International Paper discusses Sustainable Forests at Bloomberg Green Festival

As a business that relies on responsible forest management and sustainability, those of us at Kelly Paper were especially interested in the first ever Bloomberg Green Festival, which brought together leaders in business, science, technology, and arts to talk about core issues of climate change. The virtual festival hosted panels of executives from organizations like HP, International Paper, Amazon, Microsoft, Nike, and Philips which took place September 14th-18th, 2020.

Sophie Beckham, Chief of Sustainability Officer from International Paper, spoke about building a forest-positive future with Corey Brinkema, President of The Forest Stewardship Council and Lynn Scarlett, Chief External Affairs Officer from The Nature Conservancy. The panel discussed how their organizations have shifted into “a wholistic view of forests,” and the economic and social opportunities that forests hold when managed responsibly.

“Our entire business model depends on the sustainability of forests,” Chief Sustainability Officer Sophie Beckham said. “My job includes working with our fiber buyers who are on the ground with landowners everyday encouraging sustainable forest management practices. That value chain continues into our products and provides the solutions people are looking for in the paper, packaging, and pulp space.” The panel also discussed new mapping technology for fiber buyers that aggregates private and government biodiversity and sensitive species data in the region to make more informed decisions about harvesting a forest.

The panel ended on the idea that sustainably managed forests are vital to achieving holistic value chains and carbon neutrality. For more details, you can watch the full discussion here.

Kelly Paper is proud to be a member of the Forest Stewardship Council, as well as offer responsibly sourced products from industry partners like International Paper. Learn more about how we prioritize sustainability in our products and business operations.