Still from the 2002 film "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers"
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
Labels Don’t Just Grow on Trees
The Rainforest Alliance just got a $200,000 grant from Avery Dennison, the labeling giant based in Glendale, Calif.
The grant was designed to help the Rainforest Alliance “foster best practices in forestry management, create jobs and increase access to sustainably-managed forest products.”
“As a leader in labeling and packaging, we’re in a unique position to move our industry toward sustainably sourced materials, and that includes investing in the communities that manage natural resources,” said Dean Scarborough, chairman, president and CEO of Avery Dennison. “By working with the Rainforest Alliance, we can improve the livelihoods of farmers and their families while creating economic dividends for the entire value chain.”
According to a company statement, Avery Dennison uses responsibly sourced paper (and has been since 2008). Last year, the Rainforest Alliance helped the company craft its paper sourcing policy, which includes not using controversial fiber sources, using more recycled materials and looking for ways to improve the environmental performance of its supply chain.
Avery Dennison’s grant to the Rainforest Alliance will fund a number of things, including the Forest Stewardship Council certification of 188,000 acres of land in Brus Laguna, Honduras, the country’s largest natural forest reserve. The funding will also help farmers gain access to new markets; create new jobs and strengthen the “organizational and business capacities of community forest enterprises.”
“The best way to keep forests standing is to use them wisely,” said Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance, in a statement. “That’s why we’re so pleased to work with Avery Dennison in Honduras to improve business skills of local community managers, increase efficiencies and open access to new markets. Avery Dennison has made a significant commitment to FSC certification and sustainable sourcing and we are excited to collaborate with them on this next phase of their sustainability journey.”
In Honduras, the Rainforest Alliance is working to curb deforestation. The organization helps farmers and forest managers around the world find sustainable alternatives to deforestation.
The Avery Dennison Foundation is the company’s charitable arm, which is dedicated to advancing education and sustainability “in the communities where Avery Dennison employees live and work.”
Avery Dennison’s labels and packaging are used by companies in many industries, including apparel. The $6.1 billion company employs 26,000 people and has operations in 50 countries around the world.
