The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) has joined Two Sides North America, the non-profit organization that promotes and encourages the responsible production, use, and sustainability of print and paper. “Two Sides welcomes FSEA to its growing network of members. Through this partnership we will be able to reach many more organizations and individuals in the graphic communications world. We look forward to working with them,” said Two Sides North America President, Phil Riebel. “FSEA realizes the importance of educating our members and providing information for them to share with their customers on the sustainability of print and paper,” said Jeff Peterson, Executive Director, Foil & Specialty Effects Association. “Two Sides North America has been instrumental in marketing the truth about print and paper and we want to do all we can to help with this effort.”

Salem One, 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. “Salem One is another great addition to our growing network of member companies and we look forward to working with their team to continue promoting the great environmental story and overall sustainability of print and paper products,” said Two Sides North America President, Phil Riebel. “Salem One is pleased to join with Two Sides North America, as we are proud of the sustainable message our Industry has to tell. From forest growth to paper production to print; our industry has been a major force of sustainability for well over 50 years. PRINT truly is one of the most sustainable forms of communication on the planet!” said Phil Kelley, Jr., President, Salem One, Inc.

Talk about upcycling—a Dutch treatment plant is recycling discarded toilet paper from the sewage into cellulose, and the resulting product has already been used for a practical purpose. The facility is touted as the world’s first in recovering cellulose from used toilet paper, Energy & Environment Management reported June 15. The technology was developed by Dutch company CirTec BV, which demonstrated that it was feasible to extract clean cellulose from sewage and create fibrous or pelletized forms. The plant, opened on June 29, has a capacity of about 400 kilograms/day. The cellulose will be exported to England for use as a raw material to produce biocomposite and other products, according to a CirTec press release. In one demonstration project, a bicycle path was made of asphalt processed in part with the recycled cellulose.

The 2017 SFI Conference is just 2 months away! This year’s conference will take place from September 27-29, 2017 at the Shaw Center in Ottawa, Canada. This year’s conference theme – Forests. A Way of Life – will highlight how we all depend on forests whether we are harvesting professionals, landowners, producers, customers, Indigenous peoples, or individuals using forests for recreation. To enjoy our shared quality of life, we need to ensure our forests are responsibly managed, so we have clean air, clean water, biodiversity, sustainable communities and forest products that improve our quality of life. We'll discuss topics of relevance to the Canadian, American and international forest sectors, so come to the 2017 SFI Annual Conference in Ottawa, Ontario and help us celebrate Canada's National Forest Week and Canada's 150th anniversary.

A world without waste holds untold benefits for our environment and contributes to sustained protection of the world’s precious natural resources. But this concept, as embodied by the principles of a circular economy, can also unleash tremendous opportunity for growth and innovation that experts say will deliver $4.5 trillion in new economic potential by 2030. That’s because, as noted by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, “a circular economy is restorative and regenerative by design, and aims to keep products, components and materials at their highest utility and value at all times.” To get there, companies are pushing to achieve greater productivity and eliminate inefficiencies, and in doing so, realizing the economic reward that comes from these practices.

It is time to celebrate in New Zealand as the first forests in the country achieve PEFC certification. Over 400,000 hectares of forest - about 20% of New Zealand’s plantation forest estate - are now PEFC-certified! “It is really encouraging to see forest managers adopting PEFC on such a scale, so soon after we were able to bring it to New Zealand,” said NZFCA Chair, Dr. Andrew McEwen.

American Wood Council (AWC) President and CEO Robert Glowinski and American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Donna Harman issued the following statements following United States House of Representatives passage of the Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2017 (H.R. 806). The legislation, which now moves to the United States Senate for consideration, prevents a rushed implementation of the 2015 ozone Nation Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) and the American Forest Foundation (AFF) announced today that SFI has become the new home of Project Learning Tree (PLT). PLT is an award-winning environmental education program that uses trees and forests as windows on the world to increase youth understanding of the environment and actions they can take to conserve it. PLT’s integration into SFI provides an opportunity for the program to expand its reach and impact. And SFI’s role as a sustainability leader will be bolstered by PLT’s expertise in education, an increasing focus in SFI’s community engagement work. PLT was previously housed at the American Forest Foundation.

