CLOSING
AWARDS & CERTIFICATIONS
OUR STEWARDSHIP FRAMEWORK
INTRODUCTION
Breaking Down Barriers Seek mutual benefit with customers, employees, suppliers, communities, and other key constituencies.
Go to Connect Section
CONNECT
Sustainable Products Make goods and services that help people improve their lives.
Go to Contribute Section
CONTRIBUTE
Emissions Keep outputs in check through the reduction of emissions.
Go to Control Section
CONTROL
Efficient Resource Use Innovate responsible use of all resources.
Go to Challenge Section
CHALLENGE
Natural Resources Conservation Work responsibly as future-focused stewards of forests, air, water, and biodiversity.
Go to Conserve Section
CONSERVE
Progress with Purpose
2024 Stewardship Report
Efficient Resource Use Innovate reponsible use of all resources.
Natural Resources Conservation Work responsibly as future- focused stewards of forests, air, water, and biodiversity.
APPLYING THE FIVE C'S
2023 Stewardship Report
Reduce Motion
PROGRESS WITH PURPOSE
A message from John Mulcahy, Vice President, Stewardship
See the Georgia-Pacific approach to stewardship.
Our Stewardship Framework
Sustainable outcomes that benefit society
We discover new technologies and methods to create more value for our customers while using fewer resources, minimizing waste, and improving the environmental performance and effectiveness of our products and processes.
Environmental Priorities
We help people improve their lives by providing products and services they value more highly than their alternatives. We experiment and innovate to responsibly create more value while consuming fewer resources. We seek mutually beneficial outcomes with customers, employees, suppliers, communities, and other key constituencies.
The safety and well-being of our employees and communities is our first priority. We seek to unleash the power of diversity and create an inclusive environment that enables employees to fully realize their potential. We reward employees for their contribution to Georgia-Pacific’s long-term success and make society better through mutual benefit.
Social Priorities
Koch companies are guided by the Vision of creating more value for others through virtuous cycles of mutual benefit. Because it is privately held, Georgia-Pacific is better able to make decisions and take actions that create real and lasting value. We are not constrained by quarterly or short-term demands, such as earnings or share price targets. Instead, we focus on long-term value creation. Audit and self-assessment results, incident tracking, investigations, and knowledge sharing are just some of the tools we use to learn and improve our performance. There is board-level oversight of our audit and assurance programs. We openly and proactively communicate with customers, employees, and other constituents about our principles and EHS performance.
Governance Priorities
At Georgia-Pacific, stewardship encompasses the responsible management of our actions and the resources entrusted to our care in a manner that respects the rights of others. These resources include the natural environment, which we rely on for our raw materials, the processes we manage to transform them into goods and services, and the relationships we have with our employees and communities. We are guided by Our Values and the principles embedded in our business philosophy, Principle Based Management™. Our focus on individuals and bottom-up solutions rather than top-down imperatives is evident in our Stewardship Framework and drives our approach to the priorities outlined in this report.
The role of business in society is to create goods and services that help people improve their lives, and do so responsibly. Georgia-Pacific has been helping people improve their lives through mutual benefit for almost a century, providing solutions that create shelter, improve hygiene, facilitate the convenient delivery of food, and protect goods as they move through the supply chain. We have been and continue to be an important part of the communities in which we operate, providing good jobs and contributing to prosperity through our economic activity, and through the engagement of our company and employees in civic and philanthropic activities. We play an important role in the value chain, and the progress we make is an important factor as our customers and other constituencies seek to improve their ESG performance.
You can also take a look at our broader Stewardship Framework.
Stewardship Team 2025
The safety and well-being of our employees and communities is our first priority. We seek to unleash the power of diversity and create an inclusive environment that enables employees to fully realize their potential. We reward employees for their contribution to Georgia-Pacific’s long-term success, and make society better through mutual benefit.
Koch companies are guided by the Vision of creating more value for others through virtuous cycles of mutual benefit. Because it is privately held, GP is better able to make decisions and take actions that create real and lasting value. We are not constrained by quarterly or short-term demands, such as earnings or share price targets. Instead, we focus on long-term value creation. Audit and self-assessment results, incident tracking, investigations, and knowledge sharing are just some of the tools we use to learn and improve our performance. There is board-level oversight of our audit and assurance programs. We openly and proactively communicate with customers, employees, and other constituents about our principles and EHS performance.
