International Paper's Approach to Healthy and Abundant Forests
Originally published in International Paper's 2021 Sustainability Report
International Paper’s Global Fiber Procurement Policy is the foundation of our commitment to healthy and abundant forests. We recognize that sustainably managed forests maintain and enhance economic, social and environmental value for the benefit of present and future generations. We are committed to producing the products our customers need while being a responsible steward of the world’s natural resources.
Our approach begins with responsible fiber sourcing, including performing due diligence, validating origin, performing second party verification through ForSite™ and engaging our wood suppliers and forestland owners on sustainable management practices. We operate a transparent fiber procurement system consistent with our Core Values of Safety, Ethics and Stewardship.
Collaboration is also central to our commitment to support forest ecosystems globally. We engage stakeholders in the communities where we operate to ensure forest ecosystem health, work directly with landowners to promote responsible forestry practices and collaborate with conservation organizations to enhance ecologically important areas and restore forests worldwide. For example, in 2021, we continued our partnership with the American Bird Conservancy to provide critical habitat conditions for at-risk bird species by engaging our fiber supply teams, forestry experts, wood suppliers and landowners in our mill basins in the U.S. South. Our initiatives included bird surveys, academic research collaborations, implementation of bird-friendly forest management practices and workshops with consortia of landowners, conservation organizations and community partners.
