Contact: Kristi Chester-Vance, ForestEthics 415/863.4563 x303; Scot Quaranda, Dogwood Alliance 828/251.2525 x18

San Francisco - Forest Protection organizations applauded Staples today on the release of its annual environmental progress report while criticizing Office Depot for lagging behind. One year ago, in response to a 2-year campaign targeting the company, Staples, Inc. adopted a landmark environmental paper procurement policy in which it committed to dramatically increase the amount of post consumer recycled paper made available for sale and to phase out products originating from endangered forests. Office Depot followed suit, releasing an environmental policy on Earth Day this year that has been criticized as failing to provide adequate protection for endangered forests.

“While Staples has been working collaboratively with forest protection groups and making real progress on its commitment to phase out products from endangered forests, Office Depot is spinning its wheels in a public relations battle with environmental groups in defense of an inadequate policy”, said Danna Smith Campaign Director for Dogwood Alliance. “While Office Depot has had a whole year to catch up, Staples remains the clear environmental leader in the office supply industry.”

Staples’ progress report outlines that it has already developed benchmarks for their suppliers operating in Indonesia to ensure the protection of the country’s old growth rainforests and have identified the forests of the Southern US and the Boreal region of Canada as priority areas for further conservation initiatives. Environmental groups are critical of Office Depot because they say the company’s policy excludes protection for endangered forests in the Southern US and Boreal region of Canada that are threatened by paper production.

“The Boreal forests of Canada and the forests of the Southern US are more threatened by paper production than almost anywhere in the world” said Liz Butler of ForestEthics. “While Staples has done its homework and identified these areas as a clear conservation priority, Office Depot has received a failing grade by choosing to remain silent and doing nothing to ensure protection of these special places.”

The Canadian Boreal forests represent one of the last remaining intact forests on Earth, have global evolutionary significance, are a critical source of climate regulation and critical habitat for focus species such as woodland caribou and migratory songbirds. The forests of the Southern US, are the most biologically rich forests in North America, having high concentrations of species that exist no where else on the planet and where there is a great need for protection of critical remaining natural forest fragments with an eye towards restoration. Both the Boreal and Southern US regions are important sources of fiber for paper that ends up on both Staples’ and Office Depot’s shelves.

The Paper Campaign’s efforts to change the environmental practices of the office-supply sector has included more than 600 protests at stores nationwide, ads featuring rock legends R.E.M., and thousands of letters and calls directed to the company’s CEO. It has been featured in major news outlets including CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, LA Times, Jim Lehrer News Hour and many regional publications.

Originally printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper.

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**** Statement from The Paper Campaign Re: Staples Environmental Progress Update ****

One year ago this month, The Paper Campaign ended a two-year effort targeting Staples, Inc. when the company publicly announced its adoption of a landmark environmental paper procurement policy. For the past year, we have been working closely with Staples on the implementation of its commitment to increase the average post consumer fiber in all its paper products to 30% and to phase out products originating from endangered forests. Today, Staples is reporting its progress towards achieving the goals its set forth in that policy. The Paper Campaign would like to applaud Staples for demonstrating clear leadership within the office supply industry sector, not only with the development of the policy itself, but more importantly through the dedication they have shown to implement that commitment. Without a doubt, Staples is still the environmental leader in the office supply industry.

Staples has made significant progress towards increasing the amount of post-consumer recycled content paper in their stores as evidenced by the increase to 26.6% post-consumer recycled content for all paper products that offer for sale. More than one million trees have been spared over the past year. This is the area where they should be the proudest.

It is also clear that Staples is taking their commitment to phase out products from endangered forests seriously. This is evident in the fact that they have taken the necessary steps to begin identifying forest regions that are adversely impacted by its paper purchases and to better understand the important ecological values of those forests in an effort to determine priorities for protection. This process included work with various levels of stakeholders, including Dogwood Alliance, Forest Ethics and Natural Resources Defense Council.

Staples has already made significant progress in setting endangered forest related benchmarks for its suppliers in Indonesia and taken an important public stand on the protection of roadless areas in the endangered Tongass National Forest in Alaska.

Unlike its competitors, Staples has prioritized the protection of the Boreal forests of Canada and the imperiled forests of the Southern United States. Both of these forests contain important ecological values that are increasingly threatened by paper production.

The Canadian Boreal forests represent one of the last remaining intact forests on Earth, have global evolutionary significance, are a critical source of climate regulation and critical habitat for focus species such as woodland caribou and migratory songbirds. The forests of the Southern US, are the most biologically rich forests in North America, having high concentrations of species that exist no where else on the planet and where there is a great need for protection of critical remaining natural forest fragments with an eye towards restoration. Both the Boreal and Southern US regions are important sources of fiber for paper that ends up on Staples’ shelves and provide the lion’s share of the fiber for the US paper market.

While Staples still has a long way to go towards ensuring adequate protection for the world’s endangered forests, this process signifies an important first step and we look forward to working with Staples in the coming year on protecting endangered forests at a level that parallels the rigor and progress they have made towards increasing post-consumer recycled content at their stores.

Quotes from the Paper Campaign:

“It is refreshing to see a company that is willing to roll up its sleeves and take an honest look at the impact it’s business is having on our forests,” said Danna Smith, Campaign Director for Dogwood Alliance. “By focusing conservation efforts in the forests of the Southern US, the largest paper producing region in the world, Staples has the opportunity to help lead the way in protecting the most biologically diverse forests of North America.”

“The Boreal forests of Canada are one of the most important remaining intact forest systems in the world,” said Liz Butler, Paper Campaign Director for Forest Ethics. “Unlike their competitors, Staples has chosen to work with a variety of stakeholders to determine priority areas for protection, not only with an eye towards the bottomline, but also towards environmental stability."