Ecology increasingly important
Paper More and more companies want to make a contribution to environmental protection and are therefore opting for certified paper products.
Paper More and more companies want to make a contribution to environmental protection and are therefore opting for certified paper products.
Paper More and more companies want to make a contribution to environmental protection and are therefore opting for certified paper products. The topic of paper and the environment was the focus of the paper tour organized by paper wholesaler Antalis in May. For Karin Locher, Project Manager Papertour Antalis AG, Antalis' commitment in this area is nothing new. "On the contrary, we have been endeavoring for years to provide sound information on the origin, raw material composition and production of our retail products and to support our customers in their choice of paper with the help of paper producers," she says. Due to the current climate debate, the WWF reports and the global discussions on protecting the environment, the topic of ecological papers is increasingly coming to the fore again.
Paper on Tour Antalis was mainly guided by the idea of leadership in the project, combined with the claim of expertise in the field of ecological papers. The aim was to find a way to create clarity in the content of this very emotional topic and to communicate this as attractively and competently as possible, explains Locher.
The aim was to offer the public assistance in choosing paper. The presentation was also to be distinctive and independent and as close to the customer as possible. For the paper tour (paper on tour), Antalis deliberately chose the train as an ecological means of transportation. At seven locations, customers had the opportunity to find out about the products available on the market and the various certification labels through presentations and dialog with the speakers.
Information deficitsThe visitors mainly included employees from advertising agencies, graphic design studios and print shops, who should also be informed about the current eco-labels due to their close relationship with paper. "We also invited purchasers of cut-size paper from private and public companies," says Locher. In addition, the level of knowledge varies greatly depending on the function of the employees in the companies.
The FSC label is generally well known. However, there are deficits in the certification labels for secondary fibers, such as Blue Angel or Nordic Swan, she notes in practice. The questions on the paper tour were therefore very varied and ranged from the use of forests as a resource and sustainable forestry to manufacturing processes and the current range of ecological papers.
Questions about trends and innovations in the paper sector as well as future scenarios and certifications were asked particularly often. "It was also important for us to combat the misconception that the paper industry is the killer of forests with well-founded information. After all, only 15 to 17 percent of the wood harvested worldwide goes into this sector," says Locher. "We were also able to use numerous examples to show that ecology doesn't have to be expensive. After all, a large number of such papers from the primary and secondary sectors are available at fair market prices."
Certification as standardLocher is convinced that the importance of ecological papers will increase significantly in the near future and that certification information will very soon be standard. "As paper traders, it will be our task to pay attention to these labels in strategic purchasing and to demand the manufacturers accordingly. Papers without the corresponding certificates will play a subordinate role in the future," says Locher.
Sabine Flaxman
The most important forest certification systemsFSC
(Forest Stewardship Council) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1993 that promotes the ecologically, socially and economically sustainable use of forests worldwide. The FSC has members in 58 countries. FSC certification is carried out by independent third parties. Information at www.fscoax.org.
PEFC
(Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes) is the world's largest certification system in terms of area. PEFC is an umbrella organization for the mutual recognition of national or regional forest certification schemes that meet internationally recognized criteria for sustainable forest management. The members are national or regional forest certification systems whose content is based on international resolutions for sustainable forest management. Information at: www.pefc.org (sf)
