Environmental Planning Tool and Optional Policy & Vision Statement Generator
III. PAPER PROCUREMENT AND CLEAN PRODUCTION
[ORGANIZATION NAME] recognizes that improving forestry practices is an important component of environmental stewardship and sustainability. We strive to procure, use, and recover paper in a manner that helps to ensure the sustainable use of forests and other natural resources. In support of this principle [If applicable to the goals and/or nature of your business, please select one or more of the following options.]:
A. We Research & Understand Our Investment in Paper We work to understand the investment our company has in paper.
B. We Respect Forest Ecosystems and Biodiversity We require that our paper suppliers have made a commitment to implementing sustainable forestry practices that protect forest ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as provide the wood and paper products our company needs. We specify that paper suppliers use third-party, verified traceability or chain-of-custody so that we know the origin of fiber in our paper. If paper suppliers are purchasing pulp or logs from outside their organization, we ensure those sources have made a commitment to the practice of sustainable forestry. We ask our paper supplier where our paper comes from before buying it with the intent of not sourcing paper from unsustainably or illegally managed forests. We avoid paper from sources that are known to log unsustainably or illegally managed forests. We require paper suppliers to document for us that they do not produce paper from illegally harvested or stolen wood. We encourage our paper suppliers to identify forests with special ecological or biodiversity values in the regions where they source paper and wood. We recognize the importance of maintaining biodiversity and avoid sourcing from rare forest types and areas with high concentrations of rare and endangered species. We recognize the importance of maintaining biodiversity and will work with suppliers who have integrated conservation values and programs into their operations. We recognize the importance of preserving landscape integrity and encouraging forest restoration areas and forest landscapes that provide pathways for wildlife. We recognize the importance of preserving healthy ecosystems and work with suppliers who have integrated forest conservation and restoration, "carbon storage" and water and soil protection into their operations. We work with a variety of stakeholders -- among them non-governmental organizations as well as suppliers -- to identify the source of forest fiber in our supply chain. We work with stakeholders to encourage protection and sound management of forests with exceptional conservation values in key regions. + My Comments
C. We Encourage Sustainable Paper Procurement and Clean Production Wherever feasible, we require paper suppliers to provide annual reports on their environmental practices. Where we receive such reports from paper suppliers, we require that these reports are third-party audited. We maintain a scorecard of suppliers’ environmental practices and overall performance to assist our purchasing decisions. We give preference to suppliers who are committed to sustainable practices throughout the "life cycle" of paper production, from forest to recycling, including pulp and paper mill performance. We give preference to paper suppliers which are certified and verified by an independent third party. We encourage our paper suppliers to increase wood purchases from recognized forest certification programs.
D. We Encourage Responsible Use of Forest Resources We evaluate paper used for marketing pieces, product packaging and internal consumption to identify opportunities for increased recycled content, increased post-consumer recycled content, lower basis weights and other environmental attributes. We consider the net environmental benefits and detriments of using recycled fiber before purchasing it. We recognize that recycled fiber manufacture, transportation and de-ink sludge disposal can have significant environmental impact. Whenever the economics are sound and the environmental benefits clear, we purchase paper with recycled content, including papers with post-consumer content. We negotiate with our paper suppliers about purchasing papers with post-consumer recycled content at a comparable price, environmental impact and performance to virgin papers. We print order forms, blow-ins and order envelopes on paper with a higher percentage of post-consumer recycled content whenever feasible. We specify to our suppliers that we want -percent recycled content where feasible in our use of [list type of paper] papers. We specify to our suppliers that we want -percent post-consumer recycled content where feasible in our use of [list type of paper] papers.
See DMA Environmental Resource Guide, "Paper: Responsible Resource and Product Management," pages 27-51. http://www.the-dma.org/environment/