Verso Paper Mills Achieve Forest Stewardship Council

The audits were conducted by the Rainforest Alliance SmartWood Program, the world’s largest FSC forest certifier. This certification assures that chain of custody procedures exist to document FSC-certified fiber as it passes through the supply chain from the forest through the manufacturing process to Verso’s customers. Verso expects to offer FSC-certified products to its customers in early 2008.

As required for its FSC chain of custody certification, Verso also meets the FSC Controlled Wood Standard. Under this standard, the company has demonstrated that it has developed and implemented responsible procurement practices that enable Verso to identify and avoid purchasing controversial wood fiber that is harvested illegally, in violation of traditional or civil rights, from forests where high-conservation values are threatened, from forests being converted to plantations or non-forest use, or from forests where genetically modified trees are planted.

“Certifying Verso’s mills to the FSC Chain of Custody Standard allows us to verify the amount of FSC-certified fiber in our products, and doing so is one of the many ways we help our customers achieve their sustainability objectives,” said Verso Paper Vice President of Sustainability Craig Liska. “Verso recognizes and supports all credible third-party forest certification standards, including FSC, because they encourage responsible forest management globally. It’s incumbent on the paper industry to promote sustainable forest practices to assure that the perpetual growing, harvesting and regeneration of trees is successfully integrated with the protection of wildlife and wildlife habitat, plants, soil, air and water quality,” Liska added.

While only 11 percent of forests globally are certified to a third-party forest certification standard, approximately 59 percent of the fiber used in Verso’s products comes from third-party certified sources, and the company is committed to increasing that amount.