WASHINGTON - (Business Wire) Procter & Gamble and Domtar Corporation have joined the North America Forest & Trade Network (NAFTN), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced today. NAFTN is the North American arm of the Global Forest & Trade Network, WWF's initiative to eliminate illegal logging and improve the management of valuable and threatened forests. By facilitating trade links between companies committed to supporting responsible forestry, the Global Forest & Trade Network creates market conditions that help conserve the world
’s forests while providing economic and social benefits for the businesses and people that depend on them.
“Companies that seriously commit to responsible wood sourcing can have significant positive impacts on forest conservation,” said Kerry Cesareo, Manager of the NAFTN, WWF. “WWF is delighted to have two of North America's leading manufacturers of paper and consumer care products join the network. Their commitments to source fiber responsibly and promote credible forest certification of their sources set an example for other companies to follow.”
As members of the Forest & Trade Network, companies make commitments to phase out all trade in wood from unknown, illegal, and controversial sources, and to phase in trade in wood that originates from sources that can be designated as: recycled; known, licensed, and complying with policy; verified legal; and in-progress towards certification or credibly certified. WWF’s Global Forest & Trade Network has more than 350 members worldwide.
“WWF has consistently been a great resource for Procter & Gamble and our suppliers as we work to improve the sustainability of our products. I look forward to formalizing this relationship via the North American Forest & Trade Network and to having access to the collective experiences of WWF's global network,” said Celeste Kuta, Associate Director of External Relations for P&G Family Care.
“Domtar Corporation is pleased to be a member of WWF’s Forest & Trade Network. A commitment to sustainable forest management and responsible use of forest resources across our operations is one of the cornerstones of our business strategy,” said Guy Boucher, VP of Sustainability. “We have worked with WWF in the forests and in the market, and this is but another step forward in our commitment for continuous improvement.”
Procter & Gamble will initially work with the NAFTN on its Family Care business which includes the Bounty, Charmin, and Puffs brands with plans to expand to other areas later. Domtar Corporation, a Canadian-based papers company, is working with WWF to pursue Forest Stewardship Council certification for all Domtar-managed forest land in Canada, identify important areas for protection on Domtar-managed lands and promote FSC-certified environmentally responsible papers, such as the company’s EarthChoice line.
Global Forest & Trade Network members have annual forest products sales exceeding $45.2 billion per year, are engaged in 174 trading deals with other GFTN participants, manage over 67 million acres of forests in progress to certification, buy or sell in excess of 197 million m3 of forest products per year, and employ over 1.3 million people globally. For more information on the GFTN please visit www.gftn.org.
For more than 45 years, WWF has been protecting the future of nature. The largest multinational conservation organization in the world, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by 1.2 million members in the United States and close to 5 million globally. WWF's unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level, from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature. Go to worldwildlife.org to learn more.
World Wildlife Fund
Lee Poston, 202-299-6442
Lee.Poston@wwfus.org
