Time Warner: Paper and Printing

Paper and Printing at Time Inc.

The world’s forests are Time Inc.’s most vital natural resource. If these forests are not protected, not only will ecological treasures be damaged or lost, future paper supplies will be jeopardized and the price of paper could rise sharply. That’s why Time Inc. tries to make sure that as much of its paper as possible comes from forests that are harvested sustainably. In sustainable forests, trees are able to grow back (or be replanted) at the same pace at which they are cut down. Moreover, loggers harvest trees carefully so that wildlife is not endangered and denuded lands do not create erosion problems that damage the ecosystem.

To protect forests, Time Inc. asks its paper suppliers to participate in a program called Certified Sustainable Forestry, which means working to make sure that the wood they use comes from “certified” sources. Time Inc. accepts several certification schemes that have been evaluated to ensure that they meet Time Inc.’s requirements. Time Inc. has also been active in developing programs to help small landowners achieve certification. Time Inc. has recognized and encouraged all major certification bodies and has set a goal that by the end of 2006, 80% of the paper it uses will be from certified wood, up from 25% in 2002 and 58% at the end of 2004. The Certified Sustainable Forestry initiative has not had an adverse impact on costs for the company. This is dramatic progress, and environmental groups such as the Rainforest Alliance and ForestLeadership.com have singled out Time Inc. for its leadership in this arena. Time Inc. has also joined with other major paper buyers, including Staples, Hewlett Packard and Bank of America, to form the Paper Working Group, a coalition aimed at encouraging an increase in the supply of what the group calls “environmentally preferable paper.”

In 2005, Time Inc. reduced the weight of the paper that four weekly magazines—Time, People, Sports Illustrated and Entertainment Weekly—are printed on by 8%. The reduction made no noticeable difference in the quality or feel of the paper. This was the most recent step in a long process. For over 15 years, Time Inc. has been working with suppliers and printers to develop lighter grades of paper that hold up well on the presses and preserve the satisfying texture of the magazines. The results have been remarkable. The paper on which Time magazine is printed, for example, is nearly 18% lighter than the paper used in 1989.

Such improvements deliver both environmental and economic benefits. Lighter paper requires less wood to make. Less raw material means lower production, transportation and postage costs, as well as lower energy use during production and distribution, saving the company millions of dollars a year. Time Inc. encourages its paper suppliers to use advanced pulping and bleaching techniques. It will not buy paper made from pulps bleached with chlorine gas.