SFPNA Sustainability Report 2012: Local Communities
Our roots run deep in the regions where SFPNA pulp and paper mills are located. In some cases, our mills have been based there for over a century and over the decades have employed multiple generations of the same family.
Sappi is not only important to the local economies, but it is very much a part of the region’s history.
SFPNA’s economic impact on the communities in which we operate extends beyond being a major employer. Our workforces support the local businesses, from supermarkets and gas stations to restaurants and repair shops. In addition, SFPNA as a company is vital to local suppliers and contract workers in related industries.
The multiplier effect, according to the American Forest & Paper Association, is that each paper mill job supports four others in downstream industries. Between all three of our mills, Sappi contributed US$130.8 million in payroll and provided more than 1,800 jobs; total jobs provided—from our mills to our corporate headquarters—totaled to over 2,200 jobs.
Corporate Sponsorships
In 2012, corporate sponsorships focused on environmental stewardship and education. Some of our ongoing sponsorships include Living Lands and Waters, a nonprofit dedicated to cleaning up the nation’s waterways and forest conservation; the New England Aquarium, which hosts a number of educational programs on endangered marine species and sustainable aquaculture; and the University of Maine Pulp and Paper Foundation scholarship program to support the education of engineering students for a career in the industry.
This year, SFPNA also supported the Teaching Garden at the Codman Academy Charter Public School in Dorchester, Massachusetts. A tool for teaching young students about sustainability, nutrition, biology and chemistry, the garden also provides welcome green space in an economically challenged urban neighborhood.
Employees Volunteerism
SFPNA’s employee volunteer efforts are coordinated at a local level to best match the needs of local communities. Efforts are typically concentrated in areas of health and human services, education and other civic activities. Our Sustainability Ambassadors have chartered programs expanding community engagement activities focused on various environmental issues such as recycling and sustainable forestry. Working with the community provides individuals with tangible benefits while bolstering our reputation as a responsible corporate citizen. We also understand that working collectively across the organization drives results that build greater cumulative effects.
In 2012, we conducted e-waste collection drives at multiple locations. The collection at our Somerset Mill was identified by the waste handler, e-Waste Alternatives, as the single largest collection drive they had ever benefited from. Not to be outdone, our Cloquet Mill responded by conducting a drive which amassed nearly one thousand items ranging from small appliances such as a fish finder and microwave ovens to computers and out-of-date electronics. SFPNA employees and families learned a great deal about the proper disposal of electronics—and many of the computer items will go on to be refurbished to provide access to digital technology within the community. SFPNA employees are a vital part of the fabric of their communities and the company is equally committed to ensuring that these communities remain a desirable place to work and live.
To read the full report, please download a PDF from our website link: 2012 Sustainability Report.
