Appleton Coated Achieves Green Master Award for Fourth Consecutive Year

COMBINED LOCKS, WI—December 24, 2014—For its fourth consecutive year, Appleton Coated earns the designation of "Green Master" and recognition as one of the most sustainable companies in the state of Wisconsin. Company representatives were honored at the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council Conference on Dec. 4, for attaining the highest tier achievable in the Green Masters Program.

"It is clear that sustainability has become part of the fabric of Appleton Coated, and that they are continuing to excel, even as the competition around them raises the bar," praised Tom Eggert, executive director of the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council.

Contributing to its 2014 Green Master Award, Appleton Coated increased its offering of printing papers made with high levels of post-consumer recovered fiber (PCRF). "By adding 69 new stocked items and eliminating the pricing differential, we allow people to easily choose more environmentally responsible papers and increased our overall usage of PCRF," said Diane Ernst, mill controller who oversees Appleton Coated’s environmental programs.

The first coated mill to be Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) (FSC C007796) certified in North America, the company’s sustainability efforts also have been recognized for lowering overall energy usage by substituting biomass for 42 percent of its coal usage during the last three years as it seeks alternatives for fossil fuels. Furthermore, 99 percent of the paper leaving Appleton Coated is shipped with partner carriers that have the Environmental Protection Agency’s Smart Way designation—an industry benchmark.

As a Green Master, Appleton Coated’s performance was evaluated in nine sustainability areas: energy, carbon and other emissions, water, waste management, transportation, supply chain, community and educational outreach, workforce and governance. Only the top 20 percent of participating companies achieve the highest "Green Master" designation.

"Their sustainability performance obviously speaks for itself," added Eggert. "Every year that Appleton Coated has participated in the program, they have been recognized in the group of top-performing companies."

To learn more about the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council’s Green Masters Program, visit www.greenmastersprogram.com.

About Appleton Coated
Appleton Coated offers the most comprehensive line-up of premium, coated papers available today marketed under the Utopia brand. From the elegance of Premium to hardworking Utopia Three, the Utopia family of coated papers offers six ways to ignite a passion for paper and the environment. The Curious Collection of fine papers are manufactured by Arjowiggins, headquartered in Paris, France, and distributed exclusively in North America by Appleton Coated. Since 1889, Appleton Coated has been headquartered in Combined Locks, WI.

Source: Appleton Coated.