by Brian T. Dooling

It’s a jungle out there!  Or at least it could be if sustainability policies continue to take hold.  Sustainability has become an important topic in the industry and there is an increased global desire for a sustainable environment.   Sustainability from an environmental perspective refers to the longevity of our natural resources.  The term also used to describe various social, economic and environmental goals put in place to manage our forests.  What is the quest for sustainability really about?  It is really about quality of life and maintaining that quality for future generations. 

The extent to which this quest is achieved will depend on many factors some of which include public opinion, public policy and the interaction of humans with their natural systems.  According to Joseph C. Lawson, Director, Sustainable Forestry for MeadWestvaco Corporation, managing the world’s natural resources, in the context of a growing population, is one of the most important sustainability issues.  He believes that sustainability policies and programs are solidly imbedded in successful businesses.  However, one challenge to be faced is integrating such policies into developing markets. “Regardless, implementing and improving sustainable practices has become a requirement for market entry and I expect this trend to continue,” says Lawson.

“Society is struggling to define exactly what sustainability means and how we actually measure progress toward established sustainability goals,” believes Dr. Michael Washburn is President of Washburn Consulting, which is a practice dedicated to advancing the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).  He is the former VP of brand management at FSC US, and a former Director of Yale University’s Program on Forest Certification. Looking forward, Washburn feels that climate change will move from a concern of those in the policy realm to a topic of household conversation. Given that 30% of greenhouse gas accumulations result from land-use-change, including deforestation, responsible forestry is now about more than just forests.  Washburn notes, “Healthy forests are a vital component of a comprehensive strategy to combat and adapt to climate change. This gives new visibility to forest conservation issues.”

“The fact is sustainability is a very good thing when managed properly,” says Rick Huntoon, Vice President of Marketing for National Envelope.  “It doesn’t mean stopping the use of resources, it means managing them as we use them so they are there for future generations.”  Huntoon feels that the next big thing that will hit our industry will be the need to reduce the carbon dioxide associated with our products and operations. As companies look to reduce their carbon footprint, they will be looking at everything they use to run and promote their business of which paper and print play a major role.  Huntoon believes, “There will be an expectation to run companies clean and efficiently and have the ability to offer carbon neutral products.”

Green house gas emissions, renewable energy, and a desire to understand carbon footprint are all topics receiving more discussion these days.  Climate change in particular is a primary concern for many people.  Laura Thompson, Director of Sustainability, Sappi Fine Paper North America believes “Everyone throughout the supply chain, from foresters to publishers to the consumer, is becoming more educated about environmental issues and there is a growing knowledge base about the full life cycle of products. While the current emphasis is on energy and emissions, we would consider the next global environmental concern to be water quality and consumption.”

“Responsible paper and wood purchasing is just one tool that can contribute positively to conserving our forests,” says Jason Metnick, Director, Market Access and Product Labeling for the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Inc.  He agrees that environmental issues are becoming very mainstream.   With consumers having a rising awareness, these issues are being widely discussed, debated, and reported around the world.  Metnick believes that illegal logging in developing countries, climate change, carbon reduction and conservation of biodiversity are key areas of increasing concern that will continue to attract attention.

One major trend that appears to be occurring is that the industry is taking an active role in driving change.  The business community is taking responsibility, rather than waiting on legislation to force compliance.  Companies are forming partnerships and alliances with various non-government organizations to effect change.  Thompson believes that “There is a growing recognition that in working together, instead of against each other, both parties have a better chance of succeeding and implementing change.”  Opinions may vary on how best to handle, but one fact is certain:  Sustainability is going to continue to be at the forefront of public concern.

INDEPENDENT CERTIFICATIONS
As environmental awareness and a demand for businesses to be more socially responsible has grown, so has the development of third party certification bodies to independently evaluate and report on both the environmental and social performance of companies and their products.

