APP welcomes report on conservation work

Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) has welcomed a report from environmental NGO Greenpeace on the company’s Forest Conservation Policy (FCP).

Greenpeace’s APP’s Forest Conservation Policy: Progress Review report takes an in-depth look at all aspects of how the FCP is being implemented

APP’s FCP is an initiative by the pulp and paper manufacturer to permanently end deforestation in its supply chain.

Greenpeace’s APP’s Forest Conservation Policy: Progress Review report takes an in-depth look at all aspects of how the FCP is being implemented, and concludes that ‘the company is serious about its FCP plans and its key senior staff are genuinely committed to driving the delivery of these new commitments’.

The FCP, which was launched on February 5 this year, saw the introduction of a moratorium on all natural forest clearance, which remains in place while assessments are carried out to determine which parts of APP suppliers’ concessions are of high conservation value (HCV) and which are of high carbon stock (HCS), all of which will be protected.

The assessments are being undertaken by The Forest Trust (TFT) and independent HCV assessors, and are set to be completed in the first half of 2014.

The introduction of the FCP marked a suspension of Greenpeace’s campaign against APP and since then, the campaign group has been providing ongoing constructive criticism and advice as the policy has been implemented.

The Greenpeace report highlights a number of positive steps taken since the launch of the FCP in February 2013, such as two breaches of the FCP that were self-disclosed, action to improve the management and implementation of the FCP and plans to implement a Procedure for Association to address how the FCP is applied to future pulpwood suppliers.

APP’s Forest Conservation Policy: Progress Review report also raises a number of challenges for further improvements, which are currently being addressed by APP. These include that APP should publish a sustainable forest management planning schedule on the online monitoring dashboard of the FCP, accelerate progress on peatland assessment and management, garner input from credible experts towards its conservation plans and that APP should increase the transparency of its work in China.

Greenpeace’s summary of the report states that: ‘Greenpeace believes that nine months in, APP is serious about its Forest Conservation Policy and its key senior staff are genuinely committed to driving the delivery of these new commitments.

‘However, Greenpeace International's progress review recommends that APP’s commitment is likely to stand or fall depending on the quality of recommendations from external assessors, and if they stand up to scrutiny and are fully implemented.

‘Greenpeace cautions that any company intending to resume any trade with APP must apply strict conditions to commercial contracts requiring continued progress be made against the policy and the outstanding policy issues in Greenpeace’s review.

Aida Greenbury, APP’s managing director of sustainability, said: ‘It is very encouraging that Greenpeace’s report recognises the progress we have made since introducing the FCP just nine months ago.

‘We know that many years of work lie ahead, but this report has given us additional confidence that we are on the right path as we aim to put a permanent end to deforestation in our supply chain.

‘Scrutiny from Greenpeace and other NGOs has been an important driver for us and we hope to continue to work with all stakeholders in this way over the coming years.’

Greenbury added: ‘We believe that additional scrutiny provided by buyers can only help APP in its continued implementation of the FCP.

‘We believe that this level of engagement with customers will send a clear signal to the market that the action being taken by APP is genuine and should be rewarded.’