Sustainability on Campus

sustainability on cam pu s Smart sourcing ideas from the

RAINFOREST ALLIANCE

sustainability on C A M P U S

sustainability on cam pu s

Smart Choices for a Greener Future Colleges and universities have long been at the forefront of positive social change.

From civil rights to world peace to environmental leadership, students have historically taken a stand for the principles they believe in. Your campus can actively support a healthy environment, reduce poverty and promote the well-being of families and communities around the world.

But becoming a responsible institution that supports sustainability is not as

simple as switching to recycled paper or separating trash. Thinking green (and meaning it) means fully examining the way your campus operates, and incorporating an environmental and social ethos into all of your sourcing decisions.

An independent third party like the Rainforest Alliance can ensure that every

product you purchase contributes to the greater global good, so that the coffee in your school cafeteria can help farmers in Guatemala protect habitat for endangered wildlife, the paper in your office copier can support forest conservation in Canada and the chocolate bars in your dorm vending machines can build stronger communities in Kenya. With your help, we can support a sustainable future so that today’s student can look forward to a greener tomorrow.

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sustainability S TA RT S

at the source.

Why is a campus-wide green sourcing policy so important?

Consider the hundreds of books, thousands of cups of coffee and tens of thousands of sheets of paper that pass through the hands of your school’s students, staff and faculty members each day. Now, think about how the production of those goods impacts our planet, our forests and our global climate. If you could make one decision that could improve the purchasing policies for your entire university — just imagine the impact you could make on the rest of the world.

Each year in the U.S., we use 100 million tons of paper to print, communicate, and conduct business transactions.

And although more people are recycling today than ever before, there’s still not enough recycled fiber to meet the growing demand for paper. New fiber is still essential to its production — and even recycled fiber once began in a forest. So it’s important to look for sustainability at the source. Third-party certification can ensure that paper and packaging are produced sustainably — so that forests and wildlife habitat are protected, and workers are well-treated and paid living wages.

Every day, Americans drink 400 million cups of latte, cappuccino, mochaccino, and plain ol’ Joe. And college-age students

are the fastest growing segment of coffee drinkers in the country — so if they choose sustainable coffee, the impact of that decision will be felt around the globe. Coffee is grown in the tropics, where more than 25 million workers and their families earn their livings from its production and trade. Healthy coffee farms, called agro-forests, support a diversity of plants, animals and migratory birds. When you purchase coffee from responsible sources like these, you’re helping people, plants and animals across the world — which should make you feel better about helping yourself to another cup.

Sustainable Sourcing with the Rainforest Alliance Sustainable sourcing is simple with help from the Rainforest Alliance. Working together, we can help you to improve your school’s sourcing policies and better manage your supply chain by…

Identifying which of the products you currently purchase are sourced sustainably — • and which are not.

• Improving your school’s purchasing plan and helping you find solutions to any challenges you’ve encountered.

Providing training on corporate social responsibility, sustainable product purchasing, • third-party certification and progress monitoring. purchasing policies in collaboration with your school’s own suppliers, • as Developing well as those already in the Rainforest Alliance’s global network.

• Assisting interested suppliers in your network in moving toward sustainable practices and certification.

• Supporting and verifying your progress toward sustainability.

• Educating students and faculty about your school’s commitment to building a more sustainable, socially responsible institution.

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RAINFOREST ALLIANCE

sustainability on C A M P U S

the Rainforest Alliance: Growing a More Sustainable World

Now that you have a better understanding of the steps you can take to support sustainability — and how the Rainforest Alliance can help — you may be wondering what our organization is all about. The Rainforest Alliance has over 35,000 members and supporters, and works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. We set standards for sustainability that conserve wildlife and wild lands, and promote the wellbeing of workers and their communities. Farms and forestry enterprises that meet our comprehensive criteria receive the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal, which can make it easier for universities and other consumers to make smart choices in the products they purchase every day.

