23.10.03
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
Magazines takes next step on environmental responsibility
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
Magazines is to take another step forward next month in its moves
to make magazine publishing more environmentally responsible by
adding two titles to the list of those carrying the FSC (Forest
Stewardship Council) logo.
Teen
magazine It's HOT! will switch to FSC paper with its next issue
(on sale 11 November) and new title Songs of Praise will be printed
on it when it launches on 19 November. The FSC label assures the
timber used to make the paper comes from forests managed to the
highest economic, environmental and social standards. It is currently
the only truly independent certification scheme backed by major
environmental groups.
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
Wildlife magazine became the first commercial magazine in the world
to carry the FSC logo in 2000, followed by Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Music Magazine the
following year. Other publishers have yet to follow Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Magazines'
lead.
With
its 116,000 circulation, It's HOT! will be the biggest-selling title
so far to be published on FSC paper. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Magazines intends to migrate
all of its 36 titles, including Radio Times, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Gardeners' World
and Top Of The Pops, on to FSC-certified stock when sufficient quantities
are available, or to ensure that all of its paper meets the same
exacting standards.
Says
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Magazines' Managing Director Peter Phippen: "Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Magazines'
commitment to FSC remains as strong as ever and we continue to urge
our colleagues throughout the magazine industry to follow our lead.
The issue of environmental awareness is becoming ever more important
to consumers and the FSC logo lets our readers know how seriously
we at Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Magazines take this subject."
Only
the FSC logo - also to be seen on products such as garden furniture,
wallpaper and DIY tools - assures the consumer that the wood, or
a clearly stated percentage of the paper pulp, used to make the
product which bears it, comes from well managed forests. In these
cases the magazine paper contains a minimum 30% FSC certified pulp.
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Magazines is currently only able to source FSC paper from SCA in
Sweden, but is working with other major paper suppliers to persuade
them to adopt the FSC scheme.
Robert
Napier, Chief Executive Officer of the WWF, explained: "Many
people are aware that bad forestry management can destroy animal
habitats, endanger the livelihoods of local people and affect the
climate of our planet. In Indonesia, for example, huge swathes of
virgin forest are being cut down illegally and the timber will be
exported around the world. Recent research (PricewaterhouseCoopers
1999) shows consumers would be happy to vote against such bad practice
with their purses if they had information they could rely on when
making buying decisions.
"The
FSC scheme provides that information. WWF supports the FSC certification
because it is the only credible independent scheme suitable for
international application, and because it takes a highly sensible
and holistic approach to forestry management."
Anna
Jenkins, Director of FSC-UK explains the importance of certification:
"The publishing industry is a huge consumer of timber resources,
giving its work a major influence on global forests. Using FSC-certified
paper makes that influence a positive one, sourcing and buying paper
that originates in FSC forests ensures that those forests are not
just conserved but responsibly managed. We are delighted that Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
Magazines are continuing their commitment to FSC certification,
they are an industry leader and are setting a shining example which
we hope others will follow."
In
order to help manufacturers and retailers who wished to source timber
and paper responsibly, the WWF set up the WWF 95+ Group in 1991.
This partnership between WWF and over 100 companies, including J
Sainsbury, Boots and the Body Shop, has succeeded in encouraging
forest-owners and suppliers to take part in the FSC certification
scheme. Over 10,000 products carrying the FSC logo are now available
around the world. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide was the first publisher to join
the Group and in 1995 declared its aim of being the first publisher
to carry the FSC logo on one of its consumer magazines.
Environmentalists
from David Attenborough to Jonathon Porritt have encouraged the
FSC, WWF and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide (of which Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Magazines is a part) in
their determination. Sir David said: "I think it is excellent
that Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide has committed itself to using environmentally
sound paper. The public wouldn't expect anything less."
Μύ
Background
Notes - Independent Forest Certification
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
Worldwide has been lobbying its paper suppliers about the FSC certification
scheme for five years, having been the first publisher to join the
WWF 95+ Group. Guided by the WWF, this group of over 100 UK companies,
including J Sainsbury, Boots and the Body Shop, is committed to
increasingly sourcing their timber and paper products from independently
certified forests
Up
until 2000, sourcing paper for quality consumer magazines that could
publicly and legitimately claim to have been derived from environmentally
well-managed forests has not been possible. Recycled paper is increasingly
being used to make glossy magazine paper, but a substantial proportion
of new wood fibre is still essential to the process. Publishers
could not be sure that the new fibre used in its paper came from
forests that are run in a way that does not harm the environment
because few forest owners had applied for independent certification.
Over
the past five years forest-owners have slowly started to see the
value of independent certification, and by meeting the criteria
laid down by the Forest Stewardship Council, they gain the advantage
of being able to use a single well-recognised logo, ie. the FSC
logo, to promote the environmental credentials of their timber and
pulp.
The
FSC logo is now becoming widely recognised on products from garden
furniture to wallpaper, many of which are produced or sold by members
of the WWF-95+ Group. In addition, Scandinavian-based home furnishings
group IKEA recently announced that it will stop selling goods containing
timber from virgin forests except those certified under schemes
endorsed by the Forest Stewardship Council.
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