FEDERAL WAY, Wash., July 10 -- Weyerhaeuser Company, one of the world's largest forest products companies, continues to make gains improving its sustainable systems, enhancing employee well-being, and reducing its environmental footprint all while continuing to deliver strong shareholder value.
The facts to support these statements are available in Weyerhaeuser's latest sustainability performance report released today. This data-rich report describes the company's performance, policies and practices, and demonstrates how it manages its business in a sustainable way.
"The need for sustainable solutions to the world's challenges has never been greater," said Steven R. Rogel, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "We are part of the sustainable solution for the future, solving important problems for people and the planet while significantly improving our environmental performance and reducing our environmental footprint."
Titled "Look for Proof," the 72-page report describes the company's practices with respect to shareholder value, sustainable systems, employee well-being, environmental footprint, product responsibility, citizenship and corporate governance. The full report is available in PDF form online at http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/environment/sustainability/
By Aug. 1, an interactive web version of the report will be available at http://www.wy.com/sustainability/06report.
Highlights of the 2006 report include:
-- Measurable progress toward the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2020 using a 2000 baseline. This is the most aggressive target in the forest products industry.
-- The announcement of a biofuels alliance with Chevron to assess the feasibility of commercializing biofuel production from cellulose-based sources.
-- Nearly 90 percent of Weyerhaeuser's North American products come from sources meeting third-party certified sustainable wood procurement or forest management standards.
-- Dividend payments to shareholders have increased by 20 percent, as declared by the board of directors in 2006.
-- More than 68 percent of company facilities operated with zero lost-time injuries in 2006.
-- Weyerhaeuser Real Estate Company's commitment to building energy efficient homes. For example, Pardee Homes being named Production Home Builder of the Year in the 2006 National Green Building Awards Program sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders, and  the Energy Star builder status of Quadrant Homes, Trendmaker Homes, Winchester Homes and Camberley Homes.
-- Weyerhaeuser's inclusion on socially responsible investment indices such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as the only North American forest products company to make the list.
-- Receiving the Ron Brown Award for Corporate Leadership for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and recognition from the Diversity Best Practices organization and the United Negro College Fund for our results in improving diversity.
Weyerhaeuser has published a sustainability report since 2002, following the guidelines recommended by the Global Reporting Initiative, a voluntary process for standard reporting on the economic, environmental and social dimensions of a company's activities, products and services. The company has published an annual environmental performance report since 1993 and a citizenship report since 2001. The 2006 report is our first using the GRI's G3 guidelines to an application level of "A."