WASHINGTON, D.C. (News release) - The International Council of Forest and Paper Associations' (ICFPA) launched its 2017 Sustainability Progress Report. It is the sixth biennial report highlighting ICFPA members' progress on the sustainability commitments agreed upon in the 2006 CEO Leadership Statement on Sustainability.

The full report is available at http://www.icfpa.org/uploads/Modules/Publications/2017-icfpa-sustainability-report.pdf.

"We are proud to announce our global industry's continuous progress, which represents our commitment to social and environmental aspects associated with forest management and the manufacture of forest-based products," said ICFPA President Jane Molony. "We look forward to continuing to supply the growing global demand for sustainable products, including fuel, fiber and forest products, while moving towards a greener economy."

"The U.S. pulp, paper, packaging, tissue and wood products manufacturing industry remains devoted to advancing sustainability performance," said American Forest & Paper Association President and CEO Donna Harman. "In 2016, our Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 sustainability initiative reported a 16 percent greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction, surpassing the 15 percent reduction goal ahead of schedule. Our members quickly moved to set a new GHG reduction goal of 20 percent by the year 2020 and are focused on contributing that progress to worldwide sustainability achievements."

The global sustainability performance of the forest product industry is improving, with all aggregate indicators for reporting associations showing progress from their respective baseline years:

Since 2004/2005, ICFPA members reduced their greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 16%, and increased the share of bio-energy in the fuel mix by 10.3 percentage points.

The total sustainable forest management-certified area used to supply the global industry reached 54% in 2015, up from just 12% in 2000.

The global paper recycling rate reached 58.9% in 2015 - a 12.4 percentage point increase from 2000.

Members improved their onsite energy intensity by 1.1% since the 2004/2005; reduced their SO2emissions by 48% from 2004/2006; and reduced their use of process water by 7.2% since 2004/2005.

Members' recordable incident rate was improved by 24.5% since 2006/2007.

ICFPA members that contributed to the 2017 Sustainability Progress Report are: the American Forest & Paper Association, the Australian Forest Products Association, the Confederation of European Paper Industries, Corporación Chilena de la Madera, the Forest Products Association of Canada, the Brazilian Tree Industry - Ibá, the Japan Paper Association, the New Zealand Forest Owners Association, and the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa.

The ICFPA represents 19 pulp, paper, wood and fiber-based associations that encompass 36 countries, including many of the top pulp, paper and wood producers around the world.

For more information about the sustainability of the global forest and paper industry, visit icfpa.org.