Kimberly-Clark Makes Major Commitments to FSC Sourcing and Labeling
Game-changing Impacts throughout Supply Chain and with Consumers |
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Minneapolis, MN (August 13, 2009) — Kimberly-Clark’s announcement last week of its new precedent-setting fiber procurement policy represents one of the most significant commercial commitments to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification since FSC’s founding in 1993. Today, Kimberly-Clark Professional also announced that it has received FSC chain-of-custody certification for more than 20 away-from-home tissue and towel products, making it the first tissue company in North America to earn this distinction. “This is game-changing. The influence that this decision has on Kimberly-Clark’s current suppliers and its competition will have far-reaching positive impacts for North American forests and forest communities,” said Corey Brinkema, president of FSC-US. “Only a week old, Kimberly-Clark’s new fiber procurement policy is already making waves in the forest products supply chain, where many major players and concessions in Canada’s Boreal forest must move to FSC certification or face losing Kimberly-Clark’s business.” The FSC label will begin appearing on a variety of Kleenex and Scott brand packaging beginning in September 2009. The label certifies that the wood fiber used to make the products comes from well-managed FSC-certified forests or from post-consumer waste. FSC chain-of-custody procedures track FSC-certified material through the production process – from the forest to the consumer, including all stages of processing, transformation, manufacturing and distribution. “We are a 100-plus-year-old company. We want to be around for another 100-plus years or more, and the only way we can be is by using sustainable forest practices. Because FSC standards are recognized to be the highest in responsible forest management by many of our global stakeholders, we have a preference for wood fiber certified under the FSC system,” said Kimberly-Clark’s Suhas Apte, Vice President of Global Sustainability. Kimberly-Clark’s new fiber procurement policy was developed with the support of Greenpeace, which for four years had run its “Kleercut” campaign against the health and hygiene products company for its use of pulp sourced from Canada’s threatened Boreal forest. The new policy states that, by the end of 2011, all of the company’s Canadian Boreal fiber sourcing must be FSC-certified, and that 40 percent of its North American tissue fiber will either be recycled or FSC-certified – a 71 percent increase from 2007 levels. “One of the most significant outcomes of Kimberly-Clark’s new policy will be the increase in the amount of forest that is set aside due its high conservation values,” said Antony Marcil, president and chief executive officer of FSC-Canada. The company’s policy will support programs for the identification and mapping of ecologically important forests to ensure that such areas are designated for protection, including those off limits to harvesting. Under FSC certification, 7.5 million acres (3 million hectares) of the Canadian Boreal previously intended for logging have been set aside due to their high conservation values. “The nature of the commitments, the specific timetables provided and the Kimberly-Clark agreement to report back regularly on what proportion of the fiber sourced for its tissue has come from recycled and FSC-certified sources makes this a very credible commitment,” said Michael Conroy, a certification and corporate green-movement expert, and also a member of the FSC-US board. Every day, more than 1.3 billion people around the world use Kimberly-Clark products. FSC anticipates that the company’s significant steps toward the manufacture and marketing of FSC-labeled product will help inform North American consumers about the importance of maintaining healthy forest ecosystems and protecting the rights of indigenous groups and other forest-dependent communities, all critical values recognized by FSC’s standards and certification system. About the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. It provides standard-setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services for companies and organizations interested in responsible forestry. FSC is the only forest certification system supported by such major environmental organizations as World Wildlife Fund (WWF), The Nature Conservancy, National Wildlife Federation and Greenpeace. There are currently more than 100 million acres (40 million hectares) of FSC-certified forestland in the United States and Canada and more than 281 million acres (112.4 million hectares) in more than 82 countries. More than 14,000 manufacturers and distributors are certified to buy and sell FSC products, representing more than $20 billion in FSC-labeled product annually. For more information, visit www.fsc.org. About Kimberly-Clark Professional
Kimberly-Clark Professional is an indispensable business partner, delivering leading-edge health, hygiene and productivity solutions that provide tangible value every day, everywhere. Known for innovative, quality solutions for away-from-home washrooms, “clean” and “industrial” manufacturing environments, and DIY settings, the global brands of Kimberly-Clark Professional include Kleenex, Scott, Kimcare, WypAll, KleenGuard, and Kimtech. With the acquisition of Jackson Safety, Kimberly-Clark Professional offers an even broader range of PPE and other safety offerings, including market-leading welding, traffic control and work zone safety products. Kimberly-Clark Professional, located in Roswell, Ga., is one of Kimberly-Clark Corporation’s four business segments and can be visited on the web at www.kcprofessional.com. About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Every day, 1.3 billion people - almost a quarter of the world’s population - trust K-C brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. www.kcc.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Martha Hodgkins, FSC-US, 434-249-9907
mhodgkins@fscus.org
Michelle Kortinen, FSC-Canada, 416-778-5568 x24
mkortinen@fsccanada.org Recent headlines: | |
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