HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Today, being environmentally and socially responsible means much more than just requesting recycled papers. Liza Murphy of the Rainforest Alliance and Jessica Martin of the SmartWood program addressed this topic at our October meeting and helped us all look at the rest of the page, beyond recycled paper.
Begin at its roots
It all begins with where the trees are grown. Your fiber choices today include those that come from well-managed forests that are independently certified to address environmental, social and economic concerns.
The Rainforest Alliance is dedicated to protect ecosystems and the people and wildlife that live within them by transforming land-use prices, business practices and consumer behavior. They have implemented global standards in 54 countries for sustainable forest management practices that conserve wildlife and wildlands, and promote the well-being of workers and their communities. They ensure the workers are paid fairly, treated with respect, have decent living conditions, access to clean water, education and medical care and that the land-use practices do not contribute to soil erosion, water contamination or forest destruction.
SmartWood is the forestry certification arm of the Rainforest Alliance and is accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). SmartWood works with land owners and managers to ensure that the wood and pulp they harvest come from well-managed forests. FSC certification is considered the most rigorous and highly regarded standard offered to forestry companies, and is recognized by Green Peace, Forest Ethics, International Labor Council and other organizations.
Why does paper matter?
Paper represents 40% of industrial deforestation globally, and is the biggest user of water. Here are some ways we can make good choices about the paper we use:
• Know the original fiber source. Does it come from a forest that is FSC certified?
• Determine its recycled content. Is it post-consumer (which requires at least 30% comes from materials purchased and recycled by consumers) or pre-consumer (which has never been used by a consumer but often comes from over production).
• Type of chlorine processing. Is it ECF (elemental chlorine free) or TCF (total chlorine free)?
• Emissions. What is the mill doing to avoid or offset their emissions?
The importance of certification
Products bearing the FSC/SmartWood seal of certification guarantees they come from forests managed to conserve biodiversity and support local communities. This certification process provides a global standard and method for ongoing accountability to adhere to these high standards.
Forest Management (FM) certification ensures that the practices of land owners, forest managers and others directly involved in forestry operations meet the high environmental, social and economic standards.
Chain of Custody (COC) certification -- which would apply to paper mills, merchants and printers -- documents and tracks wood from FSC-certified forests to the finished product. It keeps the integrity of the seal. Printed materials can only bear the FSC mark if all members of the value chain (paper manufacturer, merchant and printer) have obtained FSC Chain of Custody certification.
The printer's role
Being a FSC-certified printer demonstrates their commitment to not break the chain. By being certified, it ensures the certified paper they receive is the same paper they ship.
To become certified, an application must be submitted to SmartWood. Once granted, the certificate is valid for five years, with your business practices audited annually. It is normally a 4 to 6 week process to become COC certified. The fee will vary, depending on the size of your company and other components, but typically ranges between $2,500 and $5,000 a year.
Benefits of certification
Of course, the core reason for certification is to exhibit your commitment to responsible forest management and sound business practices when it comes to sourcing your paper.
An obvious reason is to protect the long-term sustainability of our natural resources.
As consumer awareness increases, their demand for FSC-certified products and preference for products bearing the seal will grow. This consumer-driven demand is opening doors for certified companies that were previously unavailable to them.
FSC-certified products
Today there is a wide selection of premium and standard quality environmental papers supported by the Rainforest Alliance, with little or no price premium. The list of certified mills, merchants and printers continues to grow. Companies are recognizing the competitive advantage of certification and are becoming recognized as industry leaders.
Be an evangelist
As print providers (whether as print producers or printers), we can do our part by spreading the good word to those who haven't already heard. Many corporations have a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy, and the use of FSC-certified materials and providers lends credibility to their CSR commitment.
FSC-certified paper is not based on the processing methods, but focuses primarily on the forest-friendly treatment behind the paper itself. A full range of stock is available, from resource-managed virgin fiber to bright whites and vibrant colored stocks. In North America, over 15 mills stock FSC-certified papers.
It all begins with you
Where do you go from here? You can begin by identifying and specifying FSC-accredited paper and print sources, which can be found on the Smart Guide published by the Rainforest Alliance. For those who didn't receive a copy at the meeting, it can be downloaded from www.rainforest-alliance.org/smartguides. Learn about the options available. Educate your clients. And proudly display the FSC logo on printed materials that sustain the chain of custody.
For more information
www.rainforestalliance.org
www.smartwood.org
www.fsc.org
www.fscus.org
www.certified-forests.org
APALA would like to thank Paurvi Trevedi for organizing this month's meeting, and to Unisource and Domtar for sponsoring this educational program. Our guest speakers can be reached at lmurphy@ra.org or jmartin@smartwood.org. |
