Sustainable Paper Procurement
As the largest printer in Canada, TC Transcontinental purchases significant quantities of paper every year.
Through our procurement, we therefore play an active role in making a significant and positive impact on forest management practices. In doing so, we can help protect natural resources, creating long-term socio-economic benefits for communities.
In light of this, TC Transcontinental issued its first paper purchasing policy in 2007, and expanded its scope in 2012. In 2022, we published our new environmental policy, which includes an update of our paper purchasing practices.
In particular, TC Transcontinental will make customers aware, where possible, of paper options containing pre-consumer and/or post-consumer recovered fibres. Where virgin wood fibre is required, preference is given to fibres from responsibly managed forests with a chain of custody certification from a recognized forest certification system.
TC Transcontinental recognizes FSC®, CSA and SFI® certification systems with respect to sustainable forest management, as well as PEFC Chain of Custody certification. These certifications attest that paper is sourced from forests, and other controlled sources, in accordance with sustainable development principles. In addition, we have our own FSC® (FSC C011825), SFI® and PEFC - 01-31-106 Chain of Custody certifications, enabling us to trace fibres directly from the forest to our printed product. The end consumer is thereby assured that the paper used is sourced from responsibly managed forests and other controlled sources.
The implementation of this policy has produced compelling results. In fact, the proportion of our purchases of papers that are FSC®, SFI® or PEFC certified or are made with 100% recycled fibres reached 96% in 2017, while it stood at 67% in 2012. In addition, the percentage of our Media Sector’s publications bearing a certification logo increased from 9% to 87% over the same period. TC Transcontinental will continue to report annually on its performance relative to its ecoresponsible procurement objectives in its social responsibility report.
Certifications
Ancient and Endangered Forests
TC Transcontinental is working with Canopy, a non-governmental organization, to encourage governments and the forestry sector to support and advance protection of the world's ancient and endangered forests. We are proudly committed to contributing to the creation of conservation legacies in these landscapes of hope.
Forest Landscapes of Hope
TC Transcontinental is conscious of the impacts of sourcing decisions on endangered species, high conservation value forests, communities and climate, in places like the Boreal and the Broadback Forest, Coastal Temperate Rainforests and Indonesian Rainforests. We are working closely with not-for-profit Canopy on policy implementation to ensure we carefully assess our fibre sourcing to avoid ancient and endangered forest regions.
Next Generation Solutions
TC Transcontinental is committed to the conservation of the world’s ancient and endangered forest ecosystems. As part of that commitment, we strongly support the North American commercial scale development of pulp, paper and packaging alternatives that are derived from agricultural residues like wheat straw as a way to diversity the fiber basket and meet our continued need for high quality, cost effective products.
