June 13, 2012 | ||||||||
Field Report - How to stop losing streaks | ||||||||
· www.tappi.org · Subscribe to Ahead of the Curve · Newsletters · Ahead of the Curve archived issues · Contact the Editor |
Asia Pulp & Paper charts a course to world-class industry standards in sustainable business (Editor's Note: The
following is an APP press release dated June 5, 2012.)
Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) has published its Sustainability Roadmap
for 2020 and beyond, a period in which it aims to put conserving Indonesia's
natural resources at the heart of its business strategy.
The publication of APP's Roadmap follows just two weeks after the Group
committed itself to the internationally-accepted principles of High
Conservation Value Forest (HCVF), and suspending natural forest clearance
on its own plantations. Current independent suppliers will have until
the end of 2014 to comply with APP's new HCVF rules.
The Sustainability Roadmap and milestones extend APP's commitments
to improving environmental performance, biodiversity conservation and
protection of community rights. Highlights of the Roadmap are:
A cornerstone of the Sustainability Roadmap is the Responsible Procurement
and Processing Policy for which the recent operation-wide High Conservation
Value Assessment (HCVF) is among the most critical components. These
independent audits, led by APCS Chairman and Team Leader Loy Jones,
will begin first with APP owned supplier concessions and then extend
to independent pulpwood suppliers.
Loy Jones, lead HCVF assessor, said: "We are pleased with APP's commitment
and willingness to undergo this level of operational evaluation and
scrutiny. This represents a critical first step in a long-term journey
toward meeting the HCV Management commitment which is not easily undertaken.
We are optimistic that many stakeholders will welcome this commitment,
and hopeful that all, including those taking a more cautious "wait and
see" position, will participate in this process so there are positive
results for APP, along with the forests and people of Indonesia."
The launch of APP's Roadmap has been welcomed by leading stakeholders
in Indonesia. Mr Gita Wirjawan, Indonesia's Minister for Trade, said:
"APP's Roadmap reflects upon a paradigm of the way that Indonesian companies
are shaping up for the challenges and opportunities of the next decade.
The strategy is about how to become a global industry leader, and doing
so in a sustainable way. This will be achieved through innovation, investment
and internal transformation. APP's Sustainability Roadmap will provide
a blueprint for the Group, as it seeks to become the number one pulp
and paper company in the world before 2020."
Darori, Director General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation
at the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry, commented on APP's plans to
continue using a maximum of five per cent legally sourced wood waste
and residues: "The Government of Indonesia requires pulp and paper companies
like APP to use wood and waste residues from the plantation development
in degraded and logged-over forests in the supply chain, because it
is the most environmentally and economically sensible strategy. It is
important that the global community understands this is not 'natural
forest clearing'. It is about using wood and waste residue material
in the most efficient way, rather than having it burned or left to degrade
and emit more carbon. Such a strategy is entirely consistent with APP's
desire to become a global leader on climate change."
Robin Mailoa, CEO of Sinarmas Forestry, said: "We are pleased to have
been working with the Government of Indonesia to develop the pulpwood
plantation industry according to the national strategy. Today we are
proud to adopt global standards in the protection of HCVF and to be
more holistic in our management of our concessions in an economically
viable way that focuses both on the environment as well as the community."
Ms. Aida Greenbury, APP's Managing Director of Sustainability and Stakeholder
Engagement, said: "Some of the most noteworthy sections of the roadmap
are those which define how APP plans to embed the principles of sustainability
into our operations. We are projecting our annual operational and financial
commitment to conducting these assessments and implementing these policies
to be quite significant. Additionally we have a whole new set of policies
on Corporate Governance and Oversight which should satisfy anyone who
doubts whether APP is really serious about our commitment.
"Managing conservation values in our natural forests and our operations
as a whole is not an empty promise, but it will require an enormous
amount of planning and work on the ground to make it happen. We welcome
the participation of important stakeholders who can help accelerate
the pace of change. Ultimately, we believe APP can be a positive force
on the environment including climate change, and that's the direction
the Roadmap is taking us."
For more information contact Naomi Bata at: naomi.bata@cohnwolfe.com.
Now that you
are Ahead of the Curve, stay there by joining TAPPI. |
|||||||