OfficeMax Australia Honored with Two Awards by Forest Stewardship Council Australia for Commitment to Sustainability

NAPERVILLE, Ill., Jan. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- OfficeMax^® Incorporated (NYSE: OMX), a leader in office and facility supplies, technology and services, today announced that the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Australia honored OfficeMax Australia with two awards – Retailer of the Year 2012 and the Responsible Procurement Award 2012 – for the subsidiary's ongoing support of sustainability and responsible forest management.

It was the second consecutive year that FSC Australia awarded OfficeMax Australia as its Retailer of the Year, which pays tribute to a retailer that has helped to create a marketplace that promotes environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests. The Responsible Procurement Award recognizes an end-user organization that demonstrates a commitment to procuring FSC-certified products as part of its corporate social responsibility strategy.

"OfficeMax has deserved these two awards and is certainly leading the way when it comes to responsible procurement and retailing by throwing its weight behind FSC," said Natalie Reynolds, chief executive of FSC Australia.

"Receiving this honor from the Forest Stewardship Council Australia for the second year in a row is great validation for our sustainability work," said William C. Agee, managing director of OfficeMax Australia. "With our stringent paper policy, commitment to sound environmental practices, wide range of environmentally sound paper products and our dedication to educating customers and staff on environmentally sound products, our customers can be confident that they are making positive paper buying choices when they shop with us."

OfficeMax Australia has been a member of FSC Australia since 2009, and works actively with other supply and manufacturing partners to encourage them to become FSC certified. It also actively promotes FSC-certified products through its catalogues, online campaigns and direct customer engagement. Additionally, OfficeMax's private-label products demonstrate its commitment to the environment with an increasing number holding independent environmental certifications.

About OfficeMax

OfficeMax Incorporated (NYSE: OMX) is a leader in integrating products, solutions and services for the workplace, whether for business or at home.  The OfficeMax mission is simple: We provide workplace innovation that enables our customers to work better.  The company provides office supplies and paper, print and document services, technology products and solutions, and furniture to businesses and consumers.  OfficeMax consumers and business customers are served by approximately 29,000 associates through OfficeMax.com; OfficeMaxSolutions.com and Reliable.com; more than 900 stores in the U.S. and Mexico; and direct sales and catalogs. OfficeMax has been named one of the 2012 World's Most Ethical Companies, and is the only company in the office supply industry to receive Ethics Inside^® Certification by the Ethisphere Institute.  To find the nearest OfficeMax, call 1-877-OFFICEMAX.  For more information, visit www.officemax.com.

About the Forest Stewardship Council

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, independent, not-for-profit, membership-based organization. It provides standards for responsible forest management, an extensive chain of custody system, an accreditation system for certification bodies and a distinctive trademark for buyers of forest products. Founded in 1993, in the wake of the Rio Earth Summit, the mission of FSC is to promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests. Its governance structure ensures the organization is independent of any one interest group by requiring an equal balance between economic, social and environmental chambers. More than 130 million hectares of forest have been certified to FSC standards worldwide and 17,000 companies participate in the system. FSC Australia was established in 2006. More than half a million hectares of tree plantation and forest have been certified to FSC standards in Australia and more than 200 companies participate in the FSC system. These companies are active in the markets for sawn wood, joinery, furniture, flooring, MDF, pulp, paper and printing. FSC Australia has more than 70 members including forest product companies, environmental organizations, and social and community groups. For further information consult: www.fscaustralia.org or www.fsc.org or for a list of certified companies www.fsc-info.org

All trademarks, service marks and trade names of OfficeMax Incorporated used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of OfficeMax Incorporated. Any other product or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

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SOURCE OfficeMax Incorporated