Emphasizes Sustainable Operations, Choices and Leadership

CINCINNATI – xpedx, a leading business-to-business distribution company in North America and a business of International Paper (IP), is pursuing a new set of sustainability goals in 2013 that will advance its leadership role in offering sustainable solutions to its customers in printing, packaging and facilities supplies.

“Maintaining sustainable business practices is part of our identity,” said Dave Wallace, xpedx director, Sustainability. “Our commitment is to deliver products our customers want while ensuring responsible stewardship of natural resources for generations to come.”

Sustainable Leadership

xpedx enhanced its Sustainability Survey and Scorecard for 2013 and will expand engagement  to suppliers that represent 75 percent of its purchases. The Survey and Scorecard evaluate the role that sustainability plays among xpedx suppliers in three areas of corporate commitment, key sustainability indicators and collaborative potential.

Sustainable Operations

For 2013, xpedx, as a part of IP’s recently published sustainability goals, has established a goal to earn the ENERGY STAR at seven new locations. ENERGY STAR is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program that helps businesses save money and protect the climate through energy efficient business practices.  To earn the ENERGY STAR, xpedx locations must score in the top 25 percent of comparable facilities nationwide for energy efficiency, based on the EPA’s energy performance rating system. Qualified facilities meet strict energy performance standards, use less energy, are less expensive to operate and cause fewer greenhouse gas emissions than peer facilities. xpedx has already earned the ENERGY STAR at 20 locations in previous years.

This year, xpedx will continue its work to expand recycling in its facilities and will implement tracking of diversion rates at all locations in a drive to reduce landfill materials. In 2012, xpedx recycled 3,492 tons of paper, plastic, board and other materials.

During 2013, xpedx also aims to earn Green Globes^TM at another one of its locations. The Green Globes assessment and rating system is a third party program that is used to evaluate green building design, operation and management. The xpedx facility in Nashville has previously earned a two Green Globes rating.

In 2013, xpedx will also continue to operate as a SmartWay® Transport Partner. SmartWay is an EPA program that seeks to reduce greenhouse gases and other air pollutants and improve fuel efficiency. As a company participating in the SmartWay Transport Partnership, xpedx is measuring the current environmental performance of its fleet of 715 trucks and committing to improve the fleet's performance. By defining clear and achievable goals for its delivery operations, xpedx is actively addressing greenhouse gas emissions and air quality.

Additionally, xpedx is continuing a policy regarding the use of paper in which 100 percent of its product line catalogs and a minimum of 90 percent of its marketing materials only use paper certified to either the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) standards. In addition, xpedx is implementing sustainable procurement policies regarding the purchase of food service and other related materials such as towels and tissues for internal use.

Sustainable Choices

xpedx continues to offer one of the most extensive lines of sustainable products that meet recognized third party standards. These products are backed by field experts and are supported by extensive reporting capabilities that give customers the information they need to track and meet their established sustainability goals.