Forest Footprint Disclosure: Mondi awarded “best performer in Basic Materials category”

 Mondi was recently awarded as the best performer in the Basic Materials Sector of the Forest Footprint Disclosure Project (FFD). The FFD Project is a new initiative, backed by 34 financial institutions with $3.5 trillion in collective assets under management. It was created to help investors identify how an organisation’s activities and supply chains impact deforestation and link this forest footprint to their value.

The FFD has the backing of investors, global NGOs and government and at the award launch in London on the 9th Feb 2010, Mondi and the other award recipients were recognised for taking a leading role in this important global initiative.

The first year of the FFD awards saw a good range of companies participating and the number of participants in 2010 is expected to increase sharply as more companies realise the value of public disclosure. Uwe Foelster, Group Head of Sustainable Development commented “Mondi was up against some of the largest global forestry companies and we are proud to have been recognised as a leader in sustainable development in our industry.

We are committed to certifying of all our owned and managed forests to FSC™ standards and have introduced standards and systems to ensure that we can trace the origins of our procured wood, virgin fibre and biomass. We also support the development of global methodologies for identifying and protecting High Conservation Value (HCV) areas and have set aside HCV Forests in Komi, Russia and Ecological Networks in our South African plantations”.

The full results of the 2009 Forest Footprint Disclosure, including participating investors, are contained in the FFD Annual Review and on their website, www.forestdisclosure.com.

Mondi was quoted as follows in the report:

“Mondi's minimum standard for the procurement of wood/fibre is the FSC™ controlled wood standard or the PEFC equivalent. We are working with a number of stakeholders, including the Russian State and Komi Forest Departments, WWF, Silver Taiga, Greenpeace and local communities, to define and delineate High Conservation Value areas accurately and develop an effective way of protecting their status. All Mondi’s owned/leased land in South Africa is FSC™ certified and all Mondi leased areas (2,1 m ha) in Komi Republic in Russia have been FSC™ certified or assessed and awaiting final certification. Mondi is also working to increase the supply of credibly certified materials by working together with small growers and relevant global forums. Gaining and maintaining market share by providing eco-labelled products and/or products that are produced from sustainable sources is an opportunity that we recognise, FFD participation provides a welcome opportunity for us to share our values.”

About Mondi Group

Mondi is an international paper and packaging group and in 2008 had revenues of €6.3 billion. Its key operations and interests are in Western Europe, emerging Europe, Russia and South Africa.

The Group is principally involved in the manufacture of packaging paper and converted packaging products; uncoated fine paper; and speciality products and processes, including coatings and consumer flexibles.

Mondi is fully integrated across the paper and packaging process, the growing of wood and manufacture of pulp (including recycled materials) and paper to the converting of packaging papers into corrugated packaging and industrial bags.

Mondi has production operations across 35 countries and had an average of 33,400 employees in 2008.