After all, every cup of coffee, sheet of paper and bag of tea at your university started life in a forest

or on a farm. When managed responsibly, those same forests and farmlands can provide roosts for birds, havens for wildlife, and healthy living and working conditions for the people who tend them. They can even sequester carbon dioxide, the gas responsible for global climate change. We’re helping to grow a more sustainable world — and when you partner with us, you are, too.

here’s a little more about what we do: Helping to Make Forests and Farms Sustainable We work with farmers and foresters in more than 75 countries around the world to protect forests, ensure that workers, their families and local communities are treated well, and help responsibly produced goods and services reach the global marketplace.

Cultivating Healthier Practices on Farms, in Forests and Among Forward-thinking Businesses We ensure that farms and forests meet the environmental, social and economic standards of the Forest Stewardship CouncilTM (FSC)® and the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN). Products that feature the FSC trademark and/or the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal were produced responsibly, using methods that protect soils, waterways and wildlife habitats, and promote good conditions for workers, their families and local communities. Thousands of companies — from large multinationals to small, family-owned businesses — choose ingredients from certified farms and forests, and proudly display the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ green frog seal on their products.

The Mark of Responsible Forestry

Bringing Responsibly Produced Goods and Services to Your School

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From the paper in your computer labs to the smoothies in your campus eateries, your purchasing decisions can have tangible impacts around the world. Sustainably produced tea helps support healthcare and safe working conditions for Kenyan tea growers and their families. Coffee from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms helps to conserve the dwindling forest habitat of Sumatran orangutans, and provide sustainable job opportunities for forest-dependent communities in Mexico. Responsibly produced paper helps protect North American forestlands inhabited by the endangered caribou, grizzly bear and Chinook salmon.

There are many ways the Rainforest Alliance helps our world become more

sustainable — and our impact is growing. Read on to learn more about how your school can become part of the solution.

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Rainforest Alliance’s

S u p p ly c h a i n 1.

The Rainforest Alliance helps to develop standards for sustainable farming and forestry.

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We teach farmers and foresters methods for conserving water, recycling waste and protecting wildlife.

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Farms and working forests that meet the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council or the Sustainable Agriculture Network can earn the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal.

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Coffee, tea, paper and other products that feature our seal generally earn a premium, which allows farmers and foresters to invest in upgraded worker housing, medicine for farm families, and books and education for farm children.

RAINFOREST ALLIANCE

sustainability on C A M P U S

5.

Many of the companies that buy raw goods from certified farms and forests process them into finished products. Cocoa beans are processed into chocolate, pulp is converted into paper and wood is crafted into furniture. Our seal guarantees traceability because we ensure that Rainforest Alliance Certified raw ingredients are kept separate from non-certified ingredients.

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We link producers of sustainable goods with buyers that include multinational corporations such as Kraft, Home Depot, Staples, Domtar, Marks & Spencer and Holiday Inn, as well as specialty coffee roasters.

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The Rainforest Alliance promotes certified products to coffee-drinkers, note-takers, smoothie-swillers and other consumers and businesses. As demand for certified products increases, more biodiversity is conserved, more livelihoods improve and more communities who live in and around sensitive ecosystems have an incentive to protect their lands and resources.

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environmental exam Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword; it’s an ongoing process

that can begin with a single purchase. Take this short quiz and find out where your campus is on the path to sustainability.

START HERE: Are we currently sourcing environmentally preferred products, certified by independent, third-party organizations?

Walk the talk. Some companies may claim to be green — but can they prove it?

Certification provided by independent third parties like the Rainforest Alliance ensures that sustainability claims are trustworthy and reliable.

PAPER MATTERS: Do the companies providing paper for our copiers and printers, dining facilities and custodial operations use Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified products?

Even paper containing recycled and post-consumer content once originated in a forest, so it is important to consider how that forest was managed. FSC certification ensures that paper products are harvested using methods that support the environment, as well as the rights and welfare of workers, local communities, wildlife and the planet.

BUILDING A RESPONSIBLE FUTURE: Do we require that contractors use FSC-certified wood materials for new building projects or renovations to existing facilities?

With more than 1,000 U.S. suppliers of FSC-certified construction materials — including lumber, flooring, windows, doors, cabinetry and more — it’s easier than ever for universities to find architects and builders that use environmentally preferred materials. Additionally, the FSC is the only forest management certification system recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system.

LIVING GREEN: Is the furniture in our dormitories, classrooms and administrative buildings made from FSC-certified materials?

Students, faculty and staff spend countless hours in their offices, dorm rooms and community living spaces — and though many of these areas are already furnished, heavy traffic (and college lifestyles) require most furniture to be regularly replaced.

By sourcing desks, chairs, bed frames, bureaus and other items made from FSCcertified wood, universities can demonstrate their commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible sourcing.

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SERVING SUSTAINABILITY: Do the vendors for our dining services source food products from sustainably managed farms that have been certified by an independent third party?

Food production uses more water than any other human activity. Farmlands, used for crops and grazing, cover over a third of our planet’s land surface.

So it’s important we pay special attention to creating responsible practices when it comes to food services. Sustainably managed farms protect forests and waterways, and promote the wellbeing of forest communities.

GREEN ENERGY: Are sustainably produced coffees, teas and chocolate available in campus dining facilities and cafes?

Coffee, tea and chocolate — three of the leading commodity crops in the world — are grown on over 55 million acres (22 million hectares) of farmland worldwide.

Their production has an enormous effect on the global environment. Given that young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 comprise the fastest-growing segment of coffee drinkers in the U.S., the purchase of coffee alone represents a compelling opportunity to help farms become more sustainable, and to educate and engage students on the importance of being responsible consumers.

COMMUNICATING SOUND STEWARDSHIP: Are we educating the campus community about our sustainable purchasing decisions and encouraging students, faculty and staff to spread the word?

If one person can make a difference, imagine what a whole campus can do.

Adopting a responsible purchasing policy is key to supporting a healthy environment and better conditions for workers, their families and communities.

But how do you engage your school’s community in that commitment? And how do you let students, faculty and alumni know that they can support sustainability through their purchasing decisions? In addition to developing an environmentally and socially responsible purchasing policy, the Rainforest Alliance can help you to develop the tools and craft the messages that you’ll need to communicate the benefits of sustainability to your campus community. For more information, please visit www.rainforest-alliance.org/branding.

global allies for a gr ee ne r world.

— not to world’s largest and most influential companies The Rainforest Alliance works with some of the ces. practi ess busin nable sustai cting condu and oping mention dozens of smaller innovators — in devel profits. ting forfei ut socially and environmentally responsible, witho Together, we’ve proven that it’s possible to be offer. they cts produ with which we’re working, and the Here’s a sampling of some of the companies There are many other comp anies — But reme mber, this is just a parti al list.

Allian ce Certi fied™ provi de your unive rsity with Rainf orest some exclu sive to your regio n — that can orest -allia nce.o rg/m arket place . produ cts. To learn more , visit www.rainf

Brewing

a G r e e n e r T e a – In 2007, Unilever, the world’s largest tea company, announced plans to source all of its Lipton® and PG tips® tea bags from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms by 2015. Unilever’s Lipton Tea Gardens — a 33,000-acre (13,400-hectare) property in Kericho, Kenya — was the first tea farm in the world to become Rainforest Alliance Certified™, and by the end of 2009, 69 tea factories and estates in Argentina, India, Indonesia and Tanzania had been certified, including 38,000 smallholder farms in Kenya alone. Most recently, eight independent tea estates covering 7,400 acres (3,000 hectares) in the Nilgiri Hills of South India have achieved certification by reducing waste and pesticide use, conserving soil quality and protecting wildlife. It’s a commitment that has reverberated across the industry, and had a profoundly positive impact on the lives of countless farmers, tea pluckers and their families.

C o n t e m p o r a ry D e s i g n , M o d e r n F u r n i t u r e –

Knoll® has long been a leader in modern design — and now, the company is at the forefront of responsible design, as well. In 2003, it became the first major furniture manufacturer to earn FSC Chain-of-Custody certification; since 2008, a majority of the wood products used in Knoll wood office systems and tables (excluding KnollStudio) have originated from an FSC-certified forest. Knoll’s commitment to greening its supply chain has helped make FSC-certified wood more widely available to all manufacturers in the industry, and provided an inspiring example of how companies can successfully embrace environmentally and socially responsible sourcing policies.

“ We take seriously our responsibility to customers who rely on our high standards of accountability for the wood used in our products to help them achieve their own responsible goals.”

— Lou KNOLL E n v i r o n m e n ta l , H e a lth

and

Newett

Safety Manager

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RAINFOREST ALLIANCE

sustainability on C A M P U S

Your Commitment

o n P a p e r – As one of North America’s largest paper producers, Domtar recognizes their unique responsibility to protect renewable resources.

That’s why they have worked together with the Rainforest Alliance for over a decade to encourage responsible paper production and fiber sourcing. By using FSC® certified virgin fiber in the company’s EarthChoice® line of environmentally and socially responsible papers, Domtar helps protect the values and long-term viability of the working forests of the world, ensuring that the communities and wildlife that depend on those forests will have them as a resource for many years to come.

By supplying campuses with environmentally responsible paper for their copying, printing, publishing and mailing needs, Domtar helps schools everywhere to make a statement about their priorities and their commitment to sustainability. “ Not only has paper stood the test of time as a credible learning tool in the classroom, but it is also a responsible, renewable, plant-based product that works well on today’s sustainable campus. Domtar is proud to offer the largest line of FSC certified papers available in the marketplace today, allowing colleges and universities the opportunity to put their commitment on paper every day.”

— Lewis Fix Vice President

of

Brand Management

and

S u s ta i n a b l e P r o d u ct D e v e l o p m e n t DOMTAR

A+

ar Domt oice Ch Earth ie d

• FSC Csearttile • ver ponsible • res ilable • ava if

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A B e tt e r C h o c o l at e B a r –

With their focus on supporting sustainable agriculture and a reputation for great-tasting products, Newman’s Own® Organics appeals to conscientious consumers. Through the sale of its products, the company generates money for the Newman’s Own Foundation to donate to a wide range of charitable organizations. The company continues to focus on doing well by doing right. In 2009, they began sourcing 100 percent of the cocoa for their Signature Chocolate Bars and Chocolate Cups from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms. “ The chocolate used in the bars and cups is some of the best we’ve come across.

In recognition of this exceptional product, we are paying a premium above and beyond the market price for organic cocoa beans.”

—

Nell Newman

C o -F o u n d e r

and

President

NEWMAN’S OWN ORGANICS

A B u z z Y o u C a n G e t B e h i n d – As the second-largest gourmet coffee roaster and retail chain in the United States, Caribou Coffee™ purchases some 18 million pounds of beans from countries such as Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Indonesia each year. Considering that volume, it is clear that the company’s commitment to source 100 percent of its beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms by 2011 will have a tremendous impact on workers, wildlife and the environment. It’s also a commitment that will help to introduce the little green frog seal to countless consumers — spreading eco-awareness and the taste of sustainability to coffee drinkers across the U.S. and Canada. “ One hundred percent certification is a very aggressive goal, but one we’re proud to set. We’re helping to ensure that our customers get premium coffee and our sourcing partners benefit environmentally, socially and economically.”

— Chad Trewick S e n i o r D i r e ct o r

of

C o ff e e

and

Tea

CARIBOU COFFEE

G e tt i n g N a k e d –

For nearly three decades, the southern California–based Naked® Juice Company has been making all-natural juices and smoothies. First sold on the beaches of Santa Monica, the beverages are now available in supermarkets, campus eateries, natural products stores and coffee shops across the U.S., Canada and Great Britain. In 2009, the company pledged to work toward sourcing all of the bananas in its roster of drinks from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms. Currently, that line features fifteen juices and smoothies made with certified bananas and sold with the little green frog seal.

RAINFOREST ALLIANCE

sustainability on C A M P U S

B o o k s W i th

a G r e e n M e s s a g e – Courier Corporation has been in the printing business since 1824. As the United States’ third-largest book manufacturer, the company produces more than 175 million books annually, including many educational textbooks. Each of the company’s five manufacturing facilities has earned FSC Chain-of-Custody Certification, and employs responsible manufacturing processes to reduce emissions, conserve energy and recycle waste. “ For years Courier has worked hard to produce outstanding books in an environmentally responsible manner — [Today] we are one of the cleanest and most efficient manufacturers in the industry. FSC Chainof-Custody certification reinforces our customers’ awareness that we are not only committed to high environmental standards, but living up to them.”

— James F. Conway III Chairman

and

C h i e f E x e c u t i v e O ff i c e r

COURIER CORPORATION

W o o d T h at D o e s G o o d – Columbia Forest Products is North America’s leading manufacturer of hardwood, plywood and hardwood veneer products used in cabinetry, fine furniture, architectural millwork and commercial fixtures. For more than a decade, Columbia has been producing plywood with logs harvested from FSC-certified forestlands. But Columbia is concerned with more than a sustainable supply chain. The company is also educating architects, fabricators and consumers about the environmental, social and economic benefits of FSC-certified and Rainforest Alliance Certified™ wood.

“ By choosing certified wood for cabinets, furniture, store fixtures and other uses, customers can support sound environmental practices without sacrificing the look they want.”

— Paul Davis E n v i r o n m e n ta l P r o g r a m s M a n a g e r COLUMBIA FOREST PRODUCTS

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Domtar EarthChoice ® Cultivate sustainability on your campus.

PRODUCTS:

Smart thinking. You care about the environment — and you want to spread the word about sustainability on your campus. So why not start with responsible paper? Selecting Domtar EarthChoice® is a simple way to show the world that your college or university is committed to environmental responsibility. With a wide range of end uses, the EarthChoice line of papers makes the grade in versatility. And with the support from the Rainforest Alliance, it earns big points for responsible paper production and sustainable fiber sourcing. Domtar has worked in collaboration with the Rainforest Alliance for years, developing ways to better protect the world’s forests, farms and communities, and the people, animals and plants within them.

Want to learn more? Visit www.domtarearthchoice.com.

Look for the frog on all EarthChoice products — a symbol of sustainability for today’s responsible colleges and universities.

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*SOLD EXCLUSIVELY BY ENTERPRISE GROUP

Cougar® Cougar® 30% Recycled Cougar® DigitalChoice™ ci2000® Envelope Domtar® Reply Card EarthChoice® Office Paper EarthChoice® Wove Envelope Enterprise Docuflo®* Enterprise Docuflo® Plus* First Choice® HOTS® ImagePrint® Lynx® Opaque Ultra Lynx® Digital Recycled Offset 30%

It’s easy being green.

Sustainability is simple with the Rainforest Alliance on your side.

When you choose coffee, tea, chocolate, fruit, paper and wood products that feature the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal, you know you’re protecting the long-term health of our natural resources. Certified farms and forests protect waterways, soils and animal habitats.

By going beyond the most obvious green solutions and digging deeper to consider how your purchases impact the environment, communities and families around the world, you can demonstrate to students, alumni, faculty and supporters that your school is sustainable — for today, for tomorrow, for our collective future.

For more information, please visit www.rainforest-alliance.org/smartsource

665 Broadway, Suite 500 New York, NY 10012-2331 tel 212.677.1900

fax 212.677.2187

www.rainforest-alliance.org

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Printed on 80 lb. Cougar® Cover, Super Smooth Finish SKU 30012986 Printed in USA 10/2010

PHOTO CREDITS: cover stock; inside cover stock; p. 2–3 (clockwise from top left) Enrico Sacchetti, Rita Reeves, Rob Goodier, Caroline Irby, Alessandro Doña , Christopher Ciccone; p.4 stock; p. 7 stock; p. 8–9 (clockwise from middle) courtesy of Unilever, courtesy of Domtar, stock (girl), courtesy of Courier (books), courtesy of Knoll; p. 10–11 (clockwise from top left) courtesy of Newman’s Own Organics, courtesy of Courier, stock (girl on bench), courtesy of Columbia Forest Products, courtesy of Naked Juice Company, courtesy of Caribou Coffee; p. 12 courtesy of Domtar; inside back cover stock DESIGN: Caliber | calibercreative.com ILLUSTRATION: Ernesto Pacheco