Appleton Coated Recognized for Environmental Transparency Leadership by WWF

COMBINED LOCKS, Wis.—November 18, 2015—Appleton Coated is one of 31 companies recognized worldwide by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for its environmental transparency leadership as demonstrated by its voluntary participation in the WWF Environmental Paper Company Index (EPCI) 2015.

Appleton Coated has improved its scores since participating in the prior WWF EPCI in 2013. In the product category “Graphic Paper” Appleton Coated has achieved 60.2 percent of total achievable scores for WWF’s Environmental Paper Company Index (2015). In the sub-category “Responsible Fiber Sourcing” Appleton Coated has achieved 66 percent of total possible points.

Appleton Coated CEO Doug Osterberg commented, “We are very pleased to be recognized by the WWF for our efforts. At Appleton Coated we want to make it easy for our customers to choose environmentally responsible products and we want them to be assured that they are working with a company that promotes sustainability both internally and in the market place. Transparency in reporting is essential to providing that assurance to our customers. As one of eight participating North American mills, we appreciate efforts such as EPCI that help us understand what others value in sustainability and set goals for improvement.”

With a focus on recycled fiber, Appleton Coated continues to expand its environmental product offering in both its coated and uncoated lines, adding many new product options in 2015 with high post-consumer recycled fiber content levels, up to 100 percent in some cases.

The first North American coated paper mill to be FSC certified (FSC C007796), Appleton Coated also maintains ISO14001 certification. It is a 2015 EPA SmartWay Excellence Award Winner, EPA Green Power Partnership National Top 100 and Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council Green Masters selection for the last four years. In addition, it is one of seven Green Tier II companies recognized by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as having exceptional environmental management systems in place.

About WWF EPCI
The EPCI (Enviromental Paper Company Index) is a tool for companies who are striving for continual improvement of their environmental performance for pulp and paper production and want to be recognized publicly for their leadership in transparency. The EPCI is based on voluntary data disclosure by the companies. WWF evaluated environmental policies and targets as well as environmental performance in the production of newsprint, graphic paper, tissue, packaging and pulp. Scores were assigned on responsible sourcing, clean production, Environmental Management Systems and reporting. The Index also shows progress between 2013 and 2015 for companies that have participated in both of those years. “The pulp and paper industry has the potential to contribute to a greener economy. The EPCI 2015 signals progress in that direction, at least by the industry’s most transparent companies,” said Emmanuelle Neyroumande, pulp and paper global manager at WWF International.

The 31 companies participating in EPCI 2015, up from 25 in 2013, disclosed the ecological footprint of 85 million tonnes of pulp and paper. This represents 30 percent of the world´s tissue, 28 percent of the world´s graphic paper, 16 percent of the world´s newsprint, 7 percent of the world´s packaging and 15 percent of the world´s pulp.

About Appleton Coated
Appleton Coated is a manufacturer and distributor of coated, uncoated, specialty and technical papers sold under the Utopia and other brand names. The company’s products are used in high-end commercial printing, textbook publishing, label papers, transactional printing and a variety of specialty and custom applications. Selling through a chain of highly respected paper distributors, the company serves corporations, publishers, printers, converters, and graphic designers in North America. Appleton Coated’s corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility are located in Combined Locks, Wisconsin. The company has over 600 employees, including 435 represented by USW Local 2-144.

Source: Appleton Coated.