Natural resources conservation
Forests protect air and water quality; serve as habitat for wildlife; provide recreational, spiritual, and cultural uses; deliver carbon benefits; and offer natural resources to make products people want and need. At Georgia-Pacific, we work to use these resources efficiently, source responsibly, protect endangered areas, and support wildlife conservation and biodiversity. It is all part of our commitment to helping maintain healthy forests for generations to come.
Forests for the future
Georgia-Pacific only purchases from sustainable, legal, and responsible sources.
Responsible sourcing
DOMESTIC FIBER
Read our statement on forest stewardship.
More than 90% of the fresh fiber in our products is grown in the United States, where forest area has been relatively stable for the past century.
90
>
%
Our commitment to stewardship encompasses responsible resource management and building mutually beneficial outcomes with our partners, the public, and other key constituencies. Learn how we follow and promote good science-based protection, restoration, enhancement, sequestration, and recovery practices.
Forest stewardship
The majority of our fiber is grown by private and family forest landowners. These landowners employ best management practices to act as proper stewards of the forest, wildlife, and biodiversity.
FAMILY FORESTRY
Responsible sourcing of palm oil is key to slowing down deforestation in Southeast Asia and other tropical regions. Georgia-Pacific requires any palm oil and its derivatives used in the manufacture of its products to be certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
PALM OIL
Forest Ownership & Certification in the U.S.
10.6 Million Family Forest Owners Average of <30 acres
FOREST OWNERSHIP IN U.S.
SOURCE OF WOOD FOR DOMESTIC FOREST PRODUCTS
Monitoring resources
In regions where we purchase wood and fiber in the United States, we actively map endangered forests and special areas using scientific criteria and modeling that assesses high conservation values. Georgia-Pacific doesn’t buy wood from these areas except in unique situations when active forest management is needed to improve habitat for endangered, rare, and/or vulnerable species. As part of this process, we have:
- Partnered with NatureServe to provide the latest scientific modeling and mapping behind up-to-date, high-conservation-value areas in all of our U.S. fiber procurement basins. - Leveraged internal monitoring resources to provide monthly images of our endangered forest areas and developed a GIS algorithm to identify changes in areas over time for monitoring purposes. - Developed a new online platform for suppliers to easily access the latest endangered forest maps.
Georgia-Pacific works with others in the forestry and environmental community to support wildlife and forest enhancement projects in areas near Georgia-Pacific operations.
Supporting wildlife conservation and biodiversity
Learn more about how Georgia-Pacific promotes biodiversity.
LEARN MORE
Family Forest Federal Corporate State Local
No Certification FSC SFI & ATFS SFI & FSC
90% Privately Owned 10% Other
% Forest Management Certified
We protect endangered species, restore forest ecosystems, and promote wildlife diversity.
PROJECTS IN 23 STATES
See how Georgia-Pacific contributes to the sustainability and conservation of forestry and wildlife across North America.
CONSERVATION PROJECTS
In addition to the new trees planted in our sourcing basins, we have planted more than 10 million seedlings since 2018 in restoration and reforestation projects.
10 MILLION
Conservation programs creating wildlife havens at seven of our facilities have WHC Certification powered by Tandem Global.
HABITAT CONSERVATION
* The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the U.S. Forest Service.
We believe in going beyond certification in our sourcing practices so that all people who rely on forests for income can participate in wood markets, but do so responsibly and in a manner that conserves our world’s resources.
Take a virtual walk through a working forest, experience responsible harvesting methods, and learn about our sustainable foresetry practices.
TAKE THE TOUR
Gypsum mining Gypsum, a natural rock sourced from quarries, is extracted from both in-ground and surface mines. In some facilities, Georgia-Pacific also recycles byproducts from energy production to manufacture gypsum board. We are committed to environmental stewardship in all our businesses, ensuring that when these gypsum quarries are depleted, they are rehabilitated for community benefit. For example, a former quarry in Nova Scotia was transformed into a public park, and a site in Fort Dodge, Iowa, is being developed into an ATV park for public use.
