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Banks, credit card companies, and other businesses are aggressively pushing consumers to receive their monthly statements electronically, but a new report by the National Consumer Law Center warns that these efforts can create more harm than good for consumers. The report notes that millions of Americans -- particularly lower-income, less educated, older, and households of color -- are on the other side of the “digital divide,” lacking home broadband Internet access. According to a recent Pew Research study: •59% of households with incomes under $20,000 and 53% of those with less than a high school education do not have home broadband Internet access. Even those with access may have older computers, slow connection speeds, or may lack a printer or money to afford expensive ink to print statements. •About half of Hispanics (50%) and African Americans (46%) lack access to home broadband Internet. •Over half (55%) of Americans 65 years or older lack home broadband Internet. Even if they have access, older consumers may be less comfortable with electronic statements or find them risky. Paper statements can be critical for family members who are trying to piece together financial records for an older consumer who is incapacitated or has passed away. The report also notes that mobile devices aren’t a substitute to home computers because of their smaller size and formatting and unsuitability for record keeping.

Domtar Corporation announced improvements to its award-winning supply chain transparency tool, The Paper Trail ® ( www.domtarpapertrail.com ), offering customers a deeper look into the company’s products and the people and places behind their manufacture. The latest enhancements build upon Domtar’s commitment to openness and honesty, showcasing corporate efforts focused on caring for people and communities, efficient manufacturing and responsible sourcing and logistics. Significant updates to the website include the addition of the environmental, social and economic impacts of Domtar’s pulp products, including Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft (NBSK), Southern Bleached Softwood Kraft (SBSK) and Fluff pulp. Click Read More below for additional information.

Increasing regulatory requirements such as the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) and market pressure for responsibly produced products are posing a serious challenge to businesses, certification schemes and producers in agricultural and forest-based sectors. The RIA will develop and maintain credible risk assessments with a range of partners and across commodities offering value beyond the EUDR. Through an innovative and collaborative approach, the Alliance will encourage risk data sharing in a pre-competitive sphere and cut through the complex and costly landscape facing companies and sustainability systems. “Historically, businesses, certification schemes and other stakeholders have worked in isolation to evaluate risks. Without coordination, it is easy to imagine how they may come to different conclusions for the same indicators, wasting time, resources, and potential impact,” said David Hadley, Regulatory Impact Programme Director at Preferred by Nature.