American Forest & Paper Association Mandatory Environmental, Health and Safety Principles

As a condition of membership, the companies of AF&PA are required to adhere to the program’s Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Principles. The nature of these eight self-imposed principles demonstrates the industry’s strong commitment to protecting the environment, as well as the health and safety of employees and their communities.

The EHS Principles require members:

1. To make environmental, health, and safety considerations priorities in operating existing facilities, as well as in the planning of new operations.
2. To recognize, in developing and designing products to meet customer needs, the environmental, health, and safety effects of product manufacture, distribution, use, and disposal.
3. To monitor their environmental, health, and safety performance and to report regularly on these matters to their Boards of Directors, as well as to confirm their adherence to these principles annually to the American Forest & Paper Association.
4. To train employees in their environmental, health, and safety responsibilities and to promote awareness and accountability on these matters.
5. To improve environmental, health, and safety performance through support of research and development that advances the frontiers of knowledge.
6. To communicate with employees, customers, suppliers, the community, public officials, and shareholders to build greater understanding on environmental, health, and safety matters.
7. To participate constructively in the development of public policies on environmental, health, and safety matters.
8. To continue to pursue energy conservation, increased energy efficiency, greater utilization of alternatives to fossil fuels, and opportunities for cogeneration of electricity.