Domtar Sponsors Rainforest Alliance Gala, Suzano Hosts Reception
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Domtar Corp., Montreal, Que., Canada, was co-sponsor of yesterday's (Wednesday, May 11) Rainforest Alliance 2011 Annual Gala in New York, N.Y., USA. The environmental group's 20th annual dinner and award ceremony featured special guests Sigourney Weaver and Jane Alexander, and honored companies and individuals for their achievements in sustainable forestry, agriculture, tourism, and climate change.
Proceeds from the gala will benefit the Rainforest Alliance's conservation initiatives, helping ensure sustainable livelihoods and conserve biodiversity. The Rainforest Alliance pioneered the concept of responsible forestry certification in 1989, for instance, and has since certified more than 65.1 million hectares (160.8 million acres) in more than 74 countries to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
"This is an important event for recognizing companies for their demonstrated commitments to sustainability," said Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance. "We are delighted to have worked with Domtar for over a decade now. Domtar continues to raise the bar for the paper industry, setting an example to encourage environmental responsibility."
This marks the sixth year Domtar has sponsored the Gala, which is one of the ways it has teamed with the Rainforest Alliance to encourage responsible paper production and fiber sourcing. With the help of the Rainforest Alliance, all of Domtar's more than 30 facilities have now been certified to FSC standards, and the FSC label and the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal have grown more visible on packages of Domtar paper. Nearly 20% of Domtar's paper products have been FSC certified while, across America, the FSC estimates that only 4% to 6%t of paper products earn that distinction.
During the event, Suzano Papel e Celulose, Brazil, hosted a cocktail reception at the American Museum of Natural History and exhibited photos related to the projects and initiatives developed by the company in the areas of environmental preservation and education. The work and progress made by the Golfinho Community Association, a nonprofit organization operating in Mucuri, Brazil, was also exhibited at the cocktail reception. Suzano has been a supporter of the Golfinho Community Association that develops educational, cultural and citizenship projects geared towards children, teenagers, and their families, since 1996.
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