Thursday, 27 August 2015
FSC Leadership Awards - Scholastic Inc. and Jameson French
© Scholastic Inc.August 27, 2015
Ahead of the 2015 FSC Leadership Awards, we will be highlighting two stories about our 2014 winners in each newsletter leading up to this year’s celebration at Greenbuild in November 2015. The award winners contribute significantly to the FSC system and have incredible stories to share.
If you are interested in nominating yourself or others for the 2015 FSC Leadership Award, please submit your story for consideration. You can download the application here.
Scholastic Inc. believes we all have a responsibility to protect our environment, to ensure that children can enjoy forests today and tomorrow.
Based on this belief, Scholastic committed to becoming an industry leader in responsible paper procurement. Ten years ago, with four percent of their annual paper purchases FSC certified, they set a goal of 30 percent of all paper purchases FSC certified by 2012.
In March 2007, Scholastic made the largest-ever commitment to FSC-certified paper in a single book in the first printing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Sixty-five percent of the 16,700 tons of paper (10,855 tons) used in the first printing were FSC-certified. They used several mills to gather that much FSC-certified paper, and required the printers involved to be FSC certified.
Today, all seven Harry Potter hardcover books, as well as the recently launched paperback editions with new cover artwork, are produced on FSC-certified paper.
In 2011, after encouraging their suppliers to become FSC-certified, Scholastic secured sufficient tonnage to print the Scholastic Reading Club catalogs on FSC-certified paper. Both theU.S. and Canadian flyers now proudly bear the FSC label. Scholastic Reading Club flyers reach more than 90% of public elementary schools in the US alone, bringing the FSC logo to the attention millions of students, parents, and teachers.
In July 2011, Scholastic increased its FSC goal from 30% to 35%, after making significant progress toward the original goal. In 2012, Scholastic dramatically surpassed that goal with 68.2% of its paper purchases being FSC-certified.
Today, Scholastic works closely with mills to identify more ways that they can increase the percentage of FSC-certified paper they use. They continue to print many beloved titles like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Captain Underpants, and The 39 Clues on FSC-certified paper.
Jamey French has long been committed to FSC and responsible forest management. As President and CEO of Northland Forest Products, Jameson led the company to seek FSC certification at a time when the American hardwood lumber industry was resisting forest certification and any type of third party verification.
Despite this negativity toward forest certification at the time, Jameson used his leadership role in the industry to become an ambassador for FSC. His articulate and effective advocacy for forest certification in industry associations, leadership positions on boards, and numerous speaking engagements, encouraged his industry colleagues to consider the credibility, environmental protection, and access to new markets that companies could achieve through FSC certification.
From 2000-2003 Jameson served as a board member and eventually board chair of FSC US. His leadership during what were tumultuous years helped to move the American hardwood industry toward a wider acceptance and appreciation of the benefits of forest stewardship and certification.
Northland Forest Products is proud to have been one of the earliest companies in North America to embrace forest certification. NFP has been chain-of-custody certified since 1996 and remains committed to doing everything it can to source and market FSC-certified lumber today.
© Jameson French