Greenpeace’s volunteers are protesting the fact that XEROX buys and sells paper made from the destruction of intact areas of Canada’s Boreal Forest.
Greenpeace has asked XEROX repeatedly in the past year to take steps to reduce the corporation's impact on the Boreal Forest. Yet the company still refuses to examine its supply chain, eliminate its controversial sourcing of paper and meet with Greenpeace.
XEROX PAPERS, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?
XEROX, the most popular photocopier company in the world, contributes to the destruction of intact forests. How? One of its paper manufacturers is AbitibiBowater, a logging company leading the destruction and fragmentation of intact forest areas and the habitat of threatened woodland caribou.
Because XEROX buys a special type of commercial paper from AbitibiBowater, puts its logo on it and then sells it to other large businesses across North America, XEROX is directly connected to this forest destruction.
We believe that XEROX paper products should NOT be manufactured with pulp made from high conservation value forests and coming from caribou habitat. These intact forest areas are essential in fighting climate change and providing home to wildlife at risk. It is XEROX's responsibility to closely examine its supply chain and work to reduce its impact on the Boreal Forest.
XEROX's SUPPLIER IS DESTROYING THE BOREAL FOREST
AbitibiBowater, the logging company supplying Xerox with its high yield business paper, controls the largest tracts of publicly-owned forest in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. In Canada, the company manages a total of 24 million hectares of forests (59 million acres). Less than 35% of this area remains intact and most of it has been degraded by logging roads and massive clearcuts.
Because AbitibiBowater has done very little to protect important wildlife habitat for threatened species, Greenpeace is turning to its customers; customers like XEROX, who are driving the demand for forest destruction. We want these customers to take notice, to stand up to and show leadership to protect this globally important ecosystem.
But Xerox is not responding.
The company's Vice President of Environment, Patricia Calkins, refuses to meet with Greenpeace and take concrete steps towards getting her company to stop driving the destruction of Canada's Boreal Forest.
XEROX CLAIMS ITS PAPERS ARE GREEN, IS IT TRUE?
"XEROX is committed to the protection of
the environment. We see sustainability, not as a cost of doing
business but as the way we do business. As a corporate citizen, we
share in a crucial legacy - to sustain the Earth's precious
resources for future generations". - Xerox website
XEROX claims to be an environmental
leader. Yet, the company is not willing to examine its supply
chain, eliminate controversial sourcing and commit NOT to source
from intact forest areas and from caribou habitat.
XEROX and AbitibiBowater claim
that their High Yield Business Paper and ECOpaque Paper are green
alternatives.
TRUE or FALSE?
« 100% of the fiber supply is
from sawmill residues and leftovers»
Woodchips are not residues, they are by-products of sawmills and
there is a very important and lucrative market for woodchips!
«The fiber is coming from
strictly managed forest according to Canadian law»
AbitibiBowater management practices are far from being strict
and legal. For the past 7 years, the company has been found guilty
of the breaking forestry laws and regulations more than 77 times
and has been charged with more then $350 000 in fines.
«XEROX claims to be committed
to Chain of Custody Certification enabling FSC and PEFC certified
paper offerings»
The high yield business paper made by AbitibiBowater is not FSC
certified.
«The high yield paper is made
with mechanical pulp which means that on average, it takes about
50% less wood fiber to produce the same amount of
paper»
It is simply unacceptable that the habitat of an endangered
species be logged to make paper, even if it takes 50% less wood to
make it. Other alternatives, such as copy paper that is 100%
recycled, are much more environmentally friendly.