In its Global Strategic Plan 2015-2020, FSC committed to offering new tools for certificate holders to access ecosystem services markets. This is part of a broader strategy to increase the market value of FSC as ecosystem services can result in increased net revenue for forest owners. The FSC ecosystem services tools include a new procedure to demonstrate the impact of forest management activities on ecosystem services and how to access their markets.

Sandra Mae Watling is a second year Forestry student at the University of New Brunswick's Fredericton campus. This summer she is one of the 110 students working in J.D. Irving, Limited’s (JDI) tree planting operations. Sandra Mae is a tree planting auditor, following behind the planting crew to ensure that all trees are planted to a quality standard. The nine auditors across the company are looking for quality indicators as they check their plots. Indicators include ensuring that seedlings are spaced appropriately, planted at the correct depth and that seedlings aren’t damaged or leaning.

Klabin donated 100 cribs made of corrugated board to the Escola Internacional de Aldeia (Pernambuco), which is implementing a social project in partnership with the Amigos da Rua Institute (IAR) in the city of Camaragibe in Pernambuco. The initiative aims to distribute cribs and layettes to homeless mothers and babies. Portable, easy to assemble and with an aesthetic appeal that is reminiscent of the children’s universe, the corrugated board cribs were designed by the packaging engineering area at Klabin’s Goiana Unit exclusively for this initiative. Suitable for babies aged up to three months or weighing up to six kilos, the cribs must not come in contact with water and intense heat sources in order to retain their structural characteristics. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Some people believe that because paper is made from wood fiber, using paper must be bad for trees. However, research shows using wood-based products like office paper actually helps keep American forests healthy when the wood fiber is sourced responsibly. “Using responsibly-sourced recycled and non-recycled paper is a great way to help the environment,” says Kate McGlynn, product environmental steward for Boise Paper, a division of Packaging Corporation of America. “When forests are managed sustainably, using non-recycled paper is not harmful to forests. Because the vast majority of forests in the U.S. exist on privately-owned land, selling harvested trees to make paper creates an economic incentive for land owners to keep forest land thriving.” If trees weren’t needed to make wood products like paper, private landowners may choose to remove forests and use their land for something else, such as agriculture or commercial development. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Voting for the 2017 elections for the FSC US Board of Directors will be open until Sunday, August 6. Candidates include: •Sophie Beckham, International Paper, Economic Chamber •Tim Beyer, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Economic Chamber •Peggy Murphy, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Economic Chamber •Jason Grant, Sierra Club, Environmental Chamber •Linda Walker, World Wildlife Fund, Environmental Chamber •Ted Wright, Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands, Environmental Chamber •Celia (Cece) Headley, Northwest Forest Worker Center, Social The Board of Directors is FSC US’ highest governing authority. Organized under FSC’s three chamber system, the Board leads the development of national strategy, approves national forest management standards and policies, ensures effective financial oversight, and oversees the chief executive. Click Read More below for additional detail.

“The benefit of PEFC is that we are responsible for the development of our own national forest certification system,” said Antony Stefanov, from the Council for Sustainable Forest Management and Certification in Bulgaria. “This means we can ensure that our specific needs are taken into account, which is particularly important for our many small- and family-forest owners.” “We are delighted to have been accepted into the PEFC alliance,” Mr. Stefanov continued, following the acceptance of Bulgaria as a PEFC national member. The acceptance of the Council for Sustainable Forest Management and Certification in Bulgaria as a PEFC member is an important step towards preparing their national system for PEFC endorsement. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Two Sides member, UK printer Seacourt, a European leader in environmental excellence, announces Planet Positive Printing, a pioneering programme to make Seacourt one of the first printers to achieve a net positive impact on the environment. Seacourt, which already has three Queen’s Awards and an EMAS Award for its innovations in sustainability, has now been certified by ClimateCare as having offset its entire operational footprint - plus an extra 10% - to move to 'beyond carbon neutral' in its impact on the environment. “Planet Positive Printing is the future for this industry,” says Seacourt Managing Director Gareth Dinnage. “We have spent decades transforming our business from a resource-intensive, polluting printer to one that has zero impact on the environment. We have taken more actions than anyone else to be environmentally sustainable, now we are going a step further - making the impact of printed communications absolutely net positive.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

The forest industry reports on its environmental impact annually. The pulp and paper industry's environmental statistics illustrate how environmental impacts have developed over the years. For the forest industry, material efficiency and the comprehensive utilisation of raw materials are routine. The volume of pulp and paper industry waste that ends up at landfill continued to decline in 2016. Last year, the volume of landfill waste dropped by 11 per cent compared to 2015. Over the past five years, the volume of landfill waste has been halved. Approximately 95 per cent of production side streams are further refined via industrial symbioses into fertiliser products, or are used in earthworks or in the production of renewable energy. Click Read More below for more of the story.

Two Sides releases new Fact Sheet outlining why paper-based communications should remain the default choice In an effort to reduce costs, a growing number of companies are switching customers from paper to electronic communications — without their consent. This move to make digital communications the “default” is frustrating many in the United States and Canada who want to retain a choice in how they receive information. Millions of North Americans choose not to go online or still lack Internet access, including many seniors and people living in rural areas. In addition, a majority prefer paper over digital for many of the reasons outlined in this new Fact Sheet. We hope that when companies are armed with the facts below, they’ll make the right choice for their customers.

Is the Cloquet Sappi mill the greenest in the world? While there hasn't been an official trophy awarded by pulp and paper mills worldwide, Cloquet Sappi manager Mike Schultz is quite certain we have a winner here. It always amazes local people when they find out the Cloquet mill is considered the most environmentally friendly mill in the world. Gone are the days when people used to talk about the "smell" of the paper mill that permeated the air in town — that ended when the new, more efficient pulp mill was constructed some 20 years ago, Schultz said, pointing out that the Cloquet pulp mill (which also now makes chemical cellulose) is still the newest pulp mill in North America. What began years ago as an effort to prolong the life of the on-site landfill, the Cloquet mill has turned into one of the environmental success stories of the millennium. It's been a war fought on many fronts, most of them involving reusing waste that used to end up in the landfill or the sewer, along with a shifting focus to using renewable energy as much as possible. Click Read More below for more of the story.

Three weeks, five countries, countless meetings and many air miles! It has been an action packed month for Ben Gunneberg, the CEO of PEFC International. “It has been fantastic to travel around Asia this past month,” said Ben. “From meeting with our members, old and new, to highlighting the benefits of PEFC to a wide range of industry professionals and government representatives.” Ben began his trip in Indonesia, attending the Indonesian Forestry Certification Cooperation (IFCC) Stakeholder Meeting in Jakarta. IFCC is our national member in Indonesia. Since their endorsement back in 2014, they have been working hard to increase the forest area under PEFC certification. Ben’s final destination was Singapore, where he had a packed schedule, including a meeting with the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA). Check out the video below to see Ben highlight why certification matters to business, during a special lunchtime talk at Eco Business. Click Read More below for more of the story.

Introduced last year, Sustainability 2022 is the company's framework to address social and environmental challenges with programs designed to create social, environmental and business value. In its first year, Kimberly-Clark surpassed three of its five sustainability targets, and is on track to meet or exceed all of its goals by 2022. Key highlights of the company's 2016 results include: *Social Impact - Working with our customers, consumers and suppliers, programs including Toilets Change Lives, No Baby Unhugged and The Period Project worked to improve the well-being of more than two million people in need in 2016 through social and community investments that increased access to sanitation, helped children thrive and empowered women and girls. *Forest & Fiber - Kimberly-Clark sourced 89 percent of the fiber used in its tissue products from environmentally-preferred sources. We also strengthened our partnership with the Forest Stewardship Council® to engage consumers in protecting forests. *Waste & Recycling - We expanded our waste and recycling programs to include challenges of waste at both ends of the supply chain. In 2016, we diverted 95 percent of manufacturing waste from landfills, and diverted more than 5,000 metric tons of post-consumer waste through partnership programs around the world. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Trade unions representing workers across Quebec spoke out passionately about the economic damage and threats to jobs being caused by Greenpeace’s irresponsible attacks and unwillingness to engage with their communities. In a group statement, saying they are “deeply distressed by the approach taken by Greenpeace," the Confederation of National Trade Unions was represented at a press conference by the National Union of Pulp and Paper Workers of Alma, the Central Council of National Unions of Saguenay-Lac St-Jean, and the Manufacturing Industry Federation. Each of the unions denounced Greenpeace’s campaign that spreads misinformation about the boreal forest, and decried the group’s repeated indifference to appeals for dialogue with those communities that are being harmed. Click Read More below for additional detail.

UPM Biofuels is developing a new feedstock concept by growing Brassica Carinata as a sequential crop in South America. The Carinata crop produces non-edible oil suitable for biofuels' feedstock and protein for animal feed. The sequential cropping concept enables contract farmers to take agricultural land into use outside the main cultivation period, in winter time, without compromising existing food production. This does not cause any land use change, prevents erosion and improves soil quality. Carinata will provide additional income to local farmers, who do not normally have their fields in productive use during winter. In South America UPM grows and tests Carinata with third-party farmers in Uruguay and Brazil. Biofuels produced from Carinata oil reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 70% compared to fossil fuels. Click Read More below for additional detail.

UPS announced aggressive new sustainability goals to add more alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles to its fleet while increasing its reliance on renewable energy sources. The goals support UPS’s commitment to reduce its absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from global ground operations 12 percent by 2025, a goal developed using a methodology approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. “Because of our size and scale, we know our commitments can shape markets, advance technologies and be a catalyst for infrastructure investments,” said David Abney, UPS Chairman and CEO. “We rely on the ingenuity of our employees, suppliers and technology partners to help us reach goals that will transform the shipping industry and spur innovation.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

Every spring our forest professionals and contractors go through rigorous environment training, to ensure that they are able to spot key indicators that help us conserve unique sites and maintain the forests. Enviro-training is developed and run by our Naturalist, Kelly Honeyman and our Biologist, John Gilbert, which ensures the well-being of the environment is the number one concern throughout the training. “It’s important for us to train these guys to recognize what the significant features are on the landscape” says Kelly Honeyman. Enviro-training covers topics from how to spot rare plants to site specific habitat procedures when a stick nest or bear den is located. Part of the process when rare plants, unique areas, or other sensitive areas are found is to drop GPS coordinates onto our mapping systems. This documentation ensures that the site can be preserved and operations will allow for a buffer zone around the site. Our GPS programs will keep track of all sites, and will be used in the future when operations come back to the area. Click Read More below for more of the story.

“Forest certification has the potential to greatly support Myanmar's forest sector and contribute to the ongoing reform process,” said Dr. Nyi Nyi Kyaw, Director General of the Forest Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation of Government of Myanmar at the launch of a new initiative to promote sustainable forest management in Myanmar. The initiative will develop and test tools that support legal, sustainable and transparent forest product trade and is implemented jointly by PEFC International and the Myanmar Forest Certification Committee (MFCC). “The Forest Department recognizes the value of this project towards strengthening the MFCC,” said Dr Kyaw. The primary focus of the project, supported by Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, is to strengthen and operationalize the national forest certification system in Myanmar. Click Read More below for additional detail.

The North American pulp and paper industry has made great progress in reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions over the last decade and at the same time have increased their use of certified fiber and support for sustainable forest management. In the U.S., AF&PA members represent the spectrum of paper and wood products manufacturing and work on an ongoing basis with government agencies, communities and other stakeholders to employ advanced sustainability practices, which benefit the economy, the environment and society.[1] In 2016, the recovery rate for paper consumed in the U.S. reached a record 67.2% and is approaching the AF&PA goal of 70%. Since 2001, recycling rates in the U.S. have increased by about 20% due to voluntary efforts by the pulp and paper industry and the increasing number of Americans who recycle every day. AP&PA member pulp and paper mills produce carbon-neutral biomass energy on site that, on average, provides about two-thirds of their energy needs. As a result, their purchased energy use per ton of production was 8.1% lower in 2014 than in the 2005 baseline year. By advancing their use of combined heat and power and reducing energy intensity in the industrial sector, they are significantly improving their energy efficiency. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Cotton, silk, leather... it is time to move on from these old-fashioned materials, to something better! This evening in Perugia, in the heart of Italy, young designers will be revealing their ideas of our clothing future, and their inspiration? Forests! Our forests have so much to offer us. Yarns from cypress, beech and eucalyptus trees, not to mention cork, are all softer and more breathable than cotton or silk. Fabrics similar to animal skins can instead come from our hardwoods and conifers. Click Read More below for more of the story.

Highlights from 2016 include: •Collaborated with North American customers to bring sustainable ReAl® aerosol cans to the U.S. ReAl cans include a proprietary, Ball-developed aluminum alloy that allows the lightweighting of its impact extruded aerosol cans by 20 percent. This lightweighting reduces a 150-milliliter ReAl aerosol can's carbon footprint by 18 percent when compared to a standard can. •Continued work on the Joint Polar Satellite System satellite, which is currently completing environmental testing for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. JPSS will enable critical measurements of global atmosphere, ocean and land surfaces and provide essential data for weather forecasting, storm tracking and continuity of NASA's long-term environmental data record. •Educated, inspired and empowered stakeholders to strategically strengthen curbside recycling in the U.S. through our support of The Recycling Partnership. Over the past three years, the Partnership has reached 17 million households in 424 cities, placed 400,000 new recycling carts on the ground, reduced contamination rates by 30 percent in targeted communities, and catalyzed investments in collection and recycling of approximately $27 million. Click Read More below for more of the story.

PEFC invites stakeholders around the world to comment on the Austrian and Romanian national forest certification systems, following their submission to PEFC for endorsement. To give your feedback, head to our Online Consultation Tool. PEFC Romania is one of our newest national members, joining last November during the General Assembly in Bali. This means it is the first time they have submitted their national system to PEFC for endorsement. Make your comments now! The deadline is 14 August 2017. Austria was one the first countries to achieve endorsement of its national forest certification system back in 2000. Two successful re-endorsements of the system followed in 2006 and 2011. Nearly 3 million hectares of Austria’s forests are PEFC-certified - more than three quarters of the whole of the country’s forest area. We need your feedback! The deadline is 7 August 2017. Click Read More below for additional detail.

U.S. renewable power just hit an important milestone, as the percentage of the nation's power coming from wind and solar just hit double digits for the first time. A new report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration reveals that 10 percent of the nation's power was supplied by wind and solar during the month of March. While 10 percent of the nation's power might not seem like a lot, this is a significant milestone for renewable energy. Meeting this goal proves that wind and solar aren't vanity projects, but are a real and important part of U.S. energy infrastructure. It also demonstrates how far renewable energy has come in the last decade. In 2007, wind and solar generated less than 1 percent of the nation's energy. Just ten years later, renewables are on the verge of outpacing coal and nuclear in the U.S. energy portfolio. Click Read More below for more of the story.

UPM Biofuels commissioned a study from leading international energy and climate consultancy Ecofys - A Navigant Company, entitled "Crude tall oil low ILUC risk assessment: comparing global supply and demand". The study looked into crude tall oil (CTO) availability, current usage, whether the feedstock creates an additional demand for land, and whether the use of CTO in advanced biofuels can cause distortive effects in the markets. The recently conducted Ecofys study concludes that "the CTO market is not overly tight and potential surplus of about 850,000 tonnes of CTO is still available that could be tapped into". The total potential CTO supply is around 2.6 million tonnes. Current actual CTO demand is approximately 1.75 million tonnes, of which about 1.4 million tonnes is used by distillers and roughly 230,000 tonnes for biofuels. Ecofys also concludes that "CTO use for biofuels did not cause displacement effects elsewhere, and hence CTO, a non-land using process residue, is a low ILUC (Indirect Land Use Change) risk material." UPM considered it necessary to investigate the impact of UPM Biofuels' market entry, and to verify whether UPM BioVerno production may have impacted negatively on the CTO market. The study brings necessary information into the debate concerning raw material availability for various end-uses such as advanced biofuels and biomaterials. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Recently, we received a letter from the leadership of the Hachette Book Group expressing concerns over our legal dispute with Greenpeace in the wake of the group's misleading "report" on free speech. Resolute CEO Richard Garneau replied with this letter: Thank you for your considerate overture and I appreciate the invitation to offer our thoughts on the longstanding, mutual commitment we each have to sustainable forestry. You are among our most valued customers and we take great pride in seeing how your company transforms our dedicated work into the lyrical beauty of the written word on the page. I certainly share your chagrin that the various accusations being made by Greenpeace seem difficult to gauge, although it is obvious why Greenpeace should prefer it that way. One wonders whether they assume that the public will simply accept their claims without bothering to examine the details. By making their demands capricious, obscure, and ever-changing, the only yardstick becomes whatever Greenpeace insists. Our position and track record by contrast are carefully detailed and wholly transparent, and I would encourage any stakeholder to read more about our sustainability performance here. Here are some recent examples of the broader recognition we have received for our environmental leadership. ◾2017 Environmental Leader of the Year Award, Environmental Leader Conference (North America) ◾2017 Mercure award for Sustainable Development (Canada) ◾2016/2017 Corporate Responsibility Award and Industry Sector Award, Peer Awards for Excellence (UK) ◾2017 Corporate LiveWire Innovation & Excellence Award, Excellence in Sustainable Forestry (North America). Click Read More below for additional detail.

News highlights •HP announces a new goal to reduce first-tier production supplier and product transportation-related GHG emissions intensity 10 percent by 2025, compared to 20151 •In addition, HP has set a new goal to double factory participation in supply chain sustainability programs by 2025, compared to 2015, to increase both the number of suppliers that participate in its programs and the depth of their engagement •HP’s new goal to develop the skills and improve the well-being of 500,000 supplier factory workers by 2025, compared to 2015, follows HP’s longstanding commitment to the well-being of the workers in its supply chain, with a focus on vulnerable groups including women, student and foreign migrant workers. Click Read More below for additional detail.

PEFC France, PEFC Italy and PEFC Sweden have all successfully achieved the re-endorsement of their national forest certification systems. France and Sweden were two of the founding members of PEFC back in 1999, and this re-endorsement marks the fourth time that these systems have successful achieved PEFC endorsement. Between them, the two countries account for almost 20 million hectares of PEFC-certified forest. Italy joined the alliance in 2001 and achieved endorsement of their system in 2004. This re-endorsement is the third time the Italian system has been endorsed by PEFC. Alongside the certification of more traditional forest-based products, PEFC Italy is also leading the way for certification of other products, such as honey and clothing! Click Read More below for additional detail.

PEFC and FSC have agreed to jointly collect and publish data on double certification, starting from 2016 onwards. More than 69 million hectares (or 16%) of all certified forests globally are double certified to both PEFC and FSC. This is an increase of 30 million hectares compared to data collected by PEFC in 2012. Double certification exists because foresters in different parts of the world have chosen to use both PEFC and FSC certification for their forest management units to prove their sustainable forest management practices. As their respective certified forest area appears in both the PEFC and the FSC statistics, this has led to inflated numbers of the total global certified area. PEFC and FSC therefore decided to work together to provide a more accurate and mutually agreed estimate for the total global certified area. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Kimberly-Clark announced a unique three-year agreement and collaboration with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) designed to raise awareness of the importance of choosing products that use fiber from responsibly managed forests. As part of the new "♥ YOUR PLANET" campaign, the company will display WWF's iconic logo on its paper towel, facial tissue and toilet paper products sold in North America. This initiative is part of an 8-year partnership between the two organizations, and is a natural next step in advancing responsible forestry through consumer education and engagement. Kimberly-Clark is proud to display the WWF logo on its packaging and in promotion. Click Read More below for more of the story.

We are delighted to announce that Hungary is the latest country to achieve PEFC endorsement of its national forest certification system. “It has been more than 15 years since the first initiative to introduce PEFC forest certification in Hungary was launched,” said Endre Schiberna, Hungarian Forest Certification Non-profit Ltd. “So we are thrilled to have finally achieved this long-awaited endorsement.” “The latest process was funded and closely supported by the PEFC Collaboration Fund, which was vital to facilitate the co-operation of stakeholders.” “Endorsement is both an objective achieved and a starting point for our further development,” Mr. Schiberna continued. Click Read More below for more of the story.

Buses in the Helsinki region and most of machinery and trucks used by the City of Helsinki are switching to waste and residue-based biofuels. Helsinki Region Transport HSL, the City of Helsinki and the producers of renewable fuels involved in the project are all pioneers in carbon-neutral transport. The project is internationally significant. Commercial vehicles operated by the City of Helsinki and bus services commissioned by HSL will fully switch to renewable fuels by 2020. This is a pioneering project in global terms. The construction services company, Stara, which operates most of the city's vehicles, will be involved from the City of Helsinki's side. "Switching to biofuels will markedly reduce carbon dioxide and local particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions. This will have a particularly clear impact on air quality in the center of Helsinki," says Unit Director Sami Aherva, of Stara. Click Read More below for more of the story.

The UK’s papermaking industry has smashed its energy-saving targets for the two-year period from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2016. All 45 of the UK’s paper mills take part in the voluntary Climate Change Agreement (CCA) scheme, launched in 2001, which gifts mills partial relief from the Climate Change Levy (CCL) tax in response for them delivering proven energy efficiency improvements. The paper sector was one of the first to agree to the CCA and by 2006 all mills had signed up. For the two-year period in question, the sector’s agreed target was to deliver a 7.1% improvement on 2008’s figure, and it actually improved by just shy of 10% (9.7%). Performance is defined in terms of a specific set of energy efficiency measurements mostly related to the use of electricity. Click Read More below for more of the story.

The Bio Era Tour, introducing bioeconomy and its possibilities and innovations, is launched today on the International Environment Day in Helsinki, Finland. In the core of the tour is the Bio Era Truck exhibition, where visitors can learn of the latest innovations made of renewable raw materials in an interactive manner and get to innovate also themselves. UPM is a partner in the tour as part of its Biofore Share and Care programme where one focus area is boosting bioinnovations. As the project partner UPM wants to highlight the industry's new innovations, versatile operations in the circular economy and meet young people around Finland. UPM's expertise in renewable and recyclable materials, low-emission energy and resource efficiency is the key to developing new, sustainable businesses. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Gap Inc. remains committed to doing our part to act on climate. We’re working towards cutting greenhouse gas emissions from our global facilities in half by the end of 2020, diverting waste from our U.S. facilities, and partnering with our suppliers around the world to adopt more sustainable manufacturing practices. We will continue to work with like-minded businesses, NGOs and other stakeholders to support solutions that will create a more sustainable and economically strong future for the people and communities touched by our business around the world. It’s not only the right thing for the planet, but also the right path forward for business growth, job creation and human health.

“Becoming a PEFC national member is an important step towards the endorsement of our country’s national forest certification system,” said Craig Norris, Forest Technology Manager at NCT Forestry. “We expect to finalize the system documentation by June and will submit the system to PEFC shortly after.” There are approximately 1.2 million hectares of exotic tree plantations in South Africa. While much of this is already certified to alternative forest certification systems, most of this area is owned or managed by large organizations. This has led to a growing concern that small- and family forest owners are being left behind. Click Read More below for more of the story.

PEFC was delighted to welcome new national members from Ghana, Hungary, Macedonia, Republic of Korea, Romania and Thailand. You have to look back to the early days of our organization for so many members joining in one year. These new members join a fantastic network of organizations, and many of their activities can be found throughout the Annual Review.

Young people are at the centre of a sustainable future, and FSC is looking for a passionate youth correspondent who can engage their peers by covering this important event with originality, accuracy and inspiring reporting. The FSC GA 2017 is FSC’s highest decision-making body. Eight hundred participants from 70 countries - representing social, economic and environmental interests from the Global North and South – will meet in Vancouver to discuss a sustainable future for the world’s forests and the people that inhabit them.

Hundreds of wishes drawn in sand wound their way through the forest in celebration of the International Day of Forests. This spectacular art action marked the conclusion of the nationwide Wunschwald (or Forest of Wishes) campaign by PEFC Germany. People from around the country were invited to share their personal wishes for the forests of the future, and international action artist Gijs van Bon brought the most popular wishes into reality.

Metsä Board, the leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards and part of Metsä Group, has achieved the Gold level rating by EcoVadis for its approach to sustainability. Overall Metsä Board was ranked in the top 1% of suppliers assessed by EcoVadis across all categories. “We are very proud to have achieved this level of ranking. The assessment further enforces Metsä Board’s continued commitment to sustainability. 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 Soili Hietanen, VP Sustainability and Energy at Metsä Board.

In Rolland’s “Conversations with Green Champions,” Rolland President Philip Rundle speaks with sustainability-minded organizations about their approach to environmental responsibility. LUSH – the inventor, manufacturer and retailer of fresh, handmade cosmetics – sees sustainability as “giving back more to the planet than we are taking or consuming.” LUSH North America’s Katrina Shum, Sustainability Officer, and Karen Moll, Ethical Buyer, speak on subjects ranging from developing strategy to developing products, and from ethical campaigning to ethical buying.