups to study deer, songbirds, salmon and moose so we can better understand their habitat. In the 1980’s, we introduced the Unique Areas program, a voluntary program that designates areas of importance to wildlife, history or aesthetics for conservation. In addition to caring for wildlife habitat on the lands that we own and manage; we have been part of research programs that impact our forests and wildlife for many years.

Responsible business conduct is not a trend but a permanent change that companies should willingly embrace. Responsible companies take care of the environment as well as their employees, production chains and profitability. Investors and potential employees are increasingly assessing companies based on their responsibility actions. In addition, consumer expectations for true corporate responsibility continue to rise. Actions and transparency are required. It is hard to think of an industry that would not be affected by stakeholders’ expectations for responsible business practices. Responsibility requirements also widely impact the SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) sector because of the expectations relating to the production and sub-contracting chain. Clear business advantages encourage companies to strengthen their corporate responsibility. Integrating responsibility into the company’s strategy creates cost savings and brings new business opportunities. It is also a chance to come up with ideas for innovations that solve sustainability challenges. Mapping operational risks creates trust in the future and strengthens the company’s brand. According to one estimate, there is EUR 11 trillion worth of business opportunities in promoting sustainability targets. The capabilities, technologies and solutions of Finnish companies are desperately needed around the world.

Our Lucca Paper Mill has successfully developed a new paper and plastic fibre reject separation plant, ensuring materials are kept in the supply cycle for as long as possible and that the maximum value is obtained. At DS Smith, we see waste as a resource. Everything we do focuses on providing innovative, effective, sustainable strategies that help to increase recycling and reduce waste. In fact, across Europe, our Recycling Division manages 6 million tonnes of material every year. Lucca Paper Mill, located in Tuscany, is a market leader in containerboard and the biggest mill of its kind in the country with an annual production volume of 410,000 tonnes per year. All of Lucca’s products use recovered fibre, so they are always looking for ways to optimise the use of raw materials.

The Paper and Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC) has joined Two Sides North America, the non-profit organization that promotes and encourages the responsible production, use, and sustainability of print, paper and packaging. “We welcome PPEC to our Two Sides network. Their expertise will be of great value given that we are now addressing sustainability topics related to paper-based packaging,” said Phil Riebel, Two Sides North America President.

In terms of sustainability, UPM has ranked as or among the best performers in its industry for many years based on the actions we take and the progress we make. Our most recent recognition is Triple A List status in CDP for our actions to mitigate climate risk, prevent deforestation and enhance water stewardship. A remarkable achievement given that only six Triple A List companies in the entire world have earned this status! The Finnish Friends of the Earth declared this CDP status, and UPM's public commitment to the UN Global Compact’s business ambition to limit global warning to 1.5C, as a “UPM greenwashing campaign”. This is a stunning claim that undermines not only the work done by our employees but also the highly respected non-profit organizations that are well known for their high integrity. Like many companies UPM is often asked to respond to different ratings and rankings because of the increasing interests and demands from customers, investors, rating agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) towards our environmental, social and governance performance. These ratings are not based on what companies say but what they actually do. click read more below