Download data
A Global Canopy project
Menu

Powerbroker for

Select an assessment year:

Download data
  • Overall approach
    2/16
    • Overarching commitment on deforestation
      0/6
      Deforestation commitment
      Commodity-specific commitment
      0/6
      Commodities (if applicable): Timber; Pulp & Paper
      "Protect global forest resources by progressively increasing the percentage of paper and woodbased products that are purchased as certified, preferably to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard."
      Open source document
    • Signatory to an initiative tackling deforestation
      0/1
    • Awareness of the value of forests
      1/1
      Awareness
      Yes
      1/1
      "Buying FSC-certified paper helps prevent deforestation, including conversion of natural forests to plantations." [...] "We collaborate with several non-profits including the Rainforest Alliance and GreenBlue’s Forest Products Working Group to help improve paper product sustainability. We continue to work closely with our suppliers and other stakeholders to ensure we are improving our forest management practices, protecting endangered and high conservation-value forests and developing more sustainable products."
      Open source document
      Open source document
    • Deforestation as a business risk
      0/1
    • High-level management of deforestion
      1/1
      High-level management
      Yes
      1/1
      Which commodities does it apply to?: Timber; Pulp & Paper

      How often does the committee or board meet to assess company's progress on addressing deforestation-related issues?: not specified
      "Our sustainability efforts are managed by the Vice President of Environmental Affairs, who reports to the Chief Culture Officer, who, in turn, reports to the CEO.The Vice President of Environmental Affairs has global responsibility for sustainability and provides periodic updates to the Board of Directors, including meeting with our Audit Committee to advise them on environmental considerations in our company-wide risk management process. The Environmental Affairs Department collaborates with other associates in the U.S. and internationally, including, but not limited to, associates in real estate and construction, energy management, merchandising, the Staples® Brand Group, supply chain, marketing and corporate responsibility.Our sustainability strategy and pillars capture the key challenges and opportunities facing our company and industry. As a retailer, we recognize that the products we sell are a significant part of our larger environmental footprint. That’s why we focus both on making our products and services more sustainable, as well as reducing our internal operational impact."
      Open source document
    • Executive compensation linked to deforestation
    • Target to reduce emissions from land-use change
      0/3
    • Reporting on emissions from land-use change
      0/3
    • Disclosure of conservation activity
    • Disclosure of reforestation activity
  • Commodity score
    29/84
    • Pulp & Paper
      32/84
      • Commitment Strength
        14/28
        • Commitment to protect priority forests
          8/12
          • Commitment details
            Zero-gross deforestation
            6/8
            Commitment to protect priority forests
            Zero-gross deforestation
            6/8
            Which certification schemes are used?: FSC
            "This policy applies to all paper and wood-based products sold by Staples and paper and wood-based products used internally by Staples including for construction, packaging, and marketing [...] Protect global forest resources by progressively increasing the percentage of paper and wood based products that are purchased as certified, preferably to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard. [...] Staples will show a preference for paper and wood-based products that are certified to the FSC standard when market conditions and good business practices allow"
            Open source document
          • Commitment applies to all regions, suppliers and operation
            Yes
            2/2
            Commitment applies to all regions, suppliers and operation
            Yes
            2/2
            "This policy applies to all paper and wood-based products sold by Staples and paper and wood-based products used internally by Staples including for construction, packaging, and marketing [...] Protect global forest resources by progressively increasing the percentage of paper and wood based products that are purchased as certified, preferably to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard. [...] Staples will show a preference for paper and wood-based products that are certified to the FSC standard when market conditions and good business practices allow"
            Open source document
          • Target date
            No target date
            0/1.3
          • Interim target date
            No
            0/0.7
        • Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
          6/8
          • Commitment details
            Yes
            4/4
            Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
            Yes
            4/4
            Type of commitment: Reduction of material inputs
            "Reduce the use of outbound packaging materials in the United States by 20% from 2011 to 2020."
            Open source document
          • Commitment applies to all regions, suppliers and operation
            No
            0/2
            Commitment applies to all regions, suppliers and operation
            No
            0/2
            What is the rationale for any exclusion?: Applies to outbound packaging only
            "Reduce the use of outbound packaging materials in the United States by 20% from 2011 to 2020."
            Open source document
          • Target date
            Current/2020/Pre-2020
            1.3/1.3
            Target date
            Current/2020/Pre-2020
            1.3/1.3
            "Reduce the use of outbound packaging materials in the United States by 20% from 2011 to 2020."
            Open source document
          • Interim target date
            Yes
            0.7/0.7
            Interim target date
            Yes
            0.7/0.7
            "Reduce the use of outbound packaging materials in the United States by 20% from 2011 to 2020."
            Open source document
        • Commitment to a traceable supply chain
          0/8
          • Commitment details
            No traceability commitment
            0/4
          • Commitment applies to all regions, suppliers and operation
            No
            0/2
          • Target date
            No target date
            0/1.3
          • Interim target date
            No
            0/0.7
      • Social Considerations
        7/18
        • Labour rights in the supply chain
          Yes
          4/4
          Labour rights in the supply chain
          Yes
          4/4
          Details of commitment: Discrimination; Forced Labour; Child Labour; Freedom of association
          "Forced Labor: Suppliers shall not use forced labor [...] Child Labor: Suppliers shall not employ people younger than 15 [...] Nondiscrimination: Suppliers shall not subject any person to discrimination in employment [...] Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining: Suppliers shall recognize and respect the right of employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining."
          Open source document
        • Inclusion of small-scale farmers
          No
          0/4
        • Gender equality in the supply chain
          Discrimination/Gender Rights/Harassment
          1/4
          Gender equality in the supply chain
          Discrimination/Gender Rights/Harassment
          1/4
          "Nondiscrimination: Suppliers shall not subject any person to discrimination in employment (including hiring, salary, benefits,advancement, discipline, termination, or retirement) on the basis of gender, marital status, race, religion, age, disability, sexualorientation, nationality, political opinion, social or ethnic origin or any other condition that could give rise to discrimination."
          Open source document
        • Commitment to remediation
          No
          0/2
        • Commitment to ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent
          Yes the company commits to securing FPIC prior to acquiring new interests/developments/expansions
          2/4
          Commitment to ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent
          Yes the company commits to securing FPIC prior to acquiring new interests/developments/expansions
          2/4
          "We will ask our suppliers to demonstrate that they provide paper and wood-based products fromnon-controversial sources, meaning that the wood or fiber: is not harvested in violation of traditional and civil rights, including free, prior, and informedconsent"
          Open source document
      • Reporting and Implementation
        11/38
        • Reporting against commitments
          2/6
          • Commitment to protect priority forests
            No
            0/2
          • Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
            Yes
            2/2
            Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
            Yes
            2/2
            Does the company report on the degree of compliance/progress with commitments, disaggregated by relevant factors such as origin or supply chain stage?: No
            "Reduce the use of outbound packaging materials in the United States by 20% from 2011 to 2020." [...] "8% REDUCTION OF WEIGHT OF ALL PACKAGING [...] Progress: ON TRACK - Since 2011, the weight of all packaging materials used per package"
            Open source document
          • Commitment to a traceable supply chain
            No
            0/2
        • Reporting is independently verified
          0/4
          • Commitment to protect priority forests
            No
            0/1.3
          • Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
            No
            0/1.3
          • Commitment to a traceable supply chain
            No
            0/1.3
        • Deforestation cut off date
          No
          0/2
        • Collaborative actions
          Yes
          2/2
          Collaborative actions
          Yes
          2/2
          What is the nature of that participation?: Attending & contributing to meetings

