Kimberly-Clark Professional Donates $10,000 to The Nature Conservancy in Support of FSC® Certified Product Sales by xpedx, Harrisburg, Pa.

ROSWELL, Ga., Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark Professional is making a $10,000 donation to The Nature Conservancy to support sustainable forest management in Canada's Boreal Forest in honor of xpedx, one of its distributors.

Of all of its distributors, the xpedx branch in Harrisburg, Pa., sold the most Kimberly-Clark Professional Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC) certified products to its customers during the first full year that these products were available (2010).  The FSC- certified products sold by xpedx Harrisburg include a range of Kleenex and Scott brand towel and tissue products, including Kleenex Naturals facial tissue, Kleenex Cottonelle bath tissue, Scott Coreless bathroom tissue, Kleenex Scottfold towels, and Kleenex and Scott brand hard roll towels.  FSC certification guarantees that the products are produced with wood fiber that comes from well-managed FSC-certified forests, post-consumer recycled material and/or other controlled sources. 

The Nature Conservancy donation on behalf of xpedx marks the first distributor award by Kimberly-Clark Professional to encourage its distributors and customers to purchase FSC-certified products. 

The donation will help support The Nature Conservancy's efforts toward conservation and the implementation of best management practices in 178 million acres of Canadian Boreal Forest, the largest amount of land ever involved in such conservation efforts.  These efforts will help preserve the livelihoods and cultures of First Nations, help ensure the vitality of sensitive habitat for woodland caribou and other iconic wildlife, and set the region on a path for the management of its forest and a forestry-based economy.

"Our distributors and their customers are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits to people and the environment when they purchase FSC-certified towel and tissue products," said Richard Marriott, North American Sustainability Lead, Kimberly-Clark Professional.  "A few years ago, the FSC label was primarily associated with printing paper and wood products.  The success of our FSC-certified towel and tissue offerings shows how much the demand for FSC-certified products has changed in a very short time."  

"xpedx is committed to maintaining sustainable operations while offering our customers sustainable product choices and providing leadership in our business practices," said Jeanette Malinoski, General Manager, xpedx Harrisburg.  "We thank Kimberly-Clark Professional for its commitment to producing FSC-certified products and are proud to be recognized for our efforts to supply these products to our customers.  We are equally honored by the donation made on our behalf to the Nature Conservancy in support of its efforts to protect our natural resources for future generations."

In August 2009, Kimberly-Clark Professional became the first away-from-home tissue products company in North America to receive FSC chain-of-custody certification for a broad range of tissue and towel products.  The FSC chain-of-custody certification applies to a variety of Kimberly-Clark Professional tissue products marketed under the Kleenex and Scott brand names for the away-from-home market. 

Reduce Today, Respect Tomorrow   

FSC certification is a key component of Kimberly-Clark Professional's sustainability program – Reduce Today, Respect Tomorrow – which begins with the understanding that the way resources are used today shapes the world of tomorrow.  Kimberly-Clark Professional is dedicated to reducing consumption at every stage of the product lifecycle – from design and manufacture to distribution and disposal.

Kimberly-Clark Professional believes that reduction is the key to lowering the environmental impact of its activities as well as those of its customers.  For more information, visit www.kcpreducetoday.com/us.

About Kimberly-Clark Professional

Kimberly-Clark Professional is dedicated to providing essential solutions for a healthier, safer and more productive workplace.  These include a unique portfolio of innovative, cost-effective and sustainable offerings for office buildings and lodging properties, healthcare facilities, manufacturing environments, laboratories and cleanrooms, educational facilities, food preparation and processing operations, and home professionals.  Kimberly-Clark Professional offers a comprehensive array of hand hygiene and contamination control solutions to break the germ transmission chain and help create a healthier workplace as well as wiping and safety solutions that minimize risk and drive productivity.  Its trusted global brands include Kleenex, Scott, Jackson Safety, Wypall and Kimtech.  Located in Roswell, Ga., Kimberly-Clark Professional is one of Kimberly-Clark Corporation's four business sectors.  For more information, visit www.kcprofessional.com  

About Kimberly-Clark

Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 150 countries.  Every day, 1.3 billion people - almost a quarter of the world's population - trust K-C brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well being.  With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries.

About the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, not-for-profit organization established to promote the environmentally sound, socially beneficial and economically prosperous management of the world's forests. FSC provides standard-setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services for companies and organizations interested in responsible forestry.  There are currently more than 125 million acres of FSC certified forestland in the United States and Canada and more than 325 million acres globally.  More than 20,000 manufacturers and distributors are certified to buy and sell FSC products, representing more than $20 billion in FSC labeled product annually.  For more information, visit www.fscus.org.

SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Professional