By diverting paper from landfills and reintroducing it into the production cycle, recycling paper benefits the environment by conserving resources and reducing the need for virgin materials. This can lead to significantly reduced demand for timber from forests. The resulting recycle paper materials are used to produce everything from newspaper and tissue to cardboard and magazines – benefitting both the forests and you, the environmentally conscious individual. The production of paper from recycled fibers consumes considerably less energy and water compared to paper made from virgin materials. Recycling paper requires less processing, reducing the energy-intensive steps involved in harvesting, pulping, and bleaching raw wood pulp. Additionally, it conserves water resources by minimizing the need for extensive irrigation in forestry operations and the paper manufacturing process.

Finnish forest owners have enthusiastically welcomed the measures implementing Metsä Group’s regenerative forestry principles. Of wood trades completed during Metsä Group’s campaign in February–April 2024, approximately 40 per cent were agreed in accordance with the Metsä Group Plus management model. In terms of cubic volume of wood trades, the share was over 50 per cent during the campaign. Metsä Group’s parent company Metsäliitto Cooperative is owned by more than 90,000 Finnish forest-owners, who own around half of Finland’s private forests. The measures we carry out jointly with forest-owners significantly improve the natural state of forests. The Metsä Group Plus forest management model pays increasingly close attention to forest biodiversity and forest nature in the implementation of forest work. The model includes measures that improve the state of forest nature and are more comprehensive than current established practices and certificate requirements.

Two Sides has challenged over 2,650 organisations found to be communicating greenwashing messages to their customers. Over 1,180 organisations have, so far, removed misleading anti-paper statements. Economic pressures remain the driver for much of Greenwashing, and many organisations that have relied on paper to communicate with their customers are increasingly transitioning their customers from traditional paper-based services to digital platforms in a bid to reduce costs. The switch to digital is often justified by misleading and unsubstantiated environmental marketing messages such as; “Go Green – Go Paperless” or “Choose e-billing and help save a tree,” – but this is just Greenwashing.

Sonoco Products Company released its 2023 Corporate Sustainability Report which highlights progress made in support of its environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives. *Achieved 8% year-over-year (YOY) decrease in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions driven by projects across our facilities globally geared towards energy and emissions reduction *Continued our commitment to GHG reduction through a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) with ENGINE *Co-founded the Poly Coated Paper Alliance (PCPA), an industry collaboration focused on widespread recycling of poly-coated paper in the U.S. *Redesigned our iconic stacked chip package to allow for greater recyclability *Introduced our EnviroFlex® Paper solution for curbside recyclable flexible packaging. *Launched our Doing Safety Differently initiative

As a leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions, we fully support the European Union’s aim of promoting packaging circularity and reducing the impact of packaging on the environment. To help our customers navigate new rules shaping the future of packaging in the EU, we have outlined the latest information on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), its importance, objectives, and the differences between existing rules and the key measures proposed. What is the PPWR? Currently, the main regulatory framework for packaging and its end of life in the European Union is the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), adopted in the 1990s and revised several times since. In 2022, the European Commission decided to take a more ambitious approach to packaging and packaging waste as part of the EU Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan. The EU’s aim is to further reduce the environmental impact of packaging in the context of its ambition to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

This spring, UPM launched a new service package, UPM Nature Management Services, to provide Finnish forest owners with more options to enhance biodiversity. The first nature management services to be offered are assisting forest owners in applying for an environmental subsidy and a controlled burning service. More new services will be available later this year. The environmental subsidy (Metka, forestry incentive scheme in Finland) allows forest owners to apply for compensation to protect a valuable habitat in their forest. UPM will help forest owners to determine the eligibility of the habitat and apply for the subsidy on their behalf. UPM also provides help with other conservation options such as METSO (voluntary conservation scheme for forest owners). Controlled burning, in turn, can provide habitats for species that have become endangered as a result of effective fire suppression. As part of this service, UPM investigates on behalf of the forest owner whether the forest stand is eligible for a Metka subsidy and prepares the application before the actual work. The service also includes the controlled burning itself.

A new study reveals compelling evidence that forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) in Gabon and the Republic of Congo harbour a higher abundance of larger mammals and critically endangered species, such as gorillas and elephants, compared to non-FSC certified forests. The research was led by Utrecht University with support from WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and was published in Nature on 10 April 2024. It underscores the effectiveness of measures implemented in FSC-certified forest concessions to safeguard wildlife. By meticulously counting individual animals and strategically positioning camera traps, the research conducted by Joeri Zwerts confirmed that certified concessions notably harbor a larger population of large mammals – 2.7 times more for mammals over 100 kg, such as gorillas and forests elephants, and 2.5 times more for mammals from 30–100 kg, such as leopards and chimpanzees – when compared to non-FSC-certified areas. In addition, the encounter rates observed of large mammals in FSC-certified forests were comparable to published data from recently monitored protected areas in the Congo Basin region.

World Land Trust is one of the most successful environmental organizations in the world, protecting vulnerable areas of land from deforestation and destruction. As a global non-profit that safeguards the world’s most threatened habitats and wildlife species, the success of World Land Trust (WLT) lies in the amount of land it protects, and in 2023, over 177,200 acres (71,710 hectares) were protected from deforestation and development. This brings the total amount of land saved since the charity’s foundation over 30 years ago to over 2.8 million acres – that’s equivalent to the size of Jamaica. WLT form partnerships with local environmental groups and NGOs, giving them the financial and technical assistance to protect and manage the protected areas. WLT understands the value of people who know the area and the importance it has in the lives of the communities that live there.

