Norcom

Norcom Sustainability

Norcom Sustainability Overview

Norcom considers our important role in global sustainability a responsibility and a privilege. We understand the unique needs of the stakeholders that we serve and work every day to exceed their expectations. Our community of stakeholders consists primarily of consumers; retail accounts; employees; ownership; suppliers; municipalities where we operate; and certification bodies.

In 2010 Norcom began formally addressing sustainability and the process of goal-setting and developing metrics that would enable the company to compare year-to-year progress toward those goals. We participated in a formal sustainability assessment to determine our baseline data and began charting a path forward with sustainability initiatives.

Sustainability has a role in corporate decision-making processes. Included are capital expenditure decisions such as opting for an environmentally friendly roof with energy saving yields when a new roof was needed. Investments in fixtures that save water and energy have been phased in over time.

Norcom's goals enabled the company to reduce the organization's environmental footprint. After baseline studies were conducted we recognized that energy and water use were the company's largest contributor to to CO2(e) emissions. Strategies were promptly developed to address our areas of greatest environmental impacts.

We believe that we made significant progress working toward emissions reductions that put the company is an excellent position as we work toward Zero Emissions status within our current goal cycle.

SUPPLY CHAIN

Norcom is a converter. We are not a manufacturer. We do not make any items for inputs into other products. Norcom purchases raw materials such as paper, covers, and wires and via labor and equipment converts them into school and office products. That means that the overwhelming majority of our environmental and social impacts are in our supply chain rather than resting under the direct control of our own organization.

As of 2019 over 80% of product inputs by weight were purchased from companies that report GHG emissions and have strategies for emissions reductions. Norcom monitors suppliers' impacts, goals and progress toward those goals.

Fiber

We take responsibility for our supply chain by monitoring it for sustainability, legal and ethical compliance. We require certification for all fiber-based inputs to ensure that forests are protected and that workers are paid and treated in a legal, ethical and fair manner. Norcom has a zero-tolerance position on forced, unfair or unethical labor practices.

As of 2019 81% of the fiber we purchased was from well-managed, zero-deforestation, certified North American forests. The balance of fiber was either recycled or was certified to credible and internationally recognized standards but originated from outside North America.

Norcom is committed to sourcing all paper fiber from suppliers that do not contribute to the clearing of natural forests or the conversion of other natural ecosystems for their production, aiming to achieve a completely deforestation-free supply chain.

The company will require traceability of suppliers’ fiber through third-party verified certification to credible forest standards such as: Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®); Forests Stewardship Council® (FSC®); Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification® (PEFC®). Additionally, the organization will conduct further due diligence via global commodity mapping when indicated.

Metals

All suppliers of metal inputs are required to participate in the Responsible Minerals Initiative by providing a Conflict Minerals Reporting Template that facilitates the transfer of information through the supply chain regarding mineral country of origin and the smelters and refiners being utilized. Norcom is committed to ensuring that conflict minerals do not enter the company's supply chain.

Norcom is complaint to Responsible Minerals Initiative standards.

Plastics

Norcom requires certification for certain plastic notebook covers. We are implementing initiatives to make sure that all of our plastics have recycled content and are reusable, upcyclable, recyclable or industrially compostable by 2030.

CIRCULAR LIFECYCLES FOR PRODUCTS AND PACKAGING

Sustainability measures are considered and implemented in product development for both the sales units and shipping containers. Norcom's ultimate goal is to provide products and packaging with circular lifecycles thus keeping our products in use as inputs to other products, upcycling, reuse, or recycling.

We encourage consumers to visit the Recycling tab on our website for ideas on reuse; upcycling and recycling.

In 2010 Norcom became Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) certified to the Certified Sourcing standard. www.forests.org

We worked with our suppliers and encouraged each one to become certified to a credible, internationally-recognized forestry standards. Today 100% of fiber for our in-scope products come from certified companies.

