By Aida Greenbury, Director of Sustainability and Stakeholder Engagement at Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), took the stage today at the 12th Annual RISI pulp and paper conference to promote APP’s products and “corporate responsibility.” At the same time, leading Indonesian NGO’s called on buyers and investors of APP to reject the company’s misinformation and stop purchasing or financing the company until it met conditions articulated in an open letter calling for reforms in Indonesia.
Long a controversial company, APP has recently stepped up its public relations efforts with a series of infomercials touting its environmental and social accom-plishments and its misleading certification claims. These moves may be an effort to pave the way for the company’s anticipated issuing of bonds and a possible initial public offering (IPO) of its Chinese division, and comes at the same time as new investments in direct sales capacity in Europe and North American paper markets.
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Wood waiting at APP harbor, Eyes on the Forest - Contrary to APP’s claims of social and environmental stewardship, the open letter signed by more than 30 groups clearly outlines the Indonesian pulp and paper industry’s adverse impacts on biodiversity, communities, and the climate, naming APP as one of the main culprits. Rivani Noor of the Indonesian national network, Community Alliance for Pulp and Paper Advocacy (CAPPA), said in a press release, “Indonesian NGO’s and the communities we work with have experienced the devastation caused by APP firsthand, so we can’t be fooled by infomercials or environmental prizes.” He continued, “We urge APP to stop the destruction of natural forests and peatlands, respect community rights and tenure, resolve existing disputes and retract misleading statements about their low carbon footprint. This is how APP can go beyond business as usual and help fulfill Indonesia’s greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and the transition to an equitable and low-carbon future for all Indonesians.”