Palm Oil Responsible sourcing of palm oil is key to slowing down deforestation in Southeast Asia and other tropical regions. GP requires any palm oil and its derivatives used in the manufacture of its products to be certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Gypsum Mining Gypsum, a natural rock sourced from quarries, is extracted from both in-ground and surface mines. In some facilities, Georgia-Pacific also recycles byproducts from energy production to manufacture gypsum board. We are committed to environmental stewardship in all our businesses, ensuring that when these gypsum quarries are depleted, they are rehabilitated for community benefit. For example, a former quarry in Nova Scotia was transformed into a public park, and a site in Fort Dodge, Iowa, is being developed into an ATV park for public use.
88% No Certification 2% FSC 7% SFI & ATFS 3% SFI & FSC
3% SFI & FSC
7% SFI & ATFS
2% FSC
88% No Certification
10.6 Million Family Forest Owners Average of <30 Acres
38% Family Forest 31% Federal 20% Corporate 9% State 2% Local
38% Family Forest
2% Local
9% SFI & SFC
20% Corporate
31% Federal
GP facilities that produce forest products are certified to several forestry certifications* including, Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and maintains them through regular third-party audits across all of our operating areas.
PR OT
10% Other
90% Privately Owned
FA FE CO ST LO
NC FS SA SF
Fe
Fa
Co
Pr Ot
NC
Much of the forested land in the United States is not certified under a formal forest management standard. However, this land is still managed responsibly. All fiber purchases comply with procurement certification standards, such as SFI Certified Sourcing and FSC Controlled Wood, ensuring legal and sustainable sourcing practices. Additionally, all wood and wood fiber are harvested by trained loggers who follow best management practices to protect water quality, soil health, and overall ecosystem integrity during harvests. *FSC-C108208, SFI-00007, PEFC/29-31-221
Georgia-Pacific facilities that produce forest products are certified to several forestry certifications,* including Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), and maintains them through regular third-party audits across all of our operating areas.
Lovell Gypsum Mine, WY
Brunswick Cellulose Mill, GA
We take additional steps to help ensure all the fiber we receive is legal, sustainable, and respects social values.
BEST PRACTICES
WHC Certification
Resource efficiency
Georgia-Pacific continuously evaluates and transforms how we use resources. From fiber efficiency to energy choices and bleaching technologies, we operate responsibly to better serve our partners, consumers, and communities.
Innovating responsible solutions
Since 2013, we have made capital investments that resulted in the closure of eight solid fossil fuel power boilers and replaced this energy demand with either natural gas or biomass.
We operate economically and efficiently, decreasing our reliance on solid fossil fuels by 72% since 2013. Shifting to natural gas and biomass has also resulted in a decrease in our greenhouse gas emissions.
Solid fossil fuels
Percentage of GP’s Energy Derived from Solid Fossil Fuels
Pine chemicals such as turpentine are recovered and sold. We also use a mix of recycled and fresh fibers to make our tissue, boxes, and other paper products.
We use every part of the tree
An interconnected, circular story
AT 30-40 YEARS,
The remaining trees are harvested and processed at our lumber, plywood, and OSB mills. Trees that are too small for these processes are used to make pulp and paper products. The forests are prepared to grow new trees, and the circular process starts again.
The forest is thinned again to aid with growth. Some of the wood is large enough for lumber, but the remaining scraps and byproducts are used to supply our pulp and paper mills.
AT 20-25 YEARS,
Forests are thinned to increase growth and reduce mortality. At this stage, removed trees are too small for lumber and are used to make pulp and paper products.
AT 10-15 YEARS,
Learn how we are reducing our environmental impact.
Most limbs, branches, leaves, and needles remain in the forest to promote nutrient cycling. The bark and other organic materials are used as biomass — the primary energy source for our manufacturing facilities.
Cellulose from trees is the main building block for our pulp and paper products. But more than half of every tree consists of water, which we capture and process to use in our mills.
Use this interactive infographic to learn more about how we source and sustain our resources.
Naheola Paper Mill, AL
Most limbs, branches, leaves, and needles remain in the forest to promote nutrient cycling. The bark and other organic materials are used as biomass – the primary energy source for our manufacturing facilities.
