OfficeMax Releases New Paper Procurement Policy, Activists Giddy

February 20, 2007

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

After a seven-year campaign against it by environmentalist groups, OfficeMax has released a new paper procurement policy that defines performance criteria for its product suppliers in the selection of raw materials and production of paper products.

OfficeMax says it developed the policy through a consultative process that included viewpoints from environmental organizations.

Forest Ethics and The Dogwood Alliance have been campaigning against OfficeMax for years – mostly through PR blitzes that attacked its corporate value. “Wall Street is notoriously susceptible to psychological manipulation,” said Perrin DeJong, a Chicago-based organizer with ForestEthics, in a 2006 interview with the New Standard. “You start getting these negative headlines: ‘?OfficeMax is the industry leader in endangered forest destruction; it’s accelerating climate change and destroying people’s livelihoods.’ People are going to want to start pulling their money out of the company if you don’t get rid of these protests.”

The campaign did not directly call for a boycott of OfficeMax. As DeJong said: “Instead we’re going to them and saying, ‘?We’re not going to leave you alone until you meet our demands.’”

OfficeMax’s new policy meets most of the demands -the Dogwood Alliance was quick to point out that OfficeMax still had room for improvement. What’s not clear is whether or not OfficeMax will pay suppliers more and what, if any, added costs will be passed on to consumers.

Among the new policy’s stated expectations for product suppliers are the tracking of raw materials used in the making of paper products, elimination of products from endangered areas and discontinuation of converting natural forests to industrial tree plantations.

OfficeMax has notified its suppliers about areas of concern to environmental groups; the Cumberland Plateau, specifically identified by Dogwood Alliance, and First Nations’ concerns about the impact of fiber originating from Canadian forests, an issue specifically identified by ForestEthics.

Last year, major brands receiving pressure from Forest Ethics also made announcements that they were embracing the environmental cause and that paper used in catalogs would come from environmentally friendly, sustainably harvested sources.

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Make sustainability part of your strategy.

Get equipped at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Product Environmental Compliance Best Practices

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/20/2009
11/19/2009
11/18/2009

Charts [ see all ]

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Nike Tops Annual Climate Action Scores

Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Trade Association on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Seriously… that..."

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

peter dublin on California City’s Green Building Ordinance Applies to Commercial Buildings
"Why energy efficiebnt regulation on buildings –..."

Environmental Leader