ForestEthics Welcomes HP's Paper Policy
ForestEthics of San Francisco recently announced its support of a comprehensive new paper policy from HP, the latest in a gathering wave of eco-conscious planning in the office supply, retail, and technology sectors.
More than four years in the making, the policy is the product of collaboration between ForestEthics, HP, World Wildlife Fund, and other stakeholders dedicated to furthering environmentally sustainable business practices within the world's largest corporations.
The paper products covered under HP's new policy amount to more than 300,000 tons.
"HP is joining a growing cadre of companies that are helping to define a new era of more sustainable business practices," said Daniel Hall of ForestEthics' Corporate Action Program. "ForestEthics looks forward to helping them translate their commitments into on–the-ground protection for the world's climate and forests."
"HP is committed to reducing the environmental impact of our company, our products, and our suppliers," said Pat Tiernan, vice president of Social and Environmental Responsibility at HP.
The policy covers all HP businesses worldwide and includes the following commitments, which apply to HP products, its product packaging, and its internal operations:
• Establishing metrics and goals that maximize recycled materials used in products and packaging.
• Giving preference to papers certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
• Striving to reduce the amount of paper used in internal operations and the amount of raw material used per unit of output.
• Identifying fiber from high conservation value forests and eliminating fiber from endangered forests.
• Requiring suppliers to ensure indigenous forest peoples have provided their free and prior informed consent for activities affecting their ancestral lands or livelihoods.
• Providing annual reporting on its progress in implementing the policy and seeking independent verification of its reporting metrics.