International Paper recognizes the importance of strategic collaboration to make meaningful progress across our value chain. Engaging with third-party organizations helps us broaden our sustainability efforts so that together, we have a greater impact.
American Bird Conservancy
American Bird Conservancy is dedicated to conserving wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. With an emphasis on achieving results and working in partnership, ABC takes on the greatest problems facing birds today, innovating and building on rapid advancements in science to halt extinctions, protect habitats, eliminate threats and build capacity for bird conservation. International Paper partners with the American Bird Conservancy to provide critical habitat conditions for at-risk bird species by engaging our fiber supply teams, forestry experts, wood suppliers and landowners in our mill basins in the U.S. South. Our initiatives include bird surveys, academic research collaborations, implementation of bird-friendly forest management practices and workshops with consortia of landowners, conservation organizations and community partners.
American Forest Foundations (AFF)
IP’s collaboration with AFF has been key through the Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP). Developed by AFF and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), this program facilitates family forest owners’ access to climate finance from carbon markets. Supported by IP, the FFCP has expanded significantly in the Central Appalachian area and is set to launch activities in the Southeastern U.S., focusing on afforestation and improved forest management practices. IP’s ongoing support allows the FFCP to invest in critically important applied research to identify which forests provide the most additional carbon mitigation when they enroll in the program.
American Red Cross
International Paper is a national Annual Disaster Giving Program member for the American Red Cross. This commitment builds upon International Paper’s long-time support of American Red Cross disaster relief programs and helps more than 100 communities across the United States.
Arbor Day Foundation
We joined forces with the Arbor Day Foundation to strengthen the resilience of communities through the Community Tree Recovery Program – a public and private partnership that distributes free trees to residents in communities affected by natural disaster. Through the program, we also support the restoration of forestland impacted by natural disasters. As one of 17 founding members of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Evergreen Alliance, International Paper champions initiatives that leverage trees as a simple, natural climate solution, improving community resilience and preserving clean air and water, healthy food and a livable climate.
CDP
We report annually to customers, shareholders and the general public through CDP questionnaires on climate, forests and water, and we participate in the CDP supply chain program within our supply network.
Celebrate Planet Earth
International Paper works in cooperation with Celebrate Planet Earth to distribute butterfly kits and sunflower kits to classrooms around the United States. The kits provide caterpillars, butterfly houses, sunflower seed packets, take-home activities and a teacher’s guide with complete instructions for kindergarten through third-grade classrooms.
Center for Heirs Property Preservation®
Our commitment to promoting social equality entails re-examining certain barriers that prevent equal access to sustainable resources. That’s where the Center for Heirs Property Preservation® comes in. Working in partnership with International Paper, the Center supports historically underserved communities to build inter-generational resilience. In 2023, International Paper announced its support of the Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation® as they work alongside the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Kimberly Clark Corporation and the Mississippi Center for Justice to provide legal services, assistance and resources to help historically underserved Mississippians. This two-year program, the Mobile Basin Heirs’ Property Support Initiative, is designed to help families in Mississippi protect and keep their forestland, build inter-generational wealth and promote productive, sustainably managed forests.
Champions for Literacy
International Paper and Champions for Literacy are working together to support the Fight for Literacy Games initiative benefiting schoolchildren from kindergarten to 3rd grade. The Fight for Literacy Games empower NCAA basketball coaches, their teams and fans to participate in literacy awareness efforts, volunteer work and fundraising activities.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation Network
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation works to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. The Network brings together industry leading corporations, emerging innovators, affiliate networks, government authorities, regions, cities and more to develop and promote the idea of a circular economy to mobilize systems solutions at scale, globally. This membership enables International Paper to advance its contributions to the circular, low-carbon economy, building on its work to evolve the design of its packaging, pulp and paper products so that they can enjoy multiple lives through continuous cycles of recovery and reuse.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SmartWay®
This is a U.S. public-private initiative to reduce GHG and air pollution created by freight transportation.
Family Forest Carbon Program
We joined American Forest Foundation (AFF) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in supporting the Family Forest Carbon Program to enhance carbon sequestration in family-owned forestland across the United States. Families own the largest portion of all forests in the U.S., and this program represents a new approach to climate change mitigation that taps into the carbon storage potential of family-owned forestland while creating a new market and source of income for the families that dedicate time and effort to their forest management.
Feeding America
International Paper works with Feeding America, the United States largest domestic hunger-relief organization, to help feed America’s hungry and to support its national disaster relief efforts. We mobilize our people, products and resources to help “Box out Hunger.”
