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STAPLES and the Environment
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STAPLES Environmental Commitment and Progress
Staples company-wide commitment to protect and preserve natural resources through sustainable business practices covers four major areas or cornerstones:
- Purchase and promotion of products containing post-consumer recycled materials
- Recycling initiatives
- Energy conservation and renewable power procurement
- Environmental education for associates and customers
The following provides an overview of STAPLES Business Depot's environmental progress as it applies to Canada. It provides measurement and quantified results where data is available in support of company-wide initiatives to reduce our environmental footprint and those of our suppliers and customers.
STAPLES embraces the work ahead in further developing sustainable business practices, which consider the economic, social and environmental impacts of conducting our business. By doing so, we will be acting in the best interest of the environment, our communities, our customers, our associates, and our shareholders.
- The purchase and promotion of products containing post-consumer recycled materials
Currently, STAPLES Business Depot offers nearly 2,800 products with recycled content, and our average Post-Consumer Content (PCC) is 26.2 per cent--up from 18.7 per cent--as we work to achieve our goal of 30 per cent PCC by the end of 2005. Our recycled paper sales have increased 10.2 per cent since 2002. Paper with PCC is 28.7 per cent of all tons sold. Internally, we use 30 per cent for our operations. Our circular and catalogue production PCC is 22 per cent. And our shopping bags are 30 per cent PCC.
- Recycling initiatives
In September 2004, STAPLES Business Depot officially launched Recycle for Education a new ink jet and toner cartridge recycle program designed to benefit local schools across Canada. For more informationon the Recycle for Education Program, please visit www.recyclefored.ca. In addition, in all STAPLES Business Depot stores, we encourage our customers to recycle mobile electronics, including cell phones, PDAs, pagers and chargers, with Collective Good, an electronics recycler. A portion of the proceeds from collected items that can be refurbished for reuse are donated to Special Olympics Canada. Items that cannot be reused are recycled responsibly. Customers can recycle rechargeable batteries at any STAPLES Business Depot store through our relationship with the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC).
- Energy conservation programs and renewable power procurement
STAPLES Business Depot has a long-standing commitment to energy conservation and has invested in green technologies, incorporating them into the design of stores and distribution centers as we build and open these new facilities. In addition, we are currently exploring various renewable power initiatives including sources such as wind and solar energy.
- Educational initiatives for customers and associates
STAPLES Business Depot is committed to informing its customers and associates on the various environmental initiatives currently in progress. We are also committed to better informing our customers of the various recycled products available. Through various promotions, we encourage customer demand for recycled content products through promotions and look to work with various organizations to help educate and encourage customers to buy recycled content products. We promote recycled products in our stores, online, and in our catalogs.
For detail on Staples sustainable business practices in the U.S., please visit www.staples.com/recycle.
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