Natural Environment

Paper Product Stewardship

Like many large office supplies providers, OfficeMax both sells and uses high volumes of paper and paper-based products. And, more than any other product category, paper continues to be a focus for external stakeholders seeking to influence our product stewardship efforts. For these and other sound business, environmental and social reasons, we have instituted policies and procedures to help ensure responsible paper practices.

Opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of our paper-related decisions fall into three broad categories:
• Recycled content/recycling
• Responsible sourcing
• Internal usage

Recycled-content Paper

The OfficeMax U.S. Paper Procurement Policy explicitly states that OfficeMax will continue to identify and support recycled-content paper and paper products. In 2008, more than 48 percent of the business paper products we offered contained at least 30 percent post-consumer fiber. In 2009, the percentage of these papers that we offered rose to 50 percent. Additionally, 42 percent of the paper we used to print our 2008 catalog contained 10 percent post-consumer fiber.

Our U.S. Operations use corrugated shipping containers made with a minimum of 30 percent post-consumer fiber, and our Canadian subsidiary, Grand & Toy, use corrugated shipping containers made with 85 percent post-consumer fiber.

Paper Recycling

In 2008, our U.S. Operations recycled more than 18,779 tons of old corrugated containers (OCC) from our packaging and shipping operations. The substantial increase from 2007 to 2008 in the amount of OCC reported as being recycled is due in part to refined data collection and reporting. We also offer a recycling program for the OCC that we deliver to our customers if they do not have a program of their own.

Responsible Paper Sourcing

The OfficeMax U.S. Paper Procurement Policy sets forth the expectation that our paper and paper-based products suppliers will:
• Maintain compliance with laws and regulations applicable to their operations.
• Eliminate products from endangered areas and work with appropriate organizations and others to identify these areas.
• Track the source of paper products to the country, region, mill of origin or beyond, when practicable and data is available, and avoid sourcing our paper products from industrial forest suppliers that convert natural forests to industrial plantations.

We also expect our business paper suppliers to provide us with products from certified forests whenever feasible, thus encouraging them to participate in national or international certification programs. Typically, forestry certifications establish environmental and social standards for forest management, addressing such issues as harvesting rates, ecosystem function, species protection, clear cutting, conservation zones, chemical use, soil erosion, and the rights and interests of workers, communities and indigenous peoples.

Some of the certification programs to which our suppliers adhere include the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forestry Certification (PEFC).

OfficeMax’s U.S. Operations currently purchase a substantial majority of our business papers – both for resale and internal use – from the paper operations of Boise, Inc., which holds certification from FSC, SFI and PEFC. 100 percent of our commodity business paper suppliers hold forestry certification. Additionally, 98 percent of the papers offered for sale by Grand & Toy, our Canadian subsidiary, hold certification from SFI, PEFC, EcoLogo, ISO 14001, or the Canadian Standards Association.

Internal Paper Usage

Before purchasing recycled content business paper for our internal operations, stores and facilities, OfficeMax uses paper that was intended for resale but was somehow damaged and determined to be un-sellable.

In 2007, we began piloting the use of reusable plastic bins in place of corrugated containers for shipping customer orders, a program that was well received by customers. In 2008, we analyzed the pilot findings and developed a more expansive program for 2009.

Our Canadian subsidiary, Grand & Toy, implemented two programs in 2007 that reduced the amount of paper used for retail packing slips (see Packaging and Delivery section) and invoicing (see Business and Customer Services section).