LIVONIA, Mich., Jan. 5 -- Valassis, one of the nation's leading media and marketing services companies, announced today that it has received triple chain of custody certification. Valassis is now certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC); Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI); and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).

Certification by these organizations represents a globally accepted sign of environmental sustainability through rigorous forest management standards and chain-of-production monitoring.

"We are proud to receive certification from these three organizations and share their commitment to stewardship," said William F. Hogg, Jr., Valassis Executive Vice President of Manufacturing and Client Services. "Triple chain of custody displays that as a company we offer long-term solutions to our 15,000 clients to help them make responsible environmental choices in regard to their purchase decisions and to achieve their environmental goals."

An audit by Scientific Certification Systems, a leading third-party provider of certification, auditing and testing services, verified adherence to the high standards set by these organizations at Valassis' printing facilities in Livonia, Michigan; Durham, North Carolina; and Wichita, Kansas.

Client promotions printed at these facilities on certified paper will bear the appropriate FSC, SFI or PEFC logo, a symbol of compliance with the certifying organization's standards, ensuring the process by which the paper is made, promotes environmental sustainability. These certifications confirm Valassis-printed products carrying the FSC, SFI or PEFC logos have been manufactured using raw materials harvested from certified sources, controlled wood sources or post-consumer reclaimed sources. These printed pieces can be tracked from harvest through distribution.