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Opal

OVERALL

Owned
JPN
Rating
Praises, some criticism

Paper makers

Formerly Australian Paper. Makers of Reflex paper. Nippon Paper Group (Japan) purchased Australian Paper and its two operating mills at Maryvale in Victoria and Shoalhaven in NSW from PaperlinX in 2009. Manufactures pulp, paper and packaging. Export products to over 75 countries across the world.

Company Ownership

Paper Australia Pty Ltd   AUS     website   email      
  Nippon Paper Industries Co Ltd    
   owns 100% of Paper Australia Pty Ltd  
JPN     website         

Paper products

A global network of 175 companies in Japan and 15 other countries. They are involved in paper, paper packs, chemicals, energy, agriculture, forest products and building materials, and cellulose nanofiber.

> About the Ratings

Company Assessment

PRAISE CRITICISM INFORMATION
Paper Australia Pty Ltd
Environment Carbon neutral company
This company's business operations meet the requirements of the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard, and have been certified carbon neutral since 2006.
Source: Climate Active (2020)
Environment 4/5 for packaging performance
This company received a packaging performance level of 4 (Leading) in its 2022 APCO Annual Report. Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a not-for-profit organisation leading the development of a circular economy for packaging in Australia. Each year, APCO Members are required to submit an APCO Annual Report and Action Plan, which includes an overall performance level from 1 (Getting Started) to 5 (Beyond Best Practice).
Source: APCO (2022)
Environment 4/5 for packaging performance
This company received a packaging performance level of 4 (Leading) in its 2022 APCO Annual Report. Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a not-for-profit organisation leading the development of a circular economy for packaging in Australia. Each year, APCO Members are required to submit an APCO Annual Report and Action Plan, which includes an overall performance level from 1 (Getting Started) to 5 (Beyond Best Practice).
Source: APCO (2022)
Environment Woodchipping Victorian forests
Australian Paper, and it's flagship brand 'Reflex', is the focus of the 'Ethical Paper' campaign by the Wilderness Society. The production of woodchips for pulp and paper is the largest driver of forest destruction in Australia and Australian Paper, maker of Reflex, is the largest domestic purchaser of pulplogs from Victoria's native forests.
Source: Wilderness Society (2020)
Environment Loss of FSC certification on Reflex
In August 2011, Australian Paper lost part of its FSC international environmental certification, after withdrawing from an audit of its wood supplies. It retains chain of custody certification, allowing it to produce FSC-certified product based on sourcing of material from FSC-certified operations and recycled content, as allowed under the FSC rules for Mixed and Recycled product.
Source: ABC (2011)
Social Greenwash with ENVI brand
ENVI 'carbon neutral' brand copy paper has been criticised as Greenwash. "Accrediting a paper which is sourcing part of their pulp from the worlds most carbon dense forests raises questions about the integrity of the 'Greenhouse Friendly' program and what 'Carbon Neutral' really means."
Source: bindarri (2010)
Environment Carbon neutral range
Products produced at Australian Paper's Maryvale and Shoalhaven paper mills are certified as carbon neutral under the Australian Government-backed National Carbon Offset Standard.
Source: Australian Govt (2015)
Environment FSC certification
This company holds Forest Stewardship Council Chain of Custody Certification, and sells products certified as FSC Mix, FSC 100% and FSC Recycled.
Source: FSC (2017)
Business Ethics Sustainability claims
This company has sustainability claims on its website under the headings recycling, wood supply, sustainability performance and certifications.
Source: Australian Paper (2020)
Business Ethics Previous GFTN participant
This company became a participant in the Australian chapter of the Global Forest and Trade Network (GFTN) in 2008. The Global Forest and Trade Network seeks to mainstream the principles of responsible forest management and sustainable trade throughout the global forest products industry, by providing technical assistance and fostering linkages between committed companies. Independent forest certification is a key tool in this process. The GTFN program was discontinued in Australia in 2017.
Source: WWF (2019)
Business Ethics No tax paid in 2019-20
According to data released by the Australian Tax Office in Jan 2022, this company was one of many local and foreign-based companies that paid no tax in Australia in 2019-20. Please note however that companies pay income tax on profits, not revenue (total income). While some companies use tax havens and loopholes to avoid paying their fair share of tax in Australia, other companies that paid no tax have perfectly legitimate reasons.
Source: ATO (2022)
Nippon Paper Industries Co Ltd
Environment CDP Forests Score of B
In 2022, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests Score of B.
Source: CDP (2022)
Environment CDP Climate Change Score of D
In 2022, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of D.
Source: CDP (2022)
Environment Stop Wood-chipping campaign
Nippon subsidiary South East Fibre Exports did own the chipmill at Eden, NSW. (It was sold to Allied Natural Wood Exports Pty Ltd on 23 December 2015). This chipmill uses mainly native forest trees, most cut down solely for woodchipping. It does not use waste. Nippon Paper was the focus of a campaign to stop wood-chipping the South East and East Gippsland forests.
Source: Chipstop campaign (2011)
Environment Previous boycott campaign
The Friends of the Earth 'Kick Reflex' campaign ran in 2010, calling on the Maryvale Mill and parent company Nippon Paper to cease purchasing logs from high conservation value forests, water catchments and threatened species habitat.
Source: Indy Media (2010)
Environment Previous supporter of Gunn's destruction of Tasmania's forests.
Nippon Paper was named in the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) report, 'The Truth Behind Tasmanian Forest Destruction and the Japanese Paper Industry: Who Logs Them? Who Buys Them?' (2007) as the biggest buyer of Gunns' old growth woodchips -- purchasing over 1,400,000 tons in 2006.
Source: RAN (2007)
Environment 51% in Forest 500 Rankings
Forest 500 identifies the 350 companies and 150 financial institutions with the greatest exposure to tropical deforestation risk, and annually assesses them on the strength and implementation of their deforestation and human rights commitments. This company received a score of 51%.
Source: Forest 500 (2021)
Social CDP Water Security Score of C
In 2022, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security Score of C.
Source: CDP (2022)
Business Ethics 51/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 51/100 in the Paper & Forest Products category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 23 Sep 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global (2022)

> About the Icons

Company Details

Type Wholly-owned subsidiary
Revenue 785.5 million AUD (2019)
Employees 1,220 (2019)
Aus Manufacturing Yes

Contact Details

Address Level 2, 109 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn, VIC, 3122, Australia
Phone 1300 006 725
Website www.opalanz.com

Products / Brands

Opal
Australian Printer Paper
Brilliant Printer Paper
Green Wrap Printer Paper
Olympic Bookkeeping
Olympic Printer Paper
Olympic Notebooks & Pads
Olympic Stationery
Optix Printer Paper
Planet Ark made from post-consumer recycled waste paper; FSC recycled certified;  carbon neutral, made in Australia at Maryvale Mill, Victoria made from post-consumer recycled waste paper; FSC recycled certified; carbon neutral, made in Australia at Maryvale Mill, Victoria  Printer Paper
Queens Slipper Board Games & Puzzles
Reflex Printer Paper
Reflex Envelopes
Reflex Stationery
Reflex 100% Recycled made from 100% recycled paper; FSC recycled certified; carbon neutral;  Made in Australia at Maryvale Mill, Victoria made from 100% recycled paper; FSC recycled certified; carbon neutral; Made in Australia at Maryvale Mill, Victoria  Printer Paper
Tudor Envelopes
Tudor some recycled some recycled  Notebooks & Pads
Tudor recycled recycled  Binders & Dividers
Tudor Clipboards & Folders
Tudor Stationery
Victory Printer Paper


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