Woolworths Slammed For Using Sustainable Forests Logo

August 23, 2007

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Woolworths, Australia’s biggest supermarket chain, has told shoppers that two of its home brand products are environmentally sustainable, but at least two reports, plus an independent audit of the Indonesian company that supplies the pulp to Woolworths, completely discredits that claim, Australia’s ABC reports.

Packaging on the company’s Select brand of toilet paper and tissues states the products come from an environmentally managed company, that is certified as being environmentally, socially and economically responsible.

A report last year found that Asia Pulp and Paper, the company Woolworth sources the products from, relies on the clearing of natural forests in Sumatra for 60 to 70 percent of its wood supply.

“I think it’s fair for us to say that Indonesian logging practices is still far from sustainable,” said Nazir Foat, director for governance community and corporate engagement at the World Wildlife Fund in Indonesia.

Woolworths admits that it has not conducted an independent verification of APP’s sustainability claims, but says that APP’s operations in Indonesia have recently completed the Forest Stewardship Council’s chain of custody audit process and that the company is awaiting confirmation of approval that accreditation status in the next few weeks.

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Reader Comments

FSC NAME SHOULD NOT BE USED IN RELATION TO NON-FSC PRODUCTS

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC Australia) has requested that Woolworths Limited and their Indonesian supplier APP immediately clarify claims implying an FSC association with paper products that are not FSC certified.

Auditing of a site does not and should not mean that a certificate will be issued. FSC standards specifically prohibit applicants for certification making such claims.

FSC Australia has raised the matter with Accreditation Services International (ASI) and asked that the matter be investigated and action taken if a company has broken the rules.

The words Forest Stewardship Council, the initials FSC and the FSC logo are all subject to international trademarks and cannot be used without authorisation.

In particular, FSC trademarks must not be used in a way that could mislead consumers into believing that certain products are FSC certified when they are not.

Michael Spencer | August 24th, 2007