The Asahi Group Paper Products Procurement Principles
The Asahi Group will procure paper and paper products giving consideration to environmental issues as well as to human rights and other social issues.
The following action guidelines on the procurement of paper and paper products are set forth based on the Asahi Group Sustainable Procurement Principles with a view to achieving a sustainable society. (Instituted May 1st, 2022)
Items covered
Paper products for office use, such as copy paper, name cards, and corporate envelopes used at all business locations including those of Asahi Group.
Action guidelines
- With an awareness that paper is a finite resource, we will not use paper products in a wasteful manner.
- Paper certified by the FSC *1 or PEFC *2 will be given priority in procurement in order to meet all of the following requirements:
- Timber used as raw material has been appropriately produced and managed based on the laws, regulations, and rules of the place of origin of the logs.
- The paper has been produced taking environmental factors into consideration, including the protection of high conservation value forests*3 and the maintenance of biodiversity.
- The paper has been produced taking into consideration the social aspects of the place of origin of the logs used, including respect for the rights of indigenous peoples and the enhancement of local communities.
- When procuring the above certified paper is difficult, procurement of recycled paper made mainly from used paper will be promoted.
- Paper not fulfilling either 2 nor 3 above will not be procured.
Other matters
- These Principles will be reviewed periodically.
- These Principles will be implemented in stages, in consideration of the fact that paper procurement conditions and other factors differ for each region.
- The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote forest management that is environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable. It operates international certification schemes.
- The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is a certification system for maintaining sustainable forest management with environmental, social, and economic requirements derived from intergovernmental process standards.
- A High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF) is a forest designated as having high value and requiring conservation based on various perspectives, including biodiversity, its importance to the local community, and being a large landscape-level forest.