International Paper Earns Third-Party Certification Of Its U.S. Paper Mills, Container Plants From The SFI & PEFC Standards For Forest Sustainability

Memphis, TN - International Paper recently announced that its U.S. pulp and paper mills and container plants are now third-party certified to ensure their products are made from sustainable wood fiber. The moves are part of the company's commitment to forest stewardship and providing customers a broad range of products made from renewable resources.

"Customers have choices in today's marketplace," said John Faraci, International Paper chairman and chief executive. "We want our customers to know we are committed to making high-quality paper and packaging from sustainable sources. Independent, third-party certification is an important step in demonstrating that commitment."

International Paper now has the following certifications from top independent national and international certification bodies:

• Chain-of-custody certification from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) standard for all 16 of its U.S. pulp and paper mills, which ensures the company has a reliable accounting system for tracking the source of the wood fiber
• Chain-of-custody certification from the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) for all 16 of its U.S. pulp and paper mills
• Wood fiber sourcing certification from the SFI standard for all 65 U.S. container plants, ensuring the wood fiber used to make corrugated packaging comes from a certified source
• SFI standard certification of its U.S. wood procurement systems, including landowner education and contractor auditing, to ensure 100 percent of the company's wood fiber comes from trees that have been sustainably harvested
• Chain-of-custody certification from SFI and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards for xpedx, North America's largest distributor of printing papers. xpedx is a business of International Paper.

To further expand its sustainable product offerings and provide customers with more certification options, International Paper will also pursue Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain-of-custody certification. These are the latest in a long history of commitments by International Paper to ensure the continuing health of the world's forests.

"International Paper has been a leader in sustainable forestry and forest conservation for decades," said Dr. Sharon Haines, International Paper's director of sustainability. "By encouraging responsible, sustainable management of forestlands, including reforestation and regeneration, International Paper not only provides the essential paper and packaging products people use everyday, but we also ensure that forests continue to be healthy and abundant for generations to come."

About Sustainable Forestry & Forest Certification

Simply put, sustainable forestry means trees used to make paper products are replaced through reforestation or natural regeneration. Third-party certification ensures the best harvesting practices are used to protect air, water, soils and wildlife, and that no wood comes from endangered forests. Consumers can choose products that meet the highest environmental standards by looking for a sustainability label on pulp, paper and packaging made by International Paper.

SFI is the largest of two primary independent forest certification standards in North America, and is the recipient of the United Nations Environmental Program/International Chamber of Commerce's 2002 World Summit Business Award for Sustainable Development Partnerships.

SFI is recognized and endorsed by the leading international forest certification system, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). PEFC-endorsed forest certification systems around the globe, including the SFI program, account for 478 million acres of certified forestland-more than any other third-party forest certification system.

FSC is an international organization that promotes responsible stewardship of the world's forests. Over the past 13 years, more than 220 million acres in more than 82 countries have been certified according to FSC standards

The chain-of-custody and fiber sourcing processes track the possession and transfer of certified wood and wood fiber from the forest, through the stages of production, to the end user.

SOURCE: International Paper