          What initiatives does the company participate in?: Rainforest Alliance, GreenBlue’s Forest Products Working Group
          "We collaborate with several non-profits including the Rainforest Alliance and GreenBlue’s Forest Products Working Group to help us improve paper product sustainability. We continue to work closely with our suppliers and other stakeholders to ensure we are improving our forest management practices, protecting endangered and high conservation-value forests and developing more sustainable products."
          Open source document
        • Risk assessments for forest risk
          No
          0/2
        • Operations assessed to comply with law
          Yes
          2/2
          Operations assessed to comply with law
          Yes
          2/2
          "At Staples, we strive to work with suppliers who treat their workers with dignity and respect, adhere to applicable laws andregulations, and make their products in an environmentally sustainable manner [...] To ensure compliance with our Code, Staples shall have the right to monitor factories producing Staples® brand products throughaudits by third parties and visits by Staples personnel"
          Open source document
        • Accessible grievance mechanism
          Yes
          4/4
          Accessible grievance mechanism
          Yes
          4/4
          Details of the mechanism: Social

          What is the nature of the grievance mechanism used by the company (own mechanism, that of external company, internationally recognised mechanism, focused on social issues, focused on environmental issues, etc.)?: webform, hotline

          Does the company publish grievances that have been made against it, as well as responses and resolutions including status and timeframes: No
          provided within a hotline, webform, phone number and address "This helpline supplements local reporting channels, giving you another easy, confidential way to SPEAK UP, openly or anonymously, in your native language. All reports are forwarded to Staples' Ethics Office for review and investigation."
          Open source document
          Open source document
        • Report volumes of commodity
          No reporting
          0/4
        • Downstream: Publishing supplier lists
          No disclosure
          0/4
        • Downstream: Monitor compliance in supply chain
          Yes for its suppliers only
          3/4
          Downstream: Monitor compliance in supply chain
          Yes for its suppliers only
          3/4
          For what percentage of suppliers does the company use/rely on external mechanisms to monitor compliance?: 0 not specified

          How frequently is compliance assessed?: 0 not specified

          Details of monitoring: Using internal monitoring and verification systems

          For what percent of suppliers does the company directly monitor compliance of production or processing operations?: 0 not specified

          What percentage of the company's supply chain volume does that represent?: 0 not specified
          In relation to their Paper and Wood-Based Product Sourcing Policy - "To implement these commitments, we will survey our paper and wood-based product suppliers to identify the sources of their raw materials, the management practices and certifications held by them and/or their raw material suppliers, and the certifications that their products are labeled with, if any. Staples evaluates the supplier information provided in light of this policy and may conduct audits to confirm the validity of the information provided. We prioritize our surveys and audits to best meet the goals of this policy."
          Open source document
        • Downstream: Engagement with non-compliant suppliers
          No engagement or exclusion
          0/2
        • Downstream: Disclosure of non-compliant suppliers
          No disclosure
          0/2
    • Timber
      25/84
      • Commitment Strength
        11/28
        • Commitment to protect priority forests
          11/17
          • Commitment details
            Zero-gross deforestation
            8/10.7
            Commitment to protect priority forests
            Zero-gross deforestation
            8/10.7
            Which certification schemes are used?: FSC
            "This policy applies to all paper and wood-based products sold by Staples and paper and wood-based products used internally by Staples including for construction, packaging, and marketing. For the purposes of this policy, “paper and wood-based products” refers to products containing solid wood, wood derived materials including veneers, plywood, medium density fiberboard (MDF), and other composite wood products [...] Protect global forest resources by progressively increasing the percentage of paper and wood based products that are purchased as certified, preferably to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard. [...] Staples will show a preference for paper and wood-based products that are certified to the FSC standard when market conditions and good business practices allow"
            Open source document
          • Commitment applies to all regions, suppliers and operation
            Yes
            3/3
            Commitment applies to all regions, suppliers and operation
