Domtar Shows Status on Sustainability Goals

Highlights from Domtar’s 2016 Sustainability Update
Dec 14, 2016 9:35 AM ET
  • Deliver between $300 million and $500 million of annual EBITDA from fiber-based businesses for which there is growing market demand.
    • Status: Growth and expansion in Personal Care and our fluff pulp conversion project at Ashdown, Arkansas, have the potential to generate approximately $280 million of additional EBITDA from growing fiber-based businesses.
  • Continually reduce our recordable safety incident rate. The target for 2015 is 0.92.
    • Status: Finished 2015 slightly above our target with a recordable safety incident rate of 0.99. For the third consecutive year, our recordable safety incident rate has been below 1.00, representing a 50% reduction since 2008. Our target for 2016 is 0.90.
  • Establish EarthChoice Ambassador Teams in all our facilities by 2020, engaging our employees in our commitment to sustainability.
    • Status: Expanded our EarthChoice Ambassador Program to 20 facilities in 2015, up from six facilities in 2012. This puts us nearly 60% of the way towards achieving our 2020 target.
  • Procure 100% of fiber for our pulp and paper mills from sources that are certified to the FSC standard. By 2020, increase the level of FSC certified fiber procured for our pulp and paper mills to 20% of total fiber used.
    • Status: Decreased our share of FSC certified fiber to 17.5% of total fiber use in 2015 from 19.2% in 2014. The setback in FSC fiber use rate is attributable to increased overall wood purchases and uncertainty around interpretations of FSC standards, particularly in Canada. We remain hopeful that new FSC standards will address the deficiencies in the system and our supply of FSC certified fiber will grow again.
  • Reduce total direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions from purchased energy at pulp and paper mills 15% by 2020 from 2010 levels.
    • Status: Achieved a 15% reduction in 2015 relative to our 2010 baseline, meeting our 2020 target ahead of schedule.
  • Reduce total waste to landfill from pulp and paper mills 40% by 2020 from 2013 levels.
    • Status: Achieved a 24% reduction in 2015 relative to our 2013 baseline, keeping us on schedule to achieve our 2020 target.
  • Develop a model for our pulp and paper mills to measure and more strategically manage the full cost of using water.           
    • Status: Conducting a pilot project at two mills in 2016 to determine the appropriate cost elements, flows and methods to develop a model to better understand the full cost of water utilization.

Sustainability at Domtar is our endeavor to take a longer-term view of creating and preserving shareholder value. We accomplish this by considering how we respond to and contribute to emerging opportunities and risks in the world around us. Our 2016 Sustainability Update provides insight into our priorities on the journey towards becoming a more sustainable business. Click here to read the full update, and view updated performance metrics here.