Ohio State University Forest Resources Policy Vision Statement

Type: Policy

Status: Unclear whether policy is a proposal or currently in effect

Source File: http://freetheplanetosu.org/osupc.asp

Text:

Ohio State University's FOREST RESOURCES POLICY VISION STATEMENT:
As an industry leader, Ohio State University is committed to leveraging its influence in the marketplace to conserve, protect and restore natural resources. As a cornerstone of that commitment, Ohio State University will pursue a forest resources policy to promote the development of markets for environmentally responsible forest products.

PREAMBLE
Ohio State University recognizes that business leadership carries a responsibility to the environment, including a responsibility to the world's forests. Ohio State University is positioned to influence both supply and demand in the market, and thus contribute to the development of environmental solutions that conserve, protect and restore forests. Ohio State University fully supports those responsible forest management practices that both protect biodiversity and ecosystem integrity and result in long-term social and economic benefits to human communities. Toward these ends, Ohio State University hereby establishes the following policy commitments:

1. Ohio State University will reduce and by October of 2011 eliminate its purchase of lumber, paper and other forest products that originate in endangered forest regions around the world. We intend to expedite the transition away from forestry practices that lead to the degradation of endangered forests, which include but are not limited to the logging of remaining old growth forests and the conversion of native forests to non-native tree farms. Using the Wye River Coalition's Endangered Forest Definitions as a guide, we will consult with Wye Coalition members (ForestEthics, Natural Resources Defense Council, Rainforest Action Network, Greenpeace, World Resources Institute, and World Wildlife Fund – US) and the World Resources Institute's Global Forest Watch program for assistance in identifying endangered forests and wood and paper based products from these forests.

2. Ohio State University will promote the appropriate and efficient use of all forest products. We will maximize efficiency in our use of forest resources and continually seek to reduce of our per-employee and/or per-unit of production wood and paper consumption.

3. Ohio State University will give purchasing preference to reclaimed and recycled wood products. We intend to promote the development of markets for reclaimed and recycled wood products by purchasing and/or selling products containing both post-consumer and pre-consumer recycled wood.

4. Ohio State University will give purchasing preference to post-consumer recycled content paper products that are processed chlorine free. We will promote the development of the recycled paper market through the preferential purchase of post-consumer recycled content paper. We will also give preference to paper products that are processed without using chlorine. Beginning with the following target minimum percentages for each category of paper products, we will continually seek to increase these post consumer content percentages: Uncoated papers (copy paper, envelopes, notepads, post-it notes, newsprint, etc): 30% Coated (glossy) papers: 20% Cardboard: 25% Tissue/Towels: 50%

5. Ohio State University will give purchasing preference to Forest Stewardship Council certified forest products. We intend to promote the development of markets for environmentally responsible products by supporting forest certification through the preferential purchase of FSC certified forest products.

6. Ohio State University will require that all vendors and suppliers demonstrate compliance with all legal requirements for forest management, harvest and manufacturing. We intend to assure that no market advantage is realized by those vendors and associated suppliers that circumvent the law and to support existing forest conservation, protection and enforcement mechanisms.

7. Ohio State University will publish and distribute to all interested stakeholders an annual environmental sustainability report, based on The Global Reporting Initiative's guidelines, which will detail progress in implementing this policy and any other activities related to Ohio State University's impact on the environment. We will seek to maintain open communications and collaborative relationships with all stakeholders interested in our environmental performance by providing standardized information about our environmental performance on an annual basis.

IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES
In order to fulfill the commitments in its Forest Resources Policy, Ohio State University will:

• Develop and execute an action plan to coordinate the implementation of this initiative and to inform stakeholders regarding implementation progress.
• Conduct a supply vendor audit, performed by an independent third party, to benchmark its forest product consumption and to determine the forest(s) of origin for these products.
• Establish targets and timelines for phasing out products from endangered forest regions; increasing the use of FSC certified forest products, post-consumer recycled content wood and paper products, other ecologically sustainable alternative products, and increasing wood fiber efficiency over time.
• Institute an internal monitoring and feedback system to assure continuous quality improvement of this initiative.
• Require all forest product suppliers to submit annual performance reports detailing their progress in environmental management and forest certification programs. Determine pilot projects and partnerships that can provide visibly stimulate market development, and extend the reach of this initiative.