Natural Environment

Stakeholder Engagement

Engaging with external stakeholders is an important part of OfficeMax’s efforts to reduce our impact on the natural environment. Our director, Environmental Practices, sits on the board of NAEM, a professional association dedicated to advancing the knowledge and practice of environmental, health and safety management.

We are members of the World Resource Institute Business Climate Change Collaborative and we have worked with the American Forest and Paper Association, Forest Stewardship Council, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and the Abundant Forest Alliance, to promote responsible forestry practices and education.

We have also worked with nongovernmental environmental groups (NGOs) such as Forest Ethics and the Dogwood Alliance. These discussions were part of the development of our U.S. Paper Procurement Policy.

Paper procurement continues to be an area of environmental concern for certain external stakeholders. In 2007, the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) sent a letter to our Canadian subsidiary, Grand & Toy, urging them to issue a public statement in support of a moratorium on further industrial forestry activity in the traditional territory of Grassy Narrows First Nation, an indigenous community in northwest Ontario. RAN members also visited Grand & Toy stores to pass out literature to our customers.

In response, Grand & Toy sent a letter to the Minister, Ontario Department of Natural Resources, in support of managing natural resources in a manner conducive to local community interests.

Also in 2007, we provided Forest Ethics with information requested for its annual Green Grades, the organization’s report card outlining their perspectives on the paper practices of the office supply sector. Upon reviewing the Green Grades document after its publication, it is our opinion that the information OfficeMax provided was not accurately reflected.