Procter & Gamble aims to clarify its wood pulp sourcing policies in a bid to eleminate the use of resources from forest landscapes and primary forests, according to a Dec. 18 statement from advocacy group Environment America.
The consumer goods company uses wood pulp in branded paper products such as Charmin toilet paper and Bounty paper towels. According to the statement, the company sources a large portion of those raw materials from Canada’s boreal forest.
Procter & Gamble did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
According to published data and metrics, Procter & Gamble sourced 502,000 metric tons, or 33%, of its wood pulp from Canada in 2023. The company’s sourcing regions include Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec.
In 2023, 24% of the company’s wood pulp, or 372,000 metric tons, was sourced from the U.S., according to the data. Latin America and Europe account for the remainder of Procter & Gamble’s pulp sourcing footprint.
Canada, US key in Procter & Gamble's wood pulp sourcing
Procter & Gamble’s current forest commodities policy, updated in May 2023, applies to its direct suppliers of all forest-related commodities, including palm oils and pulp and paper. Under the policy, Procter & Gamble requires its direct suppliers to commit to no deforestation, or the loss of a natural forest.
The consumer goods company claims that it only sources from “responsibly managed ‘working forests’ and plantations,” further noting that a tree is regrown for every tree used, according to its website.
To ensure commitments are met, Procter & Gamble monitors its suppliers by way of conduct helplines, field assessments, satellite monitoring, sustainability meetings and more, per its forest commodities policy. Evaluations may include reviews of harvesting origin, deforestion and biodiversity.
Procter & Gamble also uses third-party certification systems to ensure its forest policy is upheld, in addition to publishing annual data on several topics, including procured volumes, sourcing origins and certification statuses, according its forest commodities policy.
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