1990

Environmental Awareness

The most significant trend of the 1990s was the company's growing environmental awareness across all its operations. The company committed itself to protect and enhance the environment through ecologically-based forestry practices, pollution reduction and prevention, and increased conservation and recycling. The company established an "office of the environment" and began to conduct environmental audits on all its operations, including annual environmental reports made available to the public.

Town Hall Meetings

During 1994 and 1995, Weyerhaeuser held town hall meetings in Washington and Oregon to listen to the public. The meetings were attended by more than 2,000 people who raised ideas, asked pointed questions and leveled criticism at the company. Said Jack Creighton, "We heard that people want us to care for the entire forest, not just the trees. They want us to protect other resources, including water quality, fish and wildlife habitat." These public meetings were instrumental in the company integrating more extensive environmental practices in its forestry.

Recognition

The company closed out the last decade of the century with numerous awards for its business ethics and environmental responsibility. Among them:

• Fortune magazine—Ranked No. 1 among forest and paper products companies in Responsibility to the Community and the Environment.
• OSHA Star Award—Highest recognition for accident prevention and on-the-job safety performance. Five facilities have received this award: Valliant Containerboard, Columbus Pulp and Paper, Barnesville Lumber, Flint River Pulp, and Cleveland CSC. Named in the book The 100 Best Companies to Work for in America.
• American Business Ethics Awards—Sponsored by American Society of Chartered Life Underwriters and Chartered Financial Consultants.
• Landowner of the Year Award—Presented by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Flint River XL Program

Weyerhaeuser's Flint River, Georgia, pulp mill is the only forest products manufacturing facility to be accepted into the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "XL" program, which recognizes excellence and leadership in pollution prevention.

International Forest Management

In 1997 Weyerhaeuser purchased a controlling interest in 193,000 acres in New Zealand - the company's first ownership of forestlands outside of North America. Soon afterward, the company began to purchase land in Uruguay to establish fast-growing managed forests in South America.

Steve Rogel

In late 1997, Steve Rogel was elected president and chief executive officer, and in April 1999 he was elected chairman. While reaffirming his belief in the company's vision, he saw the need for a more detailed plan of action to achieve it. This plan - called Weyerhaeuser's "Roadmap for Success" - outlined the objectives, processes and goals that would make Weyerhaeuser the best forest products company in the world. With a focus on improved operational effectiveness, he also emphasized such organizational behaviors as "operating as one company," being "safe from the start," and proceeding with greater "speed, simplicity and decisiveness."