Pine solutions Efficient resource utilization is a key stewardship practice at Georgia-Pacific, and our GP Pine Solutions business is utilizing the byproducts from fiber-making that cannot be used to make cellulose in our mills. Crude tall oils — organic waste from the pulping process — are repurposed for renewable fuels and biomaterials, with waste and residue validation through annual third-party audits. GP Pine Solutions' crude tall oil holds certification from the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC), confirming adherence to the European Union Renewable Energy Directive's sustainability and emissions criteria. Additionally, GP Pine Solutions' turpentine is marketed for use in everyday products like perfumes and cosmetics, as well as various industrial applications.
Brewton Pulp & Paper Mill, AL
The flow of fiber See how Georgia-Pacific responsibly sources forest products, efficiently uses all of the tree in various products, and utilizes both new and recycled fibers.
Pine solutions Efficient resource utilization is a key stewardship practice at Georgia-Pacific, and our GP Pine Solutions business is utilizing the byproducts from fiber-making that cannot be used to make cellulose in our mills. Crude tall oils – organic waste from the pulping process – are repurposed for renewable fuels and biomaterials, with waste and residue validation through annual third-party audits. GP Pine Solutions' crude tall oil holds certification from the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC), confirming adherence to the European Union Renewable Energy Directive's sustainability and emissions criteria. Additionally, GP Pine Solutions' turpentine is marketed for use in everyday products like perfumes and cosmetics, as well as various industrial applications.
Environmental impacts, including emissions
We apply transformative solutions to help control our emissions. We focus on the environmental impacts of our manufacturing processes, including air, waste, greenhouse gas, and water.
Keeping output in check
At our Broadway Mill in Green Bay, Wisconsin, we invested in improvements that generated immediate reductions of SO2 emissions, which contribute to smog. By converting that facility’s coal-fired boilers to natural gas, the mill dramatically reduced its sulfur dioxide emissions by 95%, yet boosted its energy efficiency. In fact, Georgia-Pacific’s facilities have realized a more than 75% reduction in SO2 emissions since 2010 — that’s more than 26,000 tons — with even more reductions on the way.
Learn how this Georgia-Pacific facility transformed into one of the most competitive containerboard mills.
Over reduction in SO2 emissions since 2010.
SO2 Emissions from Pulp and Paper Mills
Air
75%
Water Only about 12% of the water at our mills is consumed during the pulp and papermaking process. Most is recycled, treated to remove contaminants, and returned to its original source. We conduct wastewater discharges in compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state standards. Energy While the energy consumption used to make our product is a big focus, we also look for other areas where energy is consumed. Many of our manufacturing and distribution facilities have been converted to more efficient LED lighting. Additionally, some of the transportation equipment we use to move product has been upgraded to lower-emissions engines. Even how we use transportation equipment can be improved to reduce emissions; for example, our Sweetwater, Texas, facility has moved to a “no idling” policy for its truck fleet to limit emissions. Understanding our environmental impact At Georgia-Pacific, we recognize life-cycle assessments (LCAs) as a critical tool for understanding the environmental impact of our products and processes. To strengthen this capability, we have invested significant time and resources to enhance our expertise in this area. We utilize LCAs to inform our internal decision making, drive design improvements that reduce environmental impact, and provide customers with a comprehensive understanding of the sustainability attributes of our products. Georgia-Pacific has developed environmental product declarations (EPDs) for most of our building products, including product-specific EPDs for our gypsum offerings. For lumber, plywood, and other wood products, we actively contributed data to the industry-wide EPD developed by the American Wood Council. The same applies to the corrugated boxes and containerboard industry, where Georgia-Pacific participated in the industry-wide LCA completed by the Fiber Box Association (FBA). Additionally, Georgia-Pacific has developed ISO-conformant LCAs for its cellulose fluff pulp, which will be publicly available later in 2025, as well as for Juno® technology, reinforcing our commitment to transparency and continuous environmental improvement.
Through this project, the mill has replaced outdated and less-efficient equipment with a new lime kiln; added a green liquor clarifier and stabilization tank to improve efficiency and recover biomass for paper; added a white liquor clarifier to improve pulping efficiency, chemical recovery, and environmental compliance; and improved efficiency and safety with truck loading and unloading.
An ongoing $160 million capital investment project at Georgia-Pacific’s Brewton, Alabama, containerboard facility is making the mill one of the most modernized paper mills in the country, and helping operations reach the next level.
Investing in efficiency
Efficiency improvement requires more than state-of-the-art assets. It requires employees who are empowered by our bottom-up philosophy to find new ways of doing things and share knowledge across the organization.