Independent organizations have developed standards that define good forest management and independent auditors review operations and determine compliance.  At this time, there is no single accepted forest management standard worldwide.  There are more than 50 certification standards that exist today. Some common certification standards are:
• Canada’s National Sustainable Forest Management Standard (CSA)
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
• Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)
• Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC)

Certification programs help verify that the forest and the products that come from them are managed well.  “Certification programs are the most important things that have happened to sustainability. By using certified papers, the user is assured that the fibers in that paper come from well-managed forests,” says Huntoon.  With regard to selecting a particular certification, companies should do their research, as there are most likely similarities and differences with all of them.  For example, The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has generic standards for sustainable forest management that are adapted to meet regional needs based on stakeholder input from industry, communities and environmental organizations. The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), although a similar organization, differs from the FSC in that it has a single standard applicable across all jurisdictions. Thompson feels “The major certification bodies essentially cover the same key issues and are designed to improve the management of forests and to create better awareness about environmental and social issues related to forest practices.”

Liza Murphy, Senior Manager, Marketing and Business Development, Sustainable Forestry for the Rainforest Alliance believes that regardless of what goal companies are trying to achieve, “independent third party verification is really the only reliable way to measure against a standard.” She feels that sustainability is a process in which companies need to continually look at the priorities of their organization and the potential impact of their decisions.  A best practice today may not be one tomorrow due to innovation.

Chain-of-custody is a formal management system, often third party certified, that provides controls to trace materials from their origin in the forest to the final product. Lawson believes “Although chain of custody certification is increasingly being required in the marketplace, the need for chain-of-custody should be tied directly to the degree of “risk” associated with procurement of raw materials. Risks such as illegal logging, unacceptable environmental controls and improper social practices do not occur uniformly across the supply chain and some regions of the world carry greater risk than others.”

“With only 10 percent of the world’s forests certified, it is important that we embrace all credible and internationally-recognized certification programs,” states Metnick.  “SFI, FSC, and all PEFC-endorsed systems are credible standards that promote sustainable forest management and provide assurances to the end user that the product comes from well-managed forests.  Customers should reward those paper companies that have taken a leadership role in sustainability issues.”  Lawson agrees in saying “With respect to one system being better than the other, only 10% of the world’s forests are certified. Rather than debate which system is better, we should reward the 10% who are certified, regardless of the system, and direct our energy at certifying the remaining 90%.”

In the simplest of terms, it comes down to balance.  We need to seek out a balance between the needs and demand we have in the present, while also preserving the biodiversity and natural ecosystems for future generations to come.   These independent organizations will help verify that we are taking the proper steps to achieve this balance.

PAPER & THE ENVIRONMENT
There is a growing demand for products that have the least impact on the environment. Environmentally Preferred Papers (EPP) have become the first choice for many purchasers in recent years because they have developed into high performance, competitively priced products with the added value of protecting the environment and public health.

Thompson feels “There are many factors to take into consideration when judging the environmental impact of paper products.  The key areas include: responsible fiber sourcing, the impact on air and water quality, and solid waste generation.”  She believes it is important to recognize that not everyone shares the same level of concern about every issue.  The answer to “which paper is better?” depends on the perspective of the buyer.  To that end, Metafore’s Paper Working Group has developed the Environmental Paper Assessment Tool (EPAT), which allows users to score products based on 27 different indicators.  The tool also allows the user to weight factors based on relative importance of a given indicator.

“In addition to certification, systems exist to address the inclusion of recycled content, elimination of chlorine from processing, and more and more companies are addressing their carbon footprints,” states Washburn.  All of these attributes are taken into consideration as the customer tries to balance their own values with selecting the best paper at the right price point for the particular job.  When specifying a product, Huntoon agrees, “It usually boils down to either a company’s sustainability policy or the individual buyer’s knowledge on the subject.”  The biggest change in the evolution of thinking today is that “the entire product lifecycle is considered rather than acknowledging a simple attribute such as recycled content,” affirms Lawson.

In the end, companies will most likely make choices and decisions based on the research they perform and the values they have established.  Actually, they will most likely make choices and decisions based on customer needs.  There is by no means a shortage of material out there that can assist in the formulation and implementation of a plan.  It truly is a jungle out there, however, one that is now more closely watched and managed!