By the nature of its business, Avusa has a low environment impact. We do, however, comply with relevant environmental legislation and strive to meet global best practice.

Avusa is a major consumer of paper, particularly through our newspaper, magazine and book-publishing enterprises. Collectively, the group’s newspaper and magazine divisions use thousands of tonnes of paper per annum, over two-thirds of which is supplied by Mondi (see below – Responsible Supply Chain). Over one-third of the stock comprises recycled paper.

Given our volumes, our paper-purchasing policy requires that:
• Paper suppliers comply with environmental laws and regulations
• Where possible and viable, Avusa uses paper products with recycled content
• Avusa works with suppliers to ensure our paper is from certified, well-managed forests.

Avusa outsources the recycling of waste/by-products resulting from its activities to service providers with a financial interest in used paper and packaging material. This ensures these by-products do not end up in landfills. The group uses the providers’ services to separate non-environmentally friendly waste from recycling waste. This is done on-site with the waste subsequently removed off-site.

Around 70% of Avusa’s newsprint is supplied by Mondi, an international integrated paper group listed on the Johannesburg and London stock exchanges (JSE: MND; LSE: MNP; www.mondigroup.com). Mondi’s key operations and interests are in central Europe, Russia and South Africa.

Mondi is committed to minimising the impact of its plantations and forestry activities on the environment and acknowledges its responsibility to protect vulnerable ecosystems such as indigenous forests, wetlands and grasslands.

Mondi plantations produce vital raw materials and create employment for local people, but as ‘monocultures’ they also affect the environment, particularly fresh-water systems and grasslands. In the context of Avusa’s reporting, Mondi’s South African plantations are in areas where fresh water is a scarce and valuable natural resource.

Supporting its belief that sustainable forestry has become achievable and a goal for many in its industry, Mondi has developed policies and practices that reflect its approach of responsible, sustainable forestry’ – engaging with stakeholders at local, regional and global level, both in partnership and multi-stakeholder forums, to inform its actions.

Forest certification is the cornerstone of this approach and Mondi is committed to attaining Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC) certification for all the land it owns, leases or manages. In South Africa, all Mondi’s plantation forests (312 000 ha) are FSC certified and therefore all the fibre used to produce Avusa’s newsprint is certified as coming from sustainable forests. Worldwide, in 2010, 60% of the wood supplied to Mondi’s processing plants was FSC or PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) certified. The uncertified balance meets the FSC controlled wood standard (or PEFC equivalent) and ensures suppliers source from legal and non-controversial sources.

Mondi is working with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), NGOs and scientific communities in Europe, Russia and South Africa to develop and implement sustainable forest management practices. Its sustainable forests reduce greenhouse gas emissions, capture carbon and provide a range of ecosystem services. This collaboration is producing positive results, for example the effectiveness of plantation-free ‘buffer zones’ in conserving water resources and biodiversity in South African plantations.

In a number of locations, such as wetland areas in Mondi South Africa’s plantations, rehabilitation of degraded or damaged ecosystems makes both environmental and economic sense. The state of the wetlands assessment was completed in 2010 and while many show a high degree of recovery others require more rehabilitation. Mondi currently sponsors two projects, the Mondi Wetlands Programme in partnership with the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) and WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and the Mondi Ecological Networks Programme in partnership with the University of Stellenbosch, which are leading developments in wetland conservation and ecological networks (or biodiversity corridors). The group also works hard to use limited natural resources as efficiently as possible and takes great care to identify and protect high conservation value (HCV) areas in its South African and Russian operations.

Following the identification of HCV areas within its boundaries, Mondi’s Gilboa estate has become the first forestry property in South Africa to be proclaimed a nature reserve. Gilboa is rich in biodiversity, especially vegetation, species of conservation importance and fresh water production. Linking these HCV aspects to adjacent protected areas has enhanced the conservation value of both properties. The proclamation confirms the biodiversity value of new-generation plantations and shows that partnerships involving business, NGOs and conservation bodies can successfully conserve biodiversity, support sustainable forestry businesses and maintain rural livelihoods.

Gelijkwater Mistbelt Nature Reserve was formally proclaimed as a nature reserve in February 2011, making it the second Mondi-owned property – and the second forestry property in South Africa – to be formally protected under the biodiversity stewardship mechanism. Gelijkwater is an 829 ha property just outside Babanango in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The farm has been developed into a conservation area in partnership with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife to secure the critically endangered Midlands Mistbelt Grassland and its associated species, thus contributing to meeting national and provincial biodiversity targets. A biodiversity stewardship assessment found that Gelijkwater was an important contributor to species conservation, and essential for the conservation of key vegetation types, ecosystem services and ecological processes.

In 2010, Mondi launched a project to clearly define its global water footprint. The project will also help the group capture the benefits of numerous innovative mitigation measures already being implemented. Mondi was judged the leader in the first Forest Footprint Disclosure in the basic materials sector. This is a new UK government-supported initiative modelled on the successful Carbon Disclosure Project.