"For Brewton, this project goes beyond industry advancements,” said Jerry Clark, VP and GM of Operations at Brewton. “It’s about being the best employer and the best community partner we can be. It’s those commitments we hold near and dear.”
Savannah River Mill, GA
Wauna Tissue Mill, OR
Responsible products
Georgia-Pacific contributes to society by creating products that people depend on every day. We choose materials responsibly and minimize the impact of our products in use. This includes building in options for recycling and composting. Our approach is to offer sustainable products for everyone.
Making a difference
Our philosophy of mutual benefit helps generate breakthrough innovations to improve lives, deliver better products, and consume fewer resources.
Societal benefits
Building products essential to homes and workplaces.
SHELTER
Bath tissue, paper towels, and ingredients used for diapers and other hygiene products.
HYGIENE
Quick transfer of goods for food service and other industries.
CONVENIENCE
Paper-based packaging transports goods to stores and homes, supporting the economy.
PRODUCT PROTECTION
Through 2024, Georgia-Pacific produced more than 2,000,000,000 recyclable mailers.
Ponce City Market, Atlanta, GA
is one of the most widely recycled materials in the U.S.
PAPER
Strong global markets for recovered fiber emerged as businesses and communities sought to reduce disposal costs and gain value from recovered material, while manufacturers looked to respond to customer demand for recycled content, reduce waste, and lower production costs.
Recycling
Georgia-Pacific utilizes more than 2.5 million tons of recovered paper annually to manufacture products with recycled content, primarily in our Packaging and Away from Home tissue businesses.
We utilize several grades of recovered paper that originate from a variety of sources, including old corrugated containers (OCC), printing and writing paper, newsprint, and mixed residential recycling.
GP Recycling is one of the largest pure traders of recycled fiber in the world, trading in excess of 100,000 tons per week.
million tons
As demand for sustainable alternatives grew, we expanded our product offerings to include more size options, enhanced print capabilities, side gussets, and coated rollstock for automated e-commerce fulfillment.
Fiber flows to where its attributes are most valued, as fiber choice can impact consumer-preferred attributes such as softness, strength, absorbency, and color.
Although some grades (such as OCC) have very high recovery rates, others are lower, as factors such as coatings and food residue can lower the value. GP continues to innovate to find additional value in the waste stream, including: - Juno® Waste Diversion Technology - Mixed paper processing at our consumer products mills in Green Bay, Wisconsin; Muskogee, Oklahoma; and Rincon, Georgia.
2.5 million tons
of sources
One of the largest traders
A variety of sources
Creating value
Fiber choice
Since 2020, Georgia-Pacific has opened several manufacturing facilities across the U.S. to produce easily curbside recyclable paper mailers (where available).
Recyclable mailers
Expanded capabilities
The growth of e-commerce has generated significant demand for sustainable packaging options, as both consumers and e-retailers look to increase the recyclability of their packaging.
Creating new solutions for e-commerce
2.5
VARIETY
LARGEST
One of the
traders
RECYCLABLE
mailers
EXPANDED CAPABILITIES
Meeting demand for recycled paper
Building products Many of Georgia-Pacific’s building products are used by our customers to help them achieve their sustainability goals, such as lumber, which helps store carbon over the lifetime of a building. Our DensDeck® gypsum roofing materials help extend the lifetime of a roof and work particularly well to support solar panel installations on commercial buildings. Heavy solar paneling equipment puts extra wear and tear on the roof, which the high-performance DensDeck® roofing cover board helps give extra support and protection. DensDeck® roofing also helps protect a roof from potential fire due to solar panels’ high-voltage electrical components.
Brand stewardship
SOCIAL REPSONSIBILITY
SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITIES
BACK TO TOP
EMPOWERING PEOPLE
ARIA® 100% RECYCLED BATH TISSUE
SKINCARE
Aria® 100% recycled bath tissue Georgia-Pacific recently relaunched its Aria® brand of bath tissue, now featuring three-ply rolls made from 100% recycled fiber, wrapped in recyclable paper packaging. Aria® is designed to provide consumers with ultimate softness, without compromising on environmental responsibility. Each roll features three soft layers, making it 25% thicker and four times stronger when wet compared to leading recycled brands. The recycled fiber is made primarily from high-quality paper that is recovered from offices and schools, and that otherwise might have gone to landfill. Plus, the recyclable paper packaging helps reduce plastic waste. Aria® bath tissue is a sustainable choice that doesn't compromise on quality.
