Responsible Fibre Sourcing results

Pulpwood harvesting and plantations can damage ecosystems and endanger the livelihoods of local communities if not carried out responsibly.
The companies participating in the Environmental Paper Company Index 2011 are scored on how well they care for the environment and people in their fibre sourcing policies, current practices and measurable targets. This accounts for 35% of total scores.
/ ©: WWF
EPI 2011 - Company Fiber Sourcing Results
© WWF
See overall scores for the WWF Environmental Paper Company Index 2011
The best scores on the ecological footprint of fibre sourcing

Scores per category above 60% of total achievable points:

89% Cascades
85% Arjowiggins Graphic
80% Fedrigoni
80% Suzano
68% Mondi  		 79% SCA Tissue
65% Metsä Tissue 
 		 95% SCA Containerboard 
88% Cascades
84% Mondi 
              

Indicators

  • how well the producers’ sourcing policy excludes controversial sources throughout the supply chain, ensuring that the fibres for paper production do not contribute to forest destruction or harm forest-dependent communities
  • levels of recycled and postconsumer recycled fibre use, reducing the pressure on natural forests and land demand
  • levels of credibly certified wood fibres
  • levels of chain of custody in the supply chain
  • targets to increase recycled and certified fibre use
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Sourcing of fine paper giants
© WWF

Arjowiggins Graphic class leading score in the WWF Environmental Paper Company index - Fine paper category, confirms the importance of leadership in the usage of recycled fibre, for graphic papers, as part of an economically successful sustainability strategy.

Jean Charles Monange, Sales and Marketing Director, Arjowiggins Graphic

UPM recycles annually more than 4 million tonnes of recovered paper for use in Graphic papers. In addition, the majority of our virgin fibre used in Graphic papers originate from certified sources. We aim to deliver a wide portfolio of graphic papers, each using the optimal blend of fibre which balances both product and environmental quality; papers which complement each other to offer the most sustainable overall product range.

John Sanderson, Director, Environmental Market Support, UPM

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EPI 2011 - Sourcing of tissue companies
© WWF

It is a confirmation that our long standing sustainability and sourcing strategies and our contribution to meeting global challenges are recognized and on course. SCA is proud to have scored best overall and best on responsible fibre sourcing with its tissue business in the WWF´s Environmental Paper Company Index 2011 Evaluation. We have dedicated many internal resources to continuously improve our environmental footprint. This will motivate our employees even more to make a step change when it comes to sustainability.

Sune Lundin, President AFH Professional Hygiene Europe, SCA Tissue

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EPI 2011 - Packaging sourcing
© WWF
Food and beverage packaging
There are some limitations to recycled fibre use in food and beverage packaging relative to other forms of packaging. This makes Korsnäs who predominantly supply food-contact packaging only partially comparable to producers of other types of packaging. WWF will consider a separate category for the next EPI. 

Indicator 1: Recycled fibre use

It is important to extend the life of wood fibres as much as possible, in particular for end-of-lifecycle products like tissue.

The producers in the packaging category are using the highest rates of recycled fibre (two producers use over 70% of recycled fibre) 

In the tissue paper category only 3 producers out of the 5 surveyed use over 50% recycled fibres. As tissue products are discarded after their use, high levels of recycled fibre use are of essence

The lowest amount of recycled fibre is used in the fine paper sector. Half of the surveyed producers use under 4% of recycled fibres for their paper production.

However, the fact that some companies are scoring better than the average—Cascades with 60% recycled fibre use and Arjowiggins Graphic with close to 50% recycled fibre use—may show a way forward in the usage of recycled fibres for this product segment as well.

Fine papers are often used for higher grade products and the usability of recycled fibres for all purposes is debated.

It is a fact however that many fine papers, including junk mail, office papers, catalogues land straight in the garbage after a very short time, not giving enough credit to the value of paper. 

In addition to the current performance of companies, the Index assessed what commitments to future increases companies have made on recycled fibre use (see box on the right).=
More recycling in the future?
The following companies in the Index have targets to increase their levels of recycling:
  • Arjowiggins Graphic and Burgo in the fine paper category
  • Metsä tissue (postconsumer recycled fibre) and SCA tissue 
  • Mondi and SCA Containerboard in the packaging category
Looking back at the 2010 iteration of the Index, 2 companies have increased their levels of recycled fibre use for fine paper production: Mondi and UPM.

Indicator 2: Use of credibly certified fibres

If virgin fibres are needed to manufacture a product, it is of essence that they are sourced from forests that are managed in such a way that biodiversity is not destroyed and that the livelihoods of local communities are not negatively affected.

WWF currently considers the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as the certification system with the highest credibility and standard.

Assessing what percentage of virgin fibres used are FSC certified in the different categories, WWF found the following: Packaging producers, averaged across the companies, use the highest rates of FSC certified fibres, followed by fine paper producers. Tissue producers use on average comparatively lower rates of FSC certified fibres.

In addition to the current performance of companies, the Index assessed what commitments to future increases companies have made on FSC-certified fibre use. (see box on the right) 

 

FSC logo painted on sustainably harvested logs. Uzachi forest, Oaxaca, Mexico / ©: N.C. Turner / WWF-Canon
FSC logo painted on sustainably harvested logs. Uzachi forest, Oaxaca, Mexico
© N.C. Turner / WWF-Canon
More FSC in the future?
The following companies have targets for increasing the amount of FSC-certified virgin fibre they use:
  • In the fine paper category: Arjowiggins Graphic, Burgo, Domtar and Mondi
  • In the tissue category: Metsä, SCA Tissue and Renova
  • In the packaging category: Korsnäs, Mondi and SCA Containerboard
Looking back at the 2010 Index, 2 companies have increased their levels of FSC virgin fibre use for Fine Paper production: UPM and Mondi.

What WWF recommends

It is important to extend the life of wood fibres as much as possible, in particular for end-of-lifecycle products. Maximising the use of recycled fibres – where feasible - reduces the need for fresh virgin fibres and can reduce the pressure on natural forests.

If virgin fibres are needed to produce a product it is of essence that they come from credibly certified forests and can be verified through the entire supply chain.

WWF currently considers FSC as the certification system with the highest credibility and standard.

See more results for

> Clean Manufacturing
> Environmental Management Systems & Public Reporting
> Overall scores


About the Paper Company Environmental Index 2011

Top manufacturers NOT disclosing data

The producers below were invited to join the EPI 2011 in various categories but chose not to provide data on their environmental footprint to WWF
Amcor,CMPC, DS Smithz, Hansol Paper, Holmen, IlimPulp, Klabin, Lee&Man, Mayr-Melnhof Karton, Nine Dragons, Papierfabrik Palm, Prinzhorn Holding, SmurfitKappa; Hansol Paper, Lecta Europe, Lenzing, Portucel Soporcel, Sappi, Shandong Chenming, Georgia Pacific, Lucart Group, Sharma, SHP Group, WEPA

WWF will invite these again together with more companies for the next Environmental Paper Company Index, including from more regions.

► If you are interested to be invited for the next rating, please email us.

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