RICHMOND, VA., September 13, 2007 -- MeadWestvaco Corporation today announced that the company is pursuing Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Chain of Custody Certification for all of its North American paperboard mills. MeadWestvaco also will be implementing Chain of Custody certification in accordance with the internationally recognized Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC), the world's largest forest certification system.
MeadWestvaco's pursuit of chain of custody certifications support the company's long history of sustainable forest management practices and the balanced approach to protecting environmental values and sourcing wood from the nation's forests. SFI and PEFC Chain of Custody certifications provide documentation that wood fiber is obtained from certified, well-managed and acceptable sources, beginning with the possession and transfer of wood and fiber from the forest, to the point where customers purchase products used in MeadWestvaco packaging materials and finished packaging solutions.
"SFI and PEFC Chain of Custody certifications are an integral part of sustainable business practices for both MeadWestvaco and our customers," said Mark Watkins, senior vice president of MeadWestvaco. "By obtaining SFI and PEFC Chain of Custody certification, we provide assurance to our customers and their consumers that the fiber in their products has been traced from the forest to the finished product."
Critical to this effort is MeadWestvaco's long-standing support for family forests that grow wood for the industry, and the American Tree Farm System (ATFS), which provides small landowners with a reasonable and responsible means to certify their forests. ATFS is currently pursuing endorsement by the PEFC.
MeadWestvaco will begin labeling all of its North American paperboard products with "SFI Fiber Sourcing" labels. The labeling effort will extend to many MeadWestvaco converting facilities and be offered to customers that meet specific requirements in accordance with SFI standards.