Paper Force welcomes APP’s next step towards sustainability

In June of this year, we received an update from our affiliate Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) sharing developments in relation to the company’s 2020 Sustainability Roadmap. The updates, reported each quarter, allow APP to chart progress towards meeting clearly defined sustainability goals.

The key findings from the latest update include:

• The introduction of a pilot version of an online monitoring dashboard where stakeholders can review progress, see concession boundary maps, reports and Forest Conservation Policy (FCP) protocols.

• High Carbon Stock (HCS) assessments are currently taking place and are designed to test the amount of carbon APP forests contain as well as how valuable they are to ecosystems and communities in the area. The Forest Trust (TFT) and APP technical teams have completed analysis of satellite data as part of the HCS study and have informed an on the ground verification team.

• High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments are also currently underway for all 38 APP suppliers in Indonesia, with the competed first stage of 11 concessions due in September 2013 and the second stage of 27 concessions due in April 2014.

• APP continues to encourage broad NGO and civil society engagement in the monitoring of the FCP implementation. Transparency is vital and as APP is working with vast areas of land where social conflicts are prevalent, the task is challenging and the company welcomes active participation by NGOs and stakeholders.

We have welcomed and been impressed with the many Roadmap developments to date, one of significance being the landmark commitment by APP on 1 February this year to end the clearing of natural forest across its entire supply chain in Indonesia. This is a major step forward for forest protection in Indonesia and puts APP as a leader in the global pulp and paper industry.

In Australia, Paper Force has always been acutely aware of the critical importance of open and transparent operations and has made a clear commitment to sustainable pulp and paper practices. The policies announced through the Roadmap align the sustainability initiatives of APP and Paper Force, giving our customers the confidence that the raw materials (wood fibre) we source from APP for our toilet and tissue products are sustainable.

In the months following APP’s commitment to end all natural forest clearance, the NGO community pointed out that a deadline was needed for when all natural forest wood cut prior to 1 February 2013 would be cleared from supply log yards at APP mills.

We were pleased to see the latest update has recognised this and a deadline set in stone by APP. On 31 August 2013 all natural forest wood will no longer be accepted by APP pulp mills, setting the company on course to be a leading world-class paper company solely based on sustainable plantation sources.

APP continues to encourage NGOs to oversee the implementation of its FCP and monitor its progress.

Paper Force is excited about the positive course being charted by APP and we look forward to bringing you further updates about what our company and affiliate APP is doing in relation to sustainability.

For more information on APP’s 2020 Sustainability Roadmap and current initiatives, please see the below links.

• Vision 2020
• Tracking Progress
• Environmental Responsibility
• Social Responsibility
• Monitoring, Transparency and Compliance