By Celsias
Posted on Sept. 2, 2011. Listed in:
Cottonsoft toilet rolls were in a big display in the supermarket today and causing some debate there. Interesting to watch. But the director of corporate affairs Steve Nicholson has changed tack a bit this week and says that Cottonsoft is now engaging in the process of seeking Environmental Choice certification. "This certification is recognized by the New Zealand government and will ensure that, with both PEFC and Environmental Choice certification, Cottonsoft’s products have market-leading environmental credentials".
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During the audit process for this certification, which will take between six and 12 months, our sustainability credentials and the value of our PEFC certification will become even more evident. As an employer of 130 New Zealanders, we have a responsibility to our staff to listen to our retailers and customers, and ensure their jobs are protected.This additional certification will allow consumers to have complete peace of mind and full assurance that Cottonsoft operates sustainably and responsibly.
This was a move forward from the statement just a week before that said that they did not trust Greenpeace's testing regime.
“There is no credible evidence for the allegation Greenpeace is making against
Cottonsoft products,” says Steve Nicholson, Cottonsoft’s director of corporate affairs.
“Cottonsoft products are approved by one of the world’s leading authorities on forest
certification. That means that Cottonsoft products do not contain any high
conservation value wood, which is fully protected under Indonesian law.
“The test that Greenpeace commissioned; published and is now citing in the media
lacks scientific credibility. The US-based testing body that conducted the
Greenpeace research has limited knowledge of tropical hardwood. The terms it used
in the test are extremely vague and open to interpretation. Based on our reading of
this material, which refers to “suspected tropical hardwoods”, the testing appears to
be guesswork.
“Cottonsoft is open to any further tests by independent, credible scientific authorities.”
Mr Nicholson says that in persisting in putting unfair and undue pressure on retailers
to cease stocking Cottonsoft retail brands, Greenpeace is endangering the job
security of Cottonsoft’s 130 New Zealand employees in its Auckland and Dunedin
plants. “We have been operating in New Zealand for 25 years, and consider this
unwarranted attack on our reputation and staff to be unacceptable.”“The test that Greenpeace commissioned; published and is now citing in the medialacks scientific credibility. The US-based testing body that conducted the Greenpeace research has limited knowledge of tropical hardwood. The terms it usedin the test are extremely vague and open to interpretation. Based on our reading of Mr Nicholson went on to say , a week back that in persisting in putting unfair and undue pressure on retailers to cease stocking Cottonsoft retail brands, Greenpeace is endangering the job security of Cottonsoft’s 130 New Zealand employees in its Auckland and Dunedin plants. “We have been operating in New Zealand for 25 years, and consider thisunwarranted attack on our reputation and staff to be unacceptable.”