The Global FoodBanking Network
International Paper partners with The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) to expand child and family-focused programming to feed food-insecure families in Canada, Chile, France, Italy, Mexico, Poland and Spain.
National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL)
The NCSL represents the legislatures in the states, territories and commonwealths of the U.S. Its mission is to advance the effectiveness, independence and integrity of legislatures — as well as to foster interstate cooperation and facilitate the exchange of information among legislatures. We support the work of NCSL through our contribution to the NCSL Foundation.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)
Launched in 2013, the Forestland Stewards Partnership between International Paper and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and enhances ecologically important forestlands and coastal savannas in 14 southern states. The partnership extended in 2022 with a $10 million commitment over five years and has successfully conserved and restored more than 700,000 acres of iconic southern forestlands over the past decade. This partnership aims to further wildlife conservation and sustainable forestry practices in the Southeastern U.S.
The Nature Conservancy
We are collaborating with The Nature Conservancy on the development of natural climate solutions, the conservation, restoration and improved forest management techniques that increase carbon storage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in managed forest landscapes. Our collaboration supports their Reduced-Impact Logging for Carbon (RIL-C) initiative in Gabon and Indonesia, where they are developing a set of scientific practices that balance the economic needs of forest-based communities with environmental goals. With the first two phases complete, IP renewed its partnership to scale up efforts towards responsible forestry, carbon sequestration and biodiversity monitoring in the Central Appalachian region of the U.S. and in Mexico.
Reading is Fundamental
International Paper supports Reading is Fundamental through their Books for Ownership program, which gives age-appropriate books to first-graders in school districts where our employees live and work, so they can begin building their own home libraries.
Savannah River Clean Water Fund
The Savannah River Clean Water Fund is a coordinated effort to permanently protect and responsibly manage forests – nature’s water filter – in the Savannah River watershed. The first of its kind in Georgia and in South Carolina, the Fund convenes diverse stakeholders around the common goal of protecting forests for the many benefits they provide to local communities, economies and wildlife. The Fund comprises representatives from five public water utilities in Georgia and South Carolina, state environmental and forestry agencies, local land trusts, and others. International Paper represents the first company from the private sector to join the effort.
Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) helps companies establish science-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and transform business operations to fit the future low-carbon economy. Targets adopted by companies to reduce GHG emissions are considered to be "science based" if they are in line with what the latest climate science says is necessary to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. International Paper’s 35% greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target across scopes 1, 2 and 3 has been approved by SBTi as consistent with levels required to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC)
A membership-based collaborative with the mission of bringing packaging sustainability stakeholders together to improve packaging systems and lend an authoritative voice on issues related to packaging sustainability.
United Way
International Paper annually conducts more than 80 local United Way campaigns in the U.S. and Canada, enabling employees to donate to their communities in a meaningful way. International Paper matches employee donations by 60 cents on the dollar. In addition to financial pledges, employee volunteers participate in a variety of United Way Days of Caring projects.
U.S. Department of Energy's Better Climate Challenge
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is challenging organizations to set ambitious, portfolio-wide GHG emission reduction goals. As a partner in DOE’s Better Climate Challenge, International Paper is one of more than 80 organizations across the U.S. economy that are stepping up to the Challenge and driving real-world action toward a low-carbon future. International Paper is committed to reduce GHG emissions by 35% by 2030, aligned with the best available climate science, and to work with DOE to share successful solutions and decarbonization strategies.
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
The WBCSD is a CEO-led organization of forward-thinking companies that galvanizes the global business community to create a sustainable future for business, society and the environment. International Paper has joined the WBCSD and the organization’s Forest Solutions Group, which provides business leadership in expanding sustainable forest-based solutions. During our participation with the Forest Solutions Group, we have helped to launch the Forest Sector SDG Roadmap and the CEO Guide to the Circular Bioeconomy.
World Resources Institute (WRI) Aqueduct Alliance
The Aqueduct Alliance brings together leading companies, governments and foundations to gain strategic guidance and industry insight from WRI's Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas team and water stewardship activities. The Alliance serves as a space for members to engage WRI and to stay at the forefront of thought leadership in water stewardship.
World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
International Paper is one of the first five companies in the United States to join WWF’s Forests Forward program. This global program engages with companies and other stakeholders around the globe to deliver effective nature-based strategies for forests that help achieve their business and sustainability goals. The latest collaboration addresses a critical issue in the Southeastern U.S., the preservation of heirs’ property. The initiative provides legal services, assistance and resources to help historically disenfranchised Black landowners retain generational land and conserve working forests.