Sappi Fine Paper North America Publishes 2012 Sustainability Report

Sappi Fine Paper North America (SFPNA), Boston, Mass., USA, this week released its 2012 Sustainability Report, the company's second annual regional report focusing on the company's strong sustainability performance in North America over the past few years. The publication reports on the company's continued commitments to achieving strategic goals in sustainability, which extend beyond its mill gates to local communities, customers, and industry partners.

"Sustainability is a catalyst for growth and over the past five years, we have achieved considerable progress towards our long-term goals," said Jennifer Miller, EVP of coated business and chief sustainability officer. "It is this vision that drives our core business strategy, one that recognizes that financial success can only be achieved when operations and sustainability work hand-in-hand to ensure a more profitable future."

Building on the company's baseline achievements, Sappi's goals for the next five years (2012-2016) continue to focus on people, planet, and prosperity with increased drive to further improvements:

People

Target 30,000 hours of education and training for customers through the Sappi ETC. (Education, Training and Consulting) program
Enhance job performance and managerial skills for all employees by offering training and education at an average rate of 75 hr. per employee annually

Planet

Increase the level of certified fiber across all operations to 65%
Reduce the amount of total energy expended in making each ton of product by 10%
Reduce fiber and papermaking raw material waste by 10%

Prosperity

Achieve or exceed an annual 12% return on net assets for Sappi Fine Paper North America.

"Our company reputation is built on providing quality products, services, and the commitment to make sustainability a priority across all operations," said Laura Thompson, director of technical marketing and sustainable development. "Our performance against these strategic goals enables us to improve profitability, grow our market presence, and meet the evolving needs of our customers every day."

In support of its 2012 Sustainability Report, Sappi also has expanded its efforts to promote sustainable practices through social responsibility and community outreach programs. Among its most recent initiatives, Sappi has lead the conversation on sustainability as a founding member of GreenBlue's Forest Products Working Group, an organization addressing challenges in the forest products sector, and as a founding member of Two Sides, an educational outreach organization dedicated to raising awareness of responsible paper production.

A few community engagement programs geared to educate the public about sustainability, also detailed in the 2012 Sustainability Report, include Sappi's inaugural Green Community Day event and its partnership with Living Lands and Waters for River Quest. These initiatives reflect the company culture built on education, integrity, and respect.

TAPPI
http://www.tappi.org/