NEW YORK, NY — In announcing its commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative, the Rainforest Alliance has agreed to work with three global leaders in the forest products sector on increasing their use of wood from responsibly managed forestlands certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Domtar, Gibson Musical Instruments, Inc. and Time Inc. have pledged to increase their use of FSC-certified wood and paper products over five years. For its part, the Rainforest Alliance aims to recruit additional forestry operations for FSC certification, certify 170 million additional acres of forestland, increase support for certified small and medium-sized businesses, develop markets for certified products and help ensure that the companies' suppliers meet FSC standards or are working toward FSC certification.

"As these three major players in the paper and musical instrument industries are demonstrating, large companies are taking sustainability seriously and considering the long-term environmental, social and economic implications of their purchases," said Tensie Whelan, executive director of the Rainforest Alliance, who attended the Clinton Global Initiative's annual meeting in New York this week. "Buying wood products from FSC-certified forestlands supports responsible forest management, conserves biodiversity and curbs deforestation."

Deforestation causes about 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions globally, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. By using products from FSC-certified forests, businesses and consumers can help avoid deforestation and reduce greenhouse gases. Making responsible management a viable source of income for communities in biodiverse areas gives them an economic incentive to keep their forests intact and manage them responsibly. Without that incentive, people living in forested areas are more likely to clear their lands for grazing cattle, agricultural expansion and other unsustainable activities.

The Rainforest Alliance has been working with Gibson since 1996, when it became the first musical instrument company to produce guitars using FSC-certified wood. Gibson -- the leading musical instruments company in the US -- has pledged to maximize its purchase of FSC-certified wood during the next five years. Last year, 42 percent of the wood purchased by Gibson-USA came from lands that were FSC-certified or were working toward FSC certification. In the next five years, Gibson-USA aims to increase that amount to at least 80 percent.

"We are passionate about our commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative and the Rainforest Alliance especially through the high standards we set in producing FSC-certified products," said Henry Juszkiewicz, chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. "At Gibson Guitar we take very seriously our commitment to preserving our environments globally and strive to continue to educate through our efforts with the Gibson Foundation."

The Rainforest Alliance has been working on responsible paper production and fiber sourcing with Montreal-based Domtar, the second largest paper producer in the world, since 2003. The company has expanded its FSC-certified paper offerings, from 13 certified product lines in 2005 to 23 lines currently. As part of its commitment, Domtar has pledged to reach out to forest owners in the regions where its new mills are located to promote the support of FSC certification strategies and increase the amount of FSC-certified fiber it purchases.

Time Inc., one of the largest publishing companies in the world, has increased the amount of certified fiber it uses in magazine production from 25 percent in 2002 to 70 percent in 2006. Time has achieved most of this increase in the US by encouraging certification on public lands and with small landowners. By 2009, the company aims to have 80 percent of the fiber used in its products certified to systems that meet the standards of Time Inc.'s Certified Sustainable Forests program, which includes FSC.

"Time Inc. is thrilled to be part of this exciting initiative," said David Refkin, director for sustainable development at Time Inc. "The commitment builds upon our holistic sustainability practices and the work we have done over many years to prompt sustainable forestry by incorporating new issues, such as climate change, into our Certified Sustainable Forests program."

Contact Info:

Gretchen Ruethling
Tel : 646-452-1939
E-mail : gruethling@ra.org

Website : Rainforest Alliance