RBC maps out its paper route
TORONTO, September 19, 2008 — RBC today announced
that in ongoing efforts to reduce its environmental footprint,
it is migrating selected paper stocks to sustainably sourced
paper throughout its operations in Canada, the United States
and the United Kingdom.
"RBC's Environmental Blueprint commits to the goal of
ensuring all paper purchases are certified as coming from
sustainably managed forests and or containing recycled content,"
said Sandra Odendahl, RBC's director, corporate environmental
affairs. "The switch in Canada, the United States and
the United Kingdom to certified sustainably sourced paper
advances RBC towards meeting this goal."
On August 5, all of RBC's Canadian operations began purchasing
office paper, including copy, print and fax paper, from Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC) certified sources. In addition,
Canadian client statement envelopes and all ATM envelopes
will also come from FSC certified stocks as of October 1.
RBC operations in the United States will switch all office
paper stocks available on the web-based procurement system
to FSC-certified paper by September 30.
RBC's United Kingdom operations' print, copy and fax paper
are elemental chlorine-free and carry at least one of the
following certifications: ISO 14001, FSC or the Program for
the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Also, one
third of RBC's UK office paper supply is sourced from 100
per cent recycled material.
RBC offices will use all existing paper inventory and begin
purchasing FSC or sustainably-sourced paper to replenish supplies.
"With this substantial shift to responsible sourcing
of paper, RBC is making a real difference for Boreal forest
conservation," said Alan Young, corporate program manager
for the Canadian Boreal Initiative. "We view FSC-certified
materials as the responsible choice for paper buyers and would
like to congratulate RBC for taking this important step in
reducing their corporate environmental footprint."
RBC would also like to recognize Xerox Canada and Domtar
Corp. for their continued support of RBC's commitment to sustainably
sourced paper.
Other Paper Initiatives
RBC has been a major supporter of paperless and electronic
banking options for clients. Since 2006, our clients have
helped save approximately 105 million sheets or 480 metric
tonnes of paper by selecting paperless account statements.
Using the Environmental Defense Fund Paper Calculator, these
paper savings are equivalent to approximately 12,700 trees.
RBC is also implementing a supply chain management program
to ensure a secure supply of sustainably sourced paper for
printed forms, marketing material and direct mail products.
About FSC Paper
The Forest Stewardship Council is an international, non-governmental
organization dedicated to promoting responsible management
of the world's forests. FSC was founded in 1993 in response
to concern about deforestation and demand for trustworthy
sources in an effort to protect the world's Boreal Forests.
A forest certification and labelling system for forestry
products that comes from responsibly managed forests, FSC
certification ensures wood harvesting operations are third-party
audited against a rigorous set of environmental and social
criteria. Wood fibre from FSC-certified forests is tracked
from the woodlot through sawmill and pulp & paper operations
to the end consumer. For further information regarding FSC-certified
forestry products visit fsc.org.
RBC's Commitment to the Environment
Switching to sustainable forestry products is a natural progression
of RBC's longstanding commitment to the environment. RBC has
been named one of the world's top 100 sustainable companies
for four consecutive years, according to the "Global
100" ranking compiled by Innovest Strategic Advisors.
RBC's
Environmental Blueprint outlines its commitment to offer
innovative, practical and cost-effective financial products
and services to promote environmentally sustainable choices,
as well as the enterprise's own initiatives to manage its
environmental footprint.
For full details on all RBC environmental initiatives, please
visit RBC
and the Environment.
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For more information, please contact:
Beja Rodeck, RBC, Media Relations, 416-974-5506
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