Certification provides assurance to our retail accounts and consumers that all fiber is legally and ethically procured, that we continue meet our Zero Net Deforestation Goal, animals, water and soil quality is protected as are the rights of the communities and people that live and work near these forests. SFI® certified forests store 20 billion tons of carbon in the U.S. alone.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Norcom set a goal of 100% renewable energy for all of our operations by 2040. Today over half of our paper and fiber come from suppliers that use biofuels in their production processes. Biofuels significantly reduce harmful CO(2) emissions because they do not rely upon petroleum and coal as energy inputs.

Our renewable energy goal additionally promotes the company's risk resilency and mitigates, or eliminates, certains risks associated with climate change to ensure that our organization and its stakeholders are protected, maintain supply chain integrity for our retailer customers while maintaining product quality and protecting consumers from shortages

SFI marks are registered marks owned by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative

Norcom Sustainability Goals 2021 - 2040

Emissions:
Zero Emissions by 2040 in Norcom Facilities and Operations without the use of carbon offsets

Waste:
Zero Waste by 2030 in accordance with ZWIA, TRUE or ULE definition.

Forests:
Zero Net Deforestation by 2021 for all of Norcom's forest-based inputs into company products.

GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!

Tactic(s): Require Valid Certification for companies providing ALL fiber used in Norcom products

Packaging:
Develop all packaging consistent with a circular lifecycle so it can be reused, recycled or upcycled at end-of-life/consumer phase.

Print recycling label on all of Norcom products that directs consumers to the corporate website and facebook instructing consumers how to reuse/upcycle/recycle the product by the end of 2022.

100% Recyclable, Reusable or Industrially Compostable packaging by 2025.

Supply Chain:
Develop supply chain map for every supplier of a material that is not certified to a international standards body that conducts third-party audits for raw materials including plastics by 2025.

Identify global hot spots for fiber/paper regardless of forest certification status. Conduct audit to ensure that a supplier sourcing from a hot spot is conducting due-diligence and applying best practices to mitigate the hot-spot concern, i.e., forced labor, deforestation, intimidation of land owners, government corruption, etc.

100% of metal suppliers must be conflict minerals compliant and submit a Conflict Minerals Reporting Template or the equivalent to Norcom annually by 2021.

GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!

100% of plastics in packaging and products must be recycled or recyclable by 2030.

Stakeholders:
Publicly communicate sustainability goals and progress toward those goals.

Engage consumers to promote circular product lifecycles for Norcom Products

Require written employment and worker safety policies for all non-audited suppliers and compare against Best Practices to score suppliers and recommend corrective actions. Require verification of ethical hiring, safety and employment practices.

Progress Toward Goals

EMISSIONS

Energy
Reduced by 583.4 Metric Tons of CO2e in 2019 over 2018

Recycling (Paper, Corrugated, Plastics and Metals)
55.69 Metric Tons of CO2e saved by diverting materials from landfill in 2019

ZERO NET DEFORESTATION

Continued to meet Zero Net Deforestation status in 2019 (originally established in 2010) by the use of fiber from certified or neutral (recycled) sources. Audit summary available upon request.

SUPPLY CHAIN

Continued to meet the requirements of Conflict Free metals sourcing through vendor compliance in Conflict Free Metals Template

*As of 9/7/2021 the most recent reporting year for Project Gigaton is 2019.

*GHG Equivalencies calculated using EPA Equivalencies Calculator

Norcom Sustainability Policies

ENERGY POLICY

The company targets a normalized average of five percent energy use reductions per year in our own operations through efficiency and reductions. Norcom’s goal is to produce zero net emissions in company owned operations by 2040 to an effort to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Between 2011-2022, the company achieved a 74% reduction in CO2(e) per CDP reporting.

Efficiencies such as automatic lighting, conversion to low emissions lighting, cool roofs, energy efficient HVAC systems and similar initiatives will continue to be deployed.

In addition, the company will continue to explore on-site renewable energy as technologies improve and solar energy becomes cost effective for the organization. In the meantime, Norcom will purchase energy certificates from our providers. Methods of decreasing emissions from business travel will be mitigated by reducing travel in lieu of other meeting methodologies and purchasing energy vouchers for flights.

