HP Environmentally Preferable Paper Policy

Objective

This policy defines the global environmental criteria and principles that HP follows when buying, selling or using paper and product packaging.

Scope

The policy applies worldwide, to all regions, all functions and business organizations, and all product lines.

Policy

The Hewlett-Packard Company is firmly rooted in a culture of global citizenship, including a deep commitment to environmental leadership.  HP is devoted to advocating for the protection of the environment, the conservation of natural resources, and the minimization of waste. 

As part of its commitment to environmental leadership, HP is dedicated to reducing the environmental impact throughout its supply chain by following a comprehensive policy on buying, selling and using environmentally preferable paper.

Leadership means not only limiting our own impact on the environment, but also that of our suppliers, resellers and end-consumers.

It is HP’s intent that by demonstrating our commitment to the environment, both in policy and actions, we will lead others to do the same.

I.  Global Context

HP recognizes that climate change is one of the biggest environmental and economic challenges that we face in modern history.

HP actively supports policy efforts to mitigate climate change in order to protect society and global economic development from adverse climate impacts, including those caused by deforestation and forest degradation, and has incorporated these considerations into its Environmentally Preferable Paper Policy.

Marketers and sales professionals across HP are expected to make reference to HP’s environmentally preferable paper policy when marketing and selling HP products, services and solutions.

II. Premises and Principles for Paper Procurement, Sales and Internal Use

When managing our supply chain and choosing a supplier, HP examines components such as delivery, quality, cost and environmental criteria.

This policy outlines environmentally preferable guiding principles to influence our supplier decisions.  HP must consider the complete life cycle and supply chain of paper, to ensure we make the most environmentally sustainable choice.    HP will use these guidelines in evaluating and selecting suppliers.

HP’s policy on environmentally preferable paper incorporates six guiding principles:

1. Efficient use of raw materials
2. Sustainable forestry practices
3. Responsible and low carbon production
4. Waste minimization
5. Community and human well-being
6. Environmental leadership and management

These guiding principles apply to the materials used to produce the products that HP sells, as well as HP internal and external office, commercial and production printing and HP product packaging. This policy applies to all HP employees and businesses worldwide.

A. Efficient Use of Raw Materials

HP strives to use raw materials efficiently, such that fewer resources are needed per unit of output.  In the case of paper, raw materials include wood fiber as well as the water and energy resources used during production.  Pursuant to this goal, HP will strive to reduce the tonnage of paper it uses in its operations. HP’s Horizontal Print Transformation team works to increase our use of paper made from recycled materials and reduce paper waste.

HP supports and encourages the use of recovered fiber content, recycled water and energy-efficient processes during production.  Currently, HP offers post-consumer recycled content papers within HP’s branded portfolio and utilizes recycled content in packaging and paper for internal use. HP will assess the use of recycled fiber across products and packaging and establish metrics and goals that aim to maximize the use of recycled materials.

We encourage all paper manufacturers to support innovative technological and procedural advancements that extend the life of limited resources and reduce the overall environmental impact paper manufacturing have on the environment.

B. Sustainable Forestry Practices

The foundation of any environmentally conscious paper cycle must start with the initial harvesting from sustainable forests and the recognition that deforestation is a contributor to climate change. 

HP prefers suppliers that demonstrate environmental values and demonstrate a commitment to sustainable forestry practices. HP requires all of its suppliers to eliminate wood fiber harvested from endangered forests.

HP’s principles for ecologically sustainable forestry practices include:

• Maintaining or enhancing ecological integrity, biodiversity and other High Conservation Values (HCV)
• Maintaining productivity of the forest through harvesting, growing and regeneration or reforestation
• Preserving soil, air and water quality
• Respecting the ownership and use rights of local communities and indigenous peoples

In support of these principles, HP must:

• Seek to understand the source of its wood fiber.
• Expect suppliers to operate in compliance with relevant regulations and laws.
• Eliminate fiber from illegal sources and phase out fiber from any other unwanted sources over time.
• Identify and phase out wood fiber from High Conservation Value Forests (HCVFs) where those values are not protected, and eliminate fiber from endangered forests.
• Expect suppliers to ensure indigenous and forest peoples have provided their Free and Prior Informed Consent for activities on their ancestral lands or affecting their livelihoods
• Rely on credible forest certification, inclusive of chain-of-custody, as a tool to help validate fiber sources.
• Develop metrics and time-bound goals to phase-out unwanted fiber sources and phase-in credibly certified fiber

Preference will be given to certification programs that provide the most robust ecological and social criteria and integrate controlled wood standards within the chain-of-custody certification or otherwise provide assurance of the protection of High Conservation Values. Controlled wood standards ensure the uncertified fiber does not originate from sources which are HCVFs, harvested illegally or in violation of traditional and civil rights, natural forests converted to plantations, nor which utilize genetically modified trees.  The certification standard that currently provides such assurance is the Forest Stewardship Council.  In the case that the fiber utilized is not credibly certified, tracing the pulp to its origin may be necessary to ensure sustainable forestry management practices were utilized.

HP relies on partnerships with forestry and conservation experts and stakeholders for guidance in defining, maintaining and updating our principles for sustainable forestry management.  The credibility of certification programs will be evaluated based upon sustainable forestry management principles and stakeholder input. 

C. Responsible and Low Carbon Production

The total environmental footprint is not only defined by sourced raw materials and their associated land use impacts, but also through the processes used to create the final product.

Maintaining air and water quality and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions are essential to minimizing our impact and ensuring sustainability throughout the life cycle. 

HP supports the monitoring of the greenhouse gas emissions, effluent discharge and air quality that result during the production of our products. HP uses readily available tools  such as the Environmental Performance Assessment Tool (EPAT),  in order to complete such assessments.

Through partnerships with suppliers and outside nonprofit organizations, HP supports the advancement of research, technology and production practices that minimize the environmental impact and contribute to climate stability.

D. Waste Minimization

HP seeks to minimize waste and reduce climate impact by lengthening the life of wood fiber in forestry products and encouraging the efficient paper usage by our consumers, suppliers and employees.

• Recovery of recyclable materials
  HP encourages our consumers, suppliers and internal employees to recycle paper at the end of its use.  Furthermore, HP encourages suppliers to maximize the recovery of recyclable materials, including pre- and post-consumer recycled wood fiber, during the production of products and packaging.
• Responsible use
  HP also encourages the responsible use of paper products by our customers, suppliers and employees.
• HP internal use
  HP strives to enable all its employees to minimize their impact on the environment by supporting programs that minimize waste, and enhance recycling in everyday operations. 
  Note: HP adopted duplexing as its internal printing standard in 2007. HP is currently implementing this standard across the company, using HP Web Jetadmin and Universal Print Driver to configure printers.
• Innovation
  HP continues to innovate and support technology advancements that benefit the environment.  HP’s duplex printing and HP Managed Print Services enable our customers to more efficiently use and reduce their own paper usage.  HP will also continue to investigate technological advancements that enhance the ability to recycle paper.

E. Community and Human Well-Being

Basic human rights must be maintained and respected in communities where HP and its suppliers operate.  HP suppliers must adhere to labor and human rights and to applicable laws, as well as maintain human health and safety.

See the Electronic IndustryCode of Conduct for additional information.

Suppliers should not adversely impact the social and economic stability of the area in which they operate. If suppliers do not follow these guidelines, HP shall replace the supplier with those who do.

F. Environmental Leadership and Management

HP must consistently engage in partnerships with outside stakeholders and organizations that share HP’s environmental objectives.

Note: In 2001, HP established a partnership with the Paper Working Group (PWG), which is dedicated to enhancing transparency by creating tools, such as the Environmental Performance Assessment Tool (EPAT), that help monitor and assess supplier performance in the areas described within this policy.

• Support of non-governmental environment partners
  HP functions and business groups that buy, sell and use paper-based products must continue to engage with and support Environmental Non-Governmental Organizational (NGO) partners in endeavors that benefit the environment.
• Business partner encouragement
  HP must continue to support and encourage suppliers and resellers to align with our environmental values and principles. 
• Measured adoption
  To enhance transparency in the HP supply chain, HP must monitor the performance of its supply base based on the principles highlighted in this policy.

HP shall publicly report on its continual improvement in areas covered by this policy, and shall seek independent verification of its reporting metrics.

Responsibilities

HP is committed to ensuring the principles outlined in this policy are fully integrated into our business operations.

An action plan outlining performance goals and metrics is expected to be developed to support this integration and policy implementation. In doing so, HP business groups, regions, functions and operations are expected to conduct assessments and set goals and action plans in motion:

Assessment

• Determine the current performance of the supply chain in key areas:
  • Use of post-consumer recycled materials 
  • Elimination of fiber from endangered forests and other unwanted sources
  • Incorporation of fiber from known sources as verified by chain-of-custody certification
  • Incorporation of fiber from FSC certified operations
  • Assessment of responsible production criteria
  • Reduction of paper use

• HP’s initial goal is to complete the assessment of HP’s largest suppliers by the end of 2009
• HP shall establish time bound, measurable goals based upon the assessment
• HP business operations are expected to verify and identify any constraints toward meeting objectives
• HP shall continue to work with outside groups to develop tools that enable the ongoing performance of our supply chain in the principle areas outlined within the policy
• HP shall report on its progress annually in HP’s Global Citizenship Report.

Definitions

Term	Definition
Endangered forests	Areas of biodiversity that are distinct, rare or ecologically important that industrial use would be incompatible with maintaining these values.
Unwanted source	A source that falls within one or more of the following categories: The source forest is known or suspected of containing high conservation values, except where The forest is certified or in progress to certification under a credible certification system, or The forest manager can otherwise demonstrate that the forest and/or surrounding landscape is managed to ensure those values are maintained. The source forest is being actively converted from natural forest to a plantation or other land use, unless the conversion is justified on grounds of net social and environmental gain, including the enhancement of high conservation values in the surrounding landscape. The timber was illegally harvested or traded. The timber is conflict timber (i.e., it was traded in a way that drives violent armed conflict or threatens national or regional stability). The harvesting or processing entity, or a related political or military regime, is violating human rights. The timber is from genetically-modified trees. The source forest is unknown.
High Conservation Value Forests	Forest areas containing globally, regionally, or nationally significant concentrations of biodiversity values (e.g., endemism, endangered species, and refugia) Forest areas containing globally, regionally, or nationally significant large landscape level forests contained within, or containing, the management unit where viable populations of most if not all naturally occurring species exist in natural patterns of distribution and abundance. Forest areas that are in or contain rare, threatened, or endangered ecosystems. Forest areas that provide basic services of nature in critical situations (e.g., watershed protection, erosion control). Forest areas fundamental to meeting basic needs of local communities (e.g., subsistence, health). Forest areas critical to local communities’ traditional cultural identity (areas of cultural, ecological, economic, or religious significance identified in cooperation with such local communities).

References

» Supplier Code of Conduct Standards
» HP Supply Chain Responsibility

HP024-04  Revision – 22 May 2008