Michael Doss Joins SFI Board, Further Strengthening SFI's Commitment To Sustainability Leadership

WASHINGTON and OTTAWA, Ontario, Nov. 7, 2017 /CNW/ -- The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) is pleased to announce the election of Michael P. Doss to the SFI Board of Directors. Doss is President and CEO of Graphic Packaging Holding Company. His election strengthens SFI's position as a sustainability leader focused on future forests.

"Mike is a great fit for SFI because he brings a wealth of leadership experience on sustainability and community building. His approach shows that financial results and corporate responsibility are not mutually exclusive. Mike's message that we have to reach far beyond day-to-day business operations and really have a positive impact on our shared quality of life resonates with the entire SFI community," said Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI Inc. 

To excel in sustainability and community engagement, Mike and his team focus their efforts on three pillars: preserving the environment, putting food on the table, and investing in education. "These pillars at Graphic Packaging line up with SFI's work on elevating conservation values, engaging communities and supporting environmental education," Doss said.

Specific initiatives at Graphic Packaging to mitigate climate change and enhance water quality are also tightly aligned with SFI's conservation impact work. This work focuses on quantifying the conservation values associated with the 285 million acres/115 million hectares of land certified to SFI as it relates to carbon sequestration, water quality and biodiversity. 

"I'm looking forward to using my new board role to enhance our relationship with SFI. Being certified to SFI sends a strong signal along our entire supply chain that well-managed forests play a central role in meeting sustainable development goals. Our customers want assurances that our products are from responsibly managed forests, and SFI really helps us deliver that message," Doss said. (Watch Doss in a Graphic Packaging sustainability video.)

Graphic Packaging became an SFI Program Participant in 2004. It is a leading provider of packaging solutions to a wide variety of companies in the food, beverage and other consumer products sectors. With over $4.4 billion in sales, it is one of the largest global producers of folding cartons and it holds a leading market position in coated unbleached kraft and coated recycled paper board.

Doss has held several positions of commercial and operational leadership during his 27-year career with Graphic Packaging. He was appointed Chief Operating Officer in November 2013, taking responsibility for the global expansion and re-focusing of Graphic Packaging's portfolio. In May 2015, Doss was named President and Chief Operating Officer and was elected to the board of directors. He began his tenure as CEO in January 2016.

Doss will join SFI's 18-member, multi-stakeholder board of directors comprising three chambers, representing environmental, economic and social interests equally. The board's diversity and independence allows it to play a meaningful role at the intersection of well-managed forests and thriving communities. The SFI board includes executive-level representatives of conservation organizations, academic institutions, aboriginal and tribal entities, family forest owners, public officials, frontline workers and the forest products industry. This diversity reflects the wide variety of interests in the forestry community.

About the Sustainable Forestry Initiative^® Inc. (SFI)
SFI^® Inc. is a sustainability leader that stands for future forests. We are an independent, non-profit organization that provides supply chain assurances, produces conservation outcomes, and supports education and community engagement. SFI works with the forest sector, brand owners, conservation groups, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous peoples, governments, and universities. SFI standards and on-product labels help consumers make responsible purchasing decisions. Additionally, we oversee the SFI Forest Partners^® Program, which aims to increase supply of certified forest products, the SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant Program, which funds research and community building, and Project Learning Tree^®, which educates teachers and youth about forests and the environment. SFI Inc. is governed by an independent three-chamber board of directors representing environmental, social, and economic sectors equally. SFI believes caring for forests improves everyone's quality of life. Learn more: sfiprogram.org.

About Graphic Packaging Holding Company
Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE: GPK), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is committed to providing consumer packaging that makes a world of difference. The Company is a leading provider of paper-based packaging solutions for a wide variety of products to food, beverage and other consumer product companies. The Company operates on a global basis, is one of the largest producers of folding cartons in the United States, and holds leading market positions in coated unbleached kraft paperboard and coated-recycled paperboard.  The Company's customers include many of the world's most widely recognized companies and brands. Additional information about Graphic Packaging, its business and its products is available at: graphicpkg.com.

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SOURCE Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc.