International Paper Co., Memphis, Tenn., USA, this week released its 2014 Sustainability Report, sharing progress against its voluntary sustainability goals, a new sustainability strategy, and highlighting collaborations that advance sustainability throughout the life cycle of its products. The 2014 report features stories from around the world that collectively capture some of IP's key sustainability efforts and impacts.

 

As a global manufacturer operating in more than 24 countries, natural resources are crucial to IP's supply chain. This is why the company is continuously working to improve all aspects of its value chain, especially sourcing of wood fiber, water use, and energy efficiency.

 

"International Paper uses renewable natural resources to make products that people depend on every day," said Mark Sutton, chairman and CEO. "Our commitment to active stewardship of these resources is in our nature, and has been for more than 117 years. We have made significant progress on our sustainability goals and believe that a sharp focus will help us accelerate our results to benefit our customers, our company and the communities where we operate."

Below is a high-level summary of 2014 accomplishments included in the report: 

• Safety. Eliminating fatalities and injuries in the workplace is IP’s highest priority. The company's Life-Changing Injury and Fatality Elimination (LIFE) safety program has reduced life-impacting injuries by 68% since its inception. 
• Water Use. Recognizing the growing importance of global water usage, IP has mapped all mills based on water-related risk to initiate water conservation opportunities. 
• Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions. Since 2010, IP has reduced GHGs by 8.3% and improved energy efficiency by 6.1% by improving processes, equipment, and procedures. 
• Forest Stewardship: IP is a global leader in responsible forest stewardship and committed to continuous improvement. The company has surpassed the original goal of 15% third-party-certified fiber volume, with a 27.8% increase in certified fiber volume since 2010. 
• Ethics and Compliance: In 2014, IP expanded the number of suppliers trained in the company’s Supplier Code of Conduct and obtained commitments of compliance from the vast majority of suppliers globally. 

The complete report and instructions for ordering a hard copy are available online.