DIXIE® COMPOSTABLE PLATES & BOWLS
padded mailers
In 2020, Georgia-Pacific opened a manufacturing facility near Phoenix, Arizona, to produce curbside recyclable padded paper mailers – a sustainable alternative to non-recyclable dual-material packaging.
Recyclable padded mailers
As demand for this alternative grew, we opened two additional facilities and produced our one billionth padded mailer in 2023. - We have now expanded our offering with an unpadded version, which is designed to ship apparel and other items that do not need padded packaging during transport.
We utilize several grades of recovered paper that originate from a variety of sources, including corrugated containers (OCC), printing and writing paper, newsprint, and mixed residential recycling.
Dixie® compostable plates & bowls
Aria® 100% recycled bath tissue
Dixie® plates and bowls are compostable except in California Dixie Ultra®, Dixie® and Dixie Basic® disposable plates and bowls are now certified compostable! They are compostable except in California. Now consumers can not only reduce waste, but they can compost all their Dixie® plates and bowls to generate valuable fertilizer. All Dixie® plates and bowls are BPI® certified for commercial composting and OK Compost HOME certified for composting in a backyard compost pile. And they still help consumers dish up meals with the convenience and confidence of Dixie®.
Skincare GP PRO may be known for its paper products, but our focus on meeting customer needs while reducing waste applies to our washroom skincare solutions as well. enMotion® soap and sanitizer refills are engineered to dispense 99% of foam before replacement is needed to get the most out of each bottle. Refill bottles are recyclable, including the pump, so there is no need to separate parts for recycling. And we’ve designed the system to use traditional D-cell batteries and have a 4.5-year battery life (based on 25 dispenses per day).
Societal benefits Our philosophy of mutual benefit helps generate breakthrough innovations to improve lives, deliver better products, and consume fewer resources.
BACK TO SECTION
A vision for mutual benefit
At Georgia-Pacific, we believe diversity and inclusion are requisites for innovation and growth. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where every individual feels valued and empowered. By celebrating our differences and encouraging collaboration, we drive mutual benefit and create opportunities for employees to thrive and communities to flourish.
Our work goes beyond business
Learn how Georgia-Pacific is helping break down barriers.
SEE HOW
See how Georgia-Pacific supports Habitat for Humanity.
Internships We aim to attract and identify early-career talent through our internship program. In this program, students spend about 12 weeks in the summer at GP learning practical skills within the industry while gaining real-world experience. At the end of the program, interns take on an innovation challenge and present their ideas to leadership. Our early-career program ultimately supports the development of long-term talent pipelines for our organization. Supervisor support Supervisors support employee development by designing roles that fit the individual, coaching, and mentoring to help them thrive, seeking and using their knowledge and ideas, and encouraging role changes that enable them to more fully realize their potential. Supervisors create an open, inclusive, and empowering environment where employees can speak freely and honestly. Such discussions help supervisors know what they can do to remove barriers and help their employees make the greatest contributions. Rethinking applications To provide greater career access to job applicants, we have removed unnecessary requirements such as degrees and prior experience for some roles.
Empowering people To help people pursue careers that provide meaning and fulfillment, we actively work to remove barriers to opportunity while promoting initiatives and programs that encourage individuals from all backgrounds to be all they can be.
BREAKING BARRIERS
HEALTH & SAFETY
Providing shelter As a leading producer of a wide array of building products, Georgia-Pacific has shared its expertise with Atlanta Habitat for Humanity for more than 25 years, helping families build and improve places they can call home. Disaster relief When natural disasters strike, our people rally in support of their friends and neighbors. In such times, Georgia-Pacific has also provided financial aid, essential products, and prompt volunteer support to affected communities. Georgia-Pacific partners with Convoy of Hope, an international humanitarian organization, to supply products such as bath tissue, paper towels, and tableware in places affected by natural disasters. Veteran's assistance The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program assists military veterans who received less-than-honorable discharges due to circumstances such as PTSD, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault, and other factors. These veterans face barriers to accessing benefits, employment, education, housing, and healthcare. By helping veterans apply for discharge upgrades, attorneys and legal professionals restore their dignity and improve their quality of life. More than 40 lawyers and legal professionals from Koch Commercial and Corporate & Transactions teams, with assistance from Mary Benton of Alston & Bird, participated in a virtual pro bono clinic, helping 15 veterans with the initial steps of the discharge upgrade process.
Supporting our communities We encourage our people to connect with various philanthropic endeavors, and we provide opportunities for employees to build relationships, have meaningful and fulfilling experiences, and make a positive difference in their communities. By doing so, we not only reduce waste and division, but we create a thriving work environment while also helping the communities we call home to thrive. It’s all part of being a good neighbor.
Providing shelter Disaster relief Veteran assistance Combating homelessness Relationship building
Disaster relief When natural disasters strike, our people rally in support of their friends and neighbors. In such times, Georgia-Pacific has also provided financial aid, essential products, and prompt volunteer support to affected communities. Georgia-Pacific partners with Convoy of Hope, an international humanitarian organization, to supply products such as bath tissue, paper towels, and tableware in places affected by natural disasters.
Providing shelter As a leading producer of a wide array of building products, Georgia-Pacific has shared its expertise with Atlanta Habitat for Humanity for more than 25 years, helping families build and improve places they can call home.
Veteran assistance The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program assists military veterans who received less-than-honorable discharges due to circumstances such as PTSD, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault, and other factors. These veterans face barriers to accessing benefits, employment, education, housing, and healthcare. By helping veterans apply for discharge upgrades, attorneys and legal professionals restore their dignity and improve their quality of life. More than 40 lawyers and legal professionals from Koch Commercial and Corporate & Transactions teams, with assistance from Mary Benton of Alston & Bird, participated in a virtual pro bono clinic, helping 15 veterans with the initial steps of the discharge upgrade process.
Relationship building Near our mill in Sweetwater, Texas, Georgia-Pacific has implemented initiatives to foster good community relationships, such as reducing dust on dirt roads and addressing local complaints about lighting and alarm noise. The facility has also planted local vegetation to support the butterfly population. These efforts reflect the company's commitment to making meaningful changes to maintain good partnerships in the communities in which we live and work.
Combating homelessness Covenant House Georgia provides unconditional love, absolute respect, and relentless support to young people facing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking. Located near Georgia-Pacific’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, Covenant House Georgia benefits from the meaningful partnership of Georgia-Pacific employees, who actively support through volunteerism and advocacy. In November 2024, several GP leaders took part in the annual Sleep Out experience, spending a night outside in solidarity with youth facing homelessness and raising critical funds and awareness to help young people build a life filled with hope and opportunity.
Investing in safety At our Hattiesburg, Mississippi, facility, the abundance of yellow in both the environment and employee high-visibility gear led to safety concerns, as workers blended into their surroundings, making it difficult for lift truck operators to see them. To address this, we applied our Principle Based Management™ framework, focusing on bottom-up problem solving and prioritizing safety. By listening to employee feedback, the facility began switching from yellow to orange hi-vis apparel in fall 2023 to enhance visibility and safety. This change involved distributing orange t-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, and other safety gear. The initiative demonstrates leaders' commitment to employee input, motivating more open communication and active participation in safety improvements. Safety innovations The team at Georgia-Pacific's Augusta Corrugated facility has been recognized the Fibre Box Association's “Innovation in Safety” Achievement Award for creating a new tool to improve safety. Previously, employees faced significant risks when checking the gap on the single facer machine, which involved exposure to extreme heat, pinch points, and potential crushing injuries. Recognizing the dangers, the Augusta team – including leaders, maintenance staff, and operators – collaborated to develop a gap check stand within two months, which eliminates these risks by keeping employees away from the machine. This innovative solution, bolted to the floor for additional safety, has been praised for its simplicity and practicality, highlighting the team's commitment to safety and empowering employees to take ownership of their roles. Sharing knowledge Driven by a shared vision and a desire to effectively share knowledge across the organization, more than 40 recently hired employees at Georgia-Pacific's new Dixie tableware plant in Jackson, Tennessee, traveled to Bowling Green, Kentucky, for an immersive training experience. While there, the Jackson team members spent time with their Bowling Green counterparts – focusing on innovation, equipment and essential skills. This collaborative effort sets the stage for the grand opening of the