            Yes
            3/3
            "This policy applies to all paper and wood-based products sold by Staples and paper and wood-based products used internally by Staples including for construction, packaging, and marketing. For the purposes of this policy, “paper and wood-based products” refers to products containing solid wood, wood derived materials including veneers, plywood, medium density fiberboard (MDF), and other composite wood products [...] Protect global forest resources by progressively increasing the percentage of paper and wood based products that are purchased as certified, preferably to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard. [...] Staples will show a preference for paper and wood-based products that are certified to the FSC standard when market conditions and good business practices allow"
            Open source document
          • Target date
            No target date
            0/2
          • Interim target date
            No
            0/1
        • Commitment to a traceable supply chain
          0/11
          • Commitment details
            No traceability commitment
            0/5.3
          • Commitment applies to all regions, suppliers and operation
            No
            0/3
          • Target date
            No target date
            0/2
          • Interim target date
            No
            0/1
      • Social Considerations
        7/18
        • Labour rights in the supply chain
          Yes
          4/4
          Labour rights in the supply chain
          Yes
          4/4
          Details of commitment: Discrimination; Forced Labour; Child Labour; Freedom of association
          "Forced Labor: Suppliers shall not use forced labor [...] Child Labor: Suppliers shall not employ people younger than 15 [...] Nondiscrimination: Suppliers shall not subject any person to discrimination in employment [...] Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining: Suppliers shall recognize and respect the right of employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining."
          Open source document
        • Inclusion of small-scale farmers
          No
          0/4
        • Gender equality in the supply chain
          Discrimination/Gender Rights/Harassment
          1/4
          Gender equality in the supply chain
          Discrimination/Gender Rights/Harassment
          1/4
          "Nondiscrimination: Suppliers shall not subject any person to discrimination in employment (including hiring, salary, benefits,advancement, discipline, termination, or retirement) on the basis of gender, marital status, race, religion, age, disability, sexualorientation, nationality, political opinion, social or ethnic origin or any other condition that could give rise to discrimination."
          Open source document
        • Commitment to remediation
          No
          0/2
        • Commitment to ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent
          Yes the company commits to securing FPIC prior to acquiring new interests/developments/expansions
          2/4
          Commitment to ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent
          Yes the company commits to securing FPIC prior to acquiring new interests/developments/expansions
          2/4
          "We will ask our suppliers to demonstrate that they provide paper and wood-based products fromnon-controversial sources, meaning that the wood or fiber: is not harvested in violation of traditional and civil rights, including free, prior, and informedconsent"
          Open source document
      • Reporting and Implementation
        7/38
        • Reporting against commitments
          0/6
          • Commitment to protect priority forests
            No
            0/3
          • Commitment to a traceable supply chain
            No
            0/3
        • Reporting is independently verified
          0/4
          • Commitment to protect priority forests
            No
            0/2
          • Commitment to a traceable supply chain
            No
            0/2
        • Deforestation cut off date
          No
          0/2
        • Collaborative actions
          No
          0/2
        • Risk assessments for forest risk
          No
          0/2
        • Operations assessed to comply with law
          Yes
          2/2
          Operations assessed to comply with law
          Yes
          2/2
          "At Staples, we strive to work with suppliers who treat their workers with dignity and respect, adhere to applicable laws andregulations, and make their products in an environmentally sustainable manner [...] To ensure compliance with our Code, Staples shall have the right to monitor factories producing Staples® brand products throughaudits by third parties and visits by Staples personnel"
          Open source document
        • Accessible grievance mechanism
          Yes
          4/4
          Accessible grievance mechanism
          Yes
          4/4
          What is the nature of the grievance mechanism used by the company (own mechanism, that of external company, internationally recognised mechanism, focused on social issues, focused on environmental issues, etc.)?: webform, hotline

