At Resolute Forest Products, environmental performance is managed on a local level with oversight from the highest levels of the organization. Guided by the Company’s Environmental Policy, our environment coordinators have on-the-ground responsibility to ensure compliance with local laws and regulations, as well as to facilitate continuous improvement.
Corporate environment managers work closely with each mill environment coordinator to identify and manage the issues most relevant to a specific operation. Performance is tracked monthly in a report circulated to senior operations management, and the Environmental, Health and Safety Committee of the Board of Directors meets at least three times per year to review performance and approve programs.
ISO Certification
As part of our Environmental Policy, we have committed to implementing and maintaining rigorous third-party-certified environmental management systems (EMS) at our pulp and paper, wood products and hydroelectric facilities, as well as at our woodlands operations.
The International Organization for Standardization's ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Standard is widely acknowledged because it provides a consistent system-based approach to improve environmental performance through the application of an EMS across our operations.
All our operations have environmental management systems in place. At the end of 2012, 18 out of 21 paper mills, 15 out of 21 wood products facilities, and 9 out of 10 woodlands operations had an EMS that was certified to the ISO 14001 environmental management standard.
Key Performance Indicators
All operations track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure environmental performance. Pulp and paper mills measure and report KPIs on water use, emissions to air and water, fiber loss, energy use and waste, and other criteria. Corporate environment managers work closely with each mill to identify and manage the issues most relevant to that specific operation.
In 2012, each mill identified two KPIs for which reduction targets were set. Rather than adopting a cookie-cutter approach, these KPIs were selected through a rigorous process that evaluated site-specific challenges in relation to environmental risk. The operational vice presidents are responsible for tracking KPI performance and will be evaluated on the achievement of specific goals for the mills under their control.