Procter & Gamble* Revises Deforestation Policy, but Still Endangers Boreal Forests

Procter & Gamble has agreed to make additional commitments to ensure compliance with no-deforestation practices in its supply chain but has once again declined to remove wood pulp sourced from intact forest landscapes from its supply chain. This new action comes nine months after a majority of shareholders voted in favor of a Green Century Capital Managementdeg resolution calling on P&G to produce a deforestation report.

Environment America Research & Policy Center Public Lands Campaign Director Ellen Montgomery issued the following statement:

"For the sake of our climate and the wildlife living in our forests, paper towels and toilet paper should be made from fibers that don't come from forests. Unfortunately, Procter & Gamble will continue to make Charmin and Bounty from boreal forest trees.

"The company continues to talk a good talk about the boreal forests, and its commitments to increase the percentage of Forest Stewardship Council certified wood pulp is undoubtedly a good thing, but there still seems to be no real progress away from intact forest wood pulp toward more sustainable fibers.

"For the sake of the billion birds and endangered caribou in the boreal, and for all living beings on Earth who benefit from the forest's role in diminishing the effects of climate change, we need to keep boreal trees standing tall. The softest toilet paper in the world will not be much comfort if we destroy our environment to get it.

"We urge P&G to reduce its impact on intact forests by using alternative fibers. We firmly believe that American consumers would be happy to buy a more eco-friendly product for their tissue needs."