Kleenex Clean Up Their Act Over Ancient Forests
Over the past five years, our Kleercut campaign has pressured Kimberly-Clark, (the makers of Kleenex tissues) to help save Canada’s Boreal forest.
Today, in what can only be described as ‘a tremendous victory for ancient forests’ the company has announced a new policy that places it among the industry leaders in sustainability, and which brings the Kleercut campaign to a successful completion.
Kimberly-Clark has set a goal of obtaining 100 percent of the wood fiber used in its products – including Kleenex – from environmentally responsible sources. By 2011, the compnay will ensure that 40 percent of its North American fiber is either recycled or certified by the Forest Stewardship Council – a 71 percent increase from 2007 levels, representing over 600,000 tonnes of fiber. Also by 2011, Kimberly-Clark will eliminate any fiber from the North American Boreal Forest that is not FSC-certified.
The Canadian Boreal Forest is North America’s largest ancient forest, providing habitat for threatened wildlife such as woodland caribou and over 1 billion migratory birds, and storing an estimated 186 billion tones of carbon, 27 times the world’s annual fossil fuel emissions. Clearcutting doesn’t just wipe out the biodiversity of a forest – it also wipes out an essential carbon storehouse, meaning that a victory for the Boreal is also a victory for the climate.
Because of K-C’s place in the paper products market, the company’s new policy will send a strong signal to its competitors that creating a policy that protects ancient forests is a key element of sustainable business.
FAQs