Domtar expands The Paper Trail Digital Transparency Tool that traces impact of paper production

Montreal-based Domtar Corporation has announced significant updates to The Paper Trail (www.domtarpapertrail.com), its award-winning interactive tool that helps customers trace the impact of their paper purchases. The totally renovated site now includes social and economic information in addition to environmental data, broadening the meaning of sustainability. The company added that the upgrade “represents Domtar’s belief that businesses should operate transparently, pulling back the curtain on our operations and the resulting impacts.” Domtar Corporation is the largest integrated producer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America and the second largest in the world, based on production capacity.
With these additions, The Paper Trail now showcases the people and places behind the products, featuring stories and photos from all 13 of Domtar’s North American mills. The tool assesses Domtar’s community investments by tracking charitable donations and volunteer efforts, such as recycling programs or educational initiatives. It also demonstrates the paper industry’s impact on the economy, as Domtar employs nearly 9,000 people across Canada and the U.S. In doing so, said Domtar, The Paper Trail helps both businesses and consumers understand the holistic impact of their purchases.
“Since first introducing The Paper Trail in 2011, our thinking has continued to evolve regarding what sustainability encompasses,” said Paige Goff, Vice President of Sustainability and Business Communication (pictured previously). “The new site embraces all three legs of the ‘sustainability stool’ by assessing not only our environmental footprint, but our social and economic impact as well. It demonstrates Domtar’s commitment to the towns we operate in – not only as an environmental advocate, but also as a driver of community initiatives and a creator of thousands of jobs.”
The Paper Trail provides gate-to-gate impact estimates for Domtar products across five environmental categories: fibre, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water, renewable energy and waste. It also illustrates how Domtar compares to the rest of the industry in these categories and, more importantly, highlights areas for improvement in addition to showcasing what Domtar is doing well.