Responsible Fiber Sourcing

Internationally accepted standards now allow stakeholders to judge whether a company is following responsible, sustainable forestry practices and effectively managing its environmental impacts. Weyerhaeuser supports the use of these standards, including having independent, external auditors verify a company's commitment to responsible sourcing. Our responsible fiber sourcing practices are guided by our wood procurement policy and implementation guidelines.

In 2011, we submitted our third report to the Forest Footprint Disclosure (FFD) Project, an investor-backed organization focused on helping companies minimize their effects on forests worldwide. In 2010 and 2011, we were named leader or joint sector leader in the Industrials Construction and Autos sector. In our third submission (results were announced in early 2012), we were placed in the Basic Materials sector and did not achieve leader status. However, the forest products industry was described as "the strongest performing sector within FFD 2011, as befits a long heritage of exposure to certified supply chains and mature third party sustainability standard setting." We are committed to continue participating in the FFD and will strive to regain our leadership status in future years.

Questions about sustainable procurement have led organizations that buy wood and paper-based products to consider factors beyond the traditional attributes of price, service, quality and availability when making purchasing decisions. The environmental and social aspects of wood, pulp and paper products are becoming part of the purchasing decision.