An official report by the European Commission has ruled that key products manufactured by Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) in Indonesia meet all of the criteria for the EU Ecolabel - a standard designed to reassure consumers that they are buying goods which are ‘kindest’ to the environment.
The Commission asked French audit firm AFNOR to carry out an in-depth investigation into copying and graphic paper produced by Asia Pulp & Paper’s Pindo Deli manufacturing centre, its pulp and pulpwood suppliers in Indonesia. In a statement published on the official European Commission website, it says:
“The Audit clearly proves that there was full compliance with the criteria of the EU Ecolabel for copying and graphic paper valid at the time, especially on criterion 3 - sustainable forest management.”
Asia Pulp & Paper Managing Director Aida Greenbury said: “We are delighted that APP’s copying and graphic products will continue to carry the EU Ecolabel, which is only awarded to the very best environmentally-friendly products. Asia Pulp & Paper welcomed the AFNOR audit as an opportunity to disprove any suggestions of non-compliant practices in our manufacturing centres made by international NGO, FERN.”
Some of the key findings of the EU audit were:
• It was proven that 88% of the fibre in the products came from APP’s own plantation forests ‘in compliance with the forest management program administered by the Indonesian Government’. The remaining 12% consisted of fibre from sustainably-managed certified sources.
• Virgin fibre used in the products ‘came from forests managed under the principles of sustainable management’.
• Chain of Custody Certificates were provided for each (external) supplier of pulp. The audit validated by checking invoices or documents related to the delivery that the pulp was made up of fibres from certified forests.3
Ms Greenbury added: “The EU audit is just one of the environmental validations which Asia Pulp & Paper has received in recent years. We believe all stakeholders can use these findings as a true, independent verdict on our environmental credentials.”
In a statement, the European Commission confirmed: “Following the Report "EU Ecolabel allows forest destruction - The case of Pinto Deli" issued by FERN on 9 April 2010, the Commission asked AFNOR, the French EU Ecolabel Competent Body, to carry out an in depth investigation to verify Pinto Deli's compliance with the criteria.
“This investigation was requested as the Commission was very concerned about the situation that could have been potentially very damaging for the EU Ecolabel image at the eyes of consumers and other stakeholders.
“The Audit carried out by AFNOR has now been finalised and the conclusions clearly prove that there was a full compliance with the criteria of the EU Ecolabel for copying and graphic paper valid at that time, especially on criterion 3 - sustainable forest management.”
Stuart Wilson, UK around 5 months, 2 weeks ago