Included are Norcom headquarters and warehouse at 200 Wilson Road, Griffin, GA, 30223 and the company’s manufacturing facility at 200 Boyd’s Crossing Road, Griffin, GA 30224.

The Director of Environmental Affairs (DEA) is responsible for collecting and analysing reporting key performance indicators to internal and external stakeholders. The DEA works with internal and external stakeholders to develop and meet sustainability targets and adjust as required and implement identified energy efficiency measures.

Primary data is collected from invoices and entered into the company MIS for evaluations from which action plans are devised.

* Currently, the Earth is already about 1.1°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s, and emissions continue to rise. To keep global warming to no more than 1.5°C – as called for in the Paris Agreement – emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. (United Nations Climate Action)

FOREST POLICY

Additionally, Norcom will explore non-wood fibers with lower environmental impacts as a source for the company’s fiber as well as increased recycled fiber content.

CONFLICT MINERALS POLICY

Norcom, Inc. is a secondary producer of paper-based school and office supplies distributed through mass market retailers. Norcom recognizes the importance of responsible sourcing across the company’s raw materials procurement processes. All suppliers covered by the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) are required to complete the most recent template issued by the RMI. This is an initiative of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSi), that help companies from a range of industries address conflict mineral issues in their supply chain.

Certifications

Norcom supports protection, conservation and supply chain transparency in the procurement of all of our forest based products. We are proud that 100% of our paper and fiber board supply comes from companies certified to a credible and internationally recognized standards organization that require third-party auditing such as SFI®; FSC®; and PEFC®.

These standards provide sustainable forestry practices that help to mitigate climate change, protect animals and habitats, provide for water protection and safeguard the rights of those people living in and around the forests.

SFI® Fiber Sourcing Certified

Since 2010 Norcom has been Sustainable Forestry Initiative® Inc., (SFI) certified. The certification requires annual audits by a third party to insure strict adherence to the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard.

It is a powerful tool to ensure healthy forests that mitigate climate impacts, are resilient to fire threats, and support diverse communities.

SFI is an independent, non-profit organization which collaborates with their diverse network to provide solutions to local and global sustainability challenges. SFI works with the forest sector, brand owners, conservation groups, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, governments, and universities.

For more information go to http://www.forests.org

Look For Our Label on Norcom Products. Choosing SFI-certified products is a great way to protect species, combat climate change, reduce plastic pollution, and protect water supplies.

Download Norcom's Certificate Here: Download Certificate

Certificates

Download Norcom's Certificate Here: Download Certificate

Corporate Recycling Initiatives

Norcom is committed to the company's Zero Solid Waste goal and is continually seeking solutions to divert waste from landfills. Our current tactics include source reduction, recycling and materials reductions and efficiencies.

Norcom has invested in equipment that enables us to recover manufacturing waste, including fiber-based materials (paper, liner boards and cardboards) and return them to companies that use them to make new raw materials. Metals are collected for recycling as are wood products such as pallets and cores that enable large rolls of paper to be attached to our equipment.

Consumer Upcycling, Reuse, Recycling

Paper ranks Number One in materials recycled. According to the American Forest & Paper Association over 65% of paper is recycled. Norcom's products are easily recyclable, reusable or upcycled!

Search online for How to Recycle a ______________ (Spiral Notebook; Notebook Paper, etc.) and choose the method that works best for you.

For consumers that want to take solid waste reduction to another level Norcom encourages consumers to think beyond recycling to find creative and fun ways to reuse and upcycle paper and other materials to save money and encourage zero solid waste.

It's easier than you might think and the opportunities are only as limited as your imagination.

Gorgeous hand-made gift wraps, stationery and greeting cards Woven paper baskets
Coasters
Beautiful paper flower bouquets
Linings for bulletin boards
Pet Bedding
Weed control in flower beds
Wires can be used for art projects and craft ideas
There are endless colorful and durable scrapbooking and craft ideas for upcycling plastic notebook covers!
Search on-line for thousands of easy, fun and money-saving ideas to upcycle, reuse and recycle our products!

Idea Gallery To Help You Get Started

Paintbrush