For two years, SCA has operated the world's first electric timber truck for timber transports between SCA’s timber terminal Gimonäs and Obbola paper mill. "It's going very well. We have also tried using the truck to collect timber in the forest, and it was a very successful trial. Therefore, we felt it was time to take the next step in electrifying our heavy transports together with Scania," says Mikael Sundelin, Head of Business Development at Industrial Supply, SCA Skog. "Our new electric timber truck has a better range and will drive to timber storage areas in the forest where it loads the timber for further transport to one of our timber terminals. We expect the truck to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 170 tons per year compared to a regular timber truck," says Anton Ahlinder, Business Developer at Industrial Supply, SCA Skog.

Starting from December 2024, the European Union Deforestation-free products Regulation (EUDR) will be implemented. This new legislation aims to prevent the sale of seven commodity products – soy, beef, palm oil, wood, cocoa, coffee, and rubber – that are major drivers of deforestation, if sourced from areas affected by deforestation or forest degradation practices. By promoting the consumption of “deforestation-free” products and reducing the EU’s impact on global deforestation and forest degradation, the new EUDR is expected to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. The EUDR will require us to provide evidence that every quantity of pulp we purchase from outside the EU comes from areas free from deforestation. To comply with the Regulation, wood must have been harvested from land that was not subject to deforestation and without inducing forest degradation after December 31, 2020.

The EU Commission is set to provide further clarity regarding the requirements of the European Union Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR). Yet, organizations don’t need to wait to begin their journey toward EUDR compliance. Here are six steps companies - including FSC certificate and licence holders - can take now to prepare for EUDR compliance before 31 December 2024. STEP 1: Create an inventory list of your commodities and/or products in scope STEP 2: Review the proposed requirements for FSC’s new Regulatory Module STEP 3: Review your current Due Diligence system against EUDR requirements STEP 4: Collaboratively prepare with your supply chain STEP 5: Plan for secure data exchange with trading partners STEP 6: Reach out about your intentions for EUDR compliance to your certification body.

Mondi, a global packaging and paper manufacturer, has maintained its Platinum status in EcoVadis’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) ratings. The Group’s overall score of 87% places Mondi among the top 1% of global companies assessed for the eighth consecutive year. We are delighted to have secured our position among the top 1% of companies globally in the EcoVadis ratings once again this year. This achievement underscores our continued dedication to realising our ambitious MAP2030 sustainability commitments and to transparent reporting on our progress. As a widely recognised global platform for sustainability and corporate social responsibility ratings, EcoVadis supports us in engaging with customers and suppliers - Gladys Naylor, Mondi Group Head of Sustainable Development.

Solenis LLC is proud to announce that a BASF site located in White Stone, South Carolina, is among the winners of a 2023 Solenis Sustainability Award. The White Stone operation, which produces surfactants for the personal care and cleaning industries, is being recognized for a boiler tuning effort that led to annual savings of $27,002 (makeup water savings of $3,911; wastewater savings of $7,821; and fuel savings of $15,270). The BASF White Stone facility is a typical batch process chemical plant that uses steam from its three boilers in several critical processes. The boilers started experiencing carryover problems, which occurs when solids and other contaminants leave the boilers with the steam. Solids carried in the steam can form deposits in non-return and other control valves, affecting system efficiency. The escaping solids can also enter process streams, leading to product quality issues. As the carryover problem worsened, the White Stone facility was unable to sustain good boiler cycles. Solenis team members worked closely with the White Stone maintenance staff to resolve the issue. This involved weekly interventions to diagnose likely causes, implement system tweaks, and analyze the results.

UPM Raflatac has received RecyClass recognition for PE Films with its Multipurpose UV acrylic adhesive technology - making UPM Raflatac the first ever pressure sensitive laminate producer to receive technology approval in this category. The granted recognition expands UPM Raflatac’s portfolio of RecyClass approved PE (polyethylene) label materials. These materials are recognized to be recycling compatible with colored and natural PE flexible films. Today’s consumers and brand owners demand product solutions where the sustainability aspects including packaging recyclability are carefully considered. As a significant trend which is only going to get bigger, UPM Raflatac is well positioned to cater for the growing market demands with its labeling solutions for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) products which are by default designed to support recycling compatibility. “We are working towards a more sustainable and circular future. One big part of this is making plastic packaging recyclable. Labels not only serve as a carrier of information on flexible packages and packaging films, but also offer a functional purpose for example as closure systems. We are proud to be the first ever self-adhesive label company to provide RecyClass approved recycling compatible labeling solutions for PE flexible packaging,” says Katja Kivelä, Business Director, Food and HPC, Films & Specials SBU EMEIA, UPM Raflatac.

Two Sides is excited to announce its newest member and supporter, SCREEN Europe, one of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of production systems for the prepress and inkjet digital printing industries. SCREEN Europe’s portfolio includes cutting-edge inkjet presses renowned for their precision, speed, and versatility. These presses cater to diverse sectors such as commercial printing, packaging, labels, and industrial printing, enabling customers to meet their specific production needs efficiently. “SCREEN Europe’s commitment to innovation is evident through its continuous research and development efforts aimed at improving printing capabilities and addressing evolving market demands. By using advanced technologies and industry expertise, the SCREEN delivers solutions that enhance productivity, quality, and cost-effectiveness for its clientele, whilst also focussing on improved sustainability.” says Juan Cano, Business Development Director for SCREEN Europe.