          Does the company publish grievances that have been made against it, as well as responses and resolutions including status and timeframes: No

          Details of the mechanism: Social
          provided within a hotline, webform, phone number and address "This helpline supplements local reporting channels, giving you another easy, confidential way to SPEAK UP, openly or anonymously, in your native language. All reports are forwarded to Staples' Ethics Office for review and investigation."
          Open source document
          Open source document
        • Report volumes of commodity
          No reporting
          0/4
        • Downstream: Publishing supplier lists
          No disclosure
          0/4
        • Downstream: Monitor compliance in supply chain
          Yes for its suppliers only
          3/4
          Downstream: Monitor compliance in supply chain
          Yes for its suppliers only
          3/4
          Details of monitoring: Using internal monitoring and verification systems

          For what percent of suppliers does the company directly monitor compliance of production or processing operations?: 0 not specified

          What percentage of the company's supply chain volume does that represent?: 0 not specified

          How frequently is compliance assessed?: not specified
          In relation to their Paper and Wood-Based Product Sourcing Policy - "To implement these commitments, we will survey our paper and wood-based product suppliers to identify the sources of their raw materials, the management practices and certifications held by them and/or their raw material suppliers, and the certifications that their products are labeled with, if any. Staples evaluates the supplier information provided in light of this policy and may conduct audits to confirm the validity of the information provided. We prioritize our surveys and audits to best meet the goals of this policy."
          Open source document
        • Downstream: Engagement with non-compliant suppliers
          No engagement or exclusion
          0/2
        • Downstream: Disclosure of non-compliant suppliers
          No disclosure
          0/2
  • Commitment strength
    13/28
    Avg. score
  • Reporting and Implementation
    9/38
    Avg. score
  • Social considerations
    7/18
    Avg. score

Profile

Staples Inc is one of the world’s largest specialist retailers of office supplies, with key product lines in stationary, furniture and technology products. Amongst its products are a wide variety of paper goods, including copy paper, printer paper, POS rolls and letterheads. As a leading retailer of these goods Staples is exposed to the forest risk commodities paper, pulp and timber. Staples Inc. is selected as a powerbroker for timber and pulp & paper.

Sector
Industry sector 
Furniture & flooring, Paper & packaging
Segments
Retailer
HQ
HQ 
United States
Company Type
Company type 
Public listed
Collective Commitments
Consumer Goods Forum member
New York Declaration on Forests signatory

Top Brands

Staples

How we assess the Forest 500

To ensure deforestation free supply chains, companies need to adopt and implement timebound and measurable policies for forest risk commodities.

All assessments use policies published on company websites, some links may have changed or been removed since the time of assessment.

Full corporate sector performance data Forest 500 assessment methodology

More companies

TJX Companies
5%
Westrock
31%
Meredith Corporation
18%
International Paper
33%
Adient
9%
Amazon
17%

Disclaimer

This assessment has been carried out following the methodology developed for the Forest 500 project, available here. Please see our disclaimer applicable to all information contained within this site and our terms and conditions for use of data presented on this site.

All assessments use policies published on company and financial institution websites, and while we endeavor to keep them updated some links may have changed or been removed since the time of assessment.

Please contact us with any concerns or feedback about this or other assessments included in the Forest 500.