KapStone Charleston Upgrades Their Sustainability Leadership With SFI Fiber Sourcing: (SFI)® 2010-2014

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C., July 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- -- As part of their continuing commitment to balancing environmental responsibility and corporate growth, KapStone Charleston Kraft LLC, an unbleached Kraft paper and lumber producer, announced today it has upgraded its SFI fiber sourcing certification to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® SFI 2010-2014 Standard across its five chip mills, Summerville Lumber Mill and Charleston Kraft paper mill. KapStone was previously certified to the SFI® 2005-2009 fiber sourcing standard and continues its SFI certification in chain-of-custody (CoC). KapStone Charleston Kraft LLC is wholly owned by KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (NYSE: KS).

"With the SFI 2010-2014 fiber sourcing certification, KapStone Charleston Kraft is strengthening our environmental commitment, and helping our customers to source responsible forest products," said Bruce Hoffman, Vice President and General Manager. "SFI fiber sourcing and chain-of-custody certifications are key components of our sustainability program and ensure our customers that the fiber in their products is sourced from well-managed forests."

An SFI fiber sourcing label tells consumers the fiber in a product is from a legal and responsible source, regardless of whether the forest is certified. In the United States and Canada, there must be an auditable procurement process in place showing that, among other things, participants are supporting landowners in promoting reforestation, protecting threatened and endangered species, and strengthening best management practices to protect water quality. When sourcing fiber from outside of North America, program participants must perform risk assessments to avoid controversial sources such as illegal harvesting operations or areas of civil unrest, and must promote the conservation of biological diversity.  

As part of its certification, KapStone Charleston Kraft is required to undergo annual surveillance audits as well as full certification to the SFI Standard every five years, conducted by an independent, accredited certification body. All audit reports are published on the SFI program website at www.sfiprogram.org.

"At a time when just 10 percent of the world's forests are independently certified, KapStone Charleston Kraft is part of a growing number of companies who have demonstrated their environmental commitment and leadership by certifying their operations to the SFI Standard," said SFI Inc. President and CEO Kathy Abusow.

"Economic growth and environmental responsibility go hand in hand," said Terry Jenkins, Vice President of Global Sales, and Specialty Products. "Certification to the new SFI 2010-2014 Standard is good for our customers, our business and our forests."

About KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation

Headquartered in Northbrook, Ill., KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation is a leading North American producer of unbleached Kraft paper products and linerboard. The Company is the parent company of KapStone Kraft Paper Corporation, which includes paper mills in Roanoke Rapids, N.C., and North Charleston, S.C., a lumber mill in Summerville, S.C., and five chip mills in South Carolina. The business employs approximately 1,550 people.

About SFI Inc.

SFI Inc. is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, and is solely responsible for maintaining, overseeing and improving the internationally recognized Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program (www.sfiprogram.org). Across North America, more than 190 million acres are certified to the SFI forest management standard, making it the largest single standard in the world. The SFI program's unique fiber sourcing requirements promote responsible forest management on all suppliers' lands. SFI Inc. is governed by a three-chamber board of directors representing environmental, social and economic sectors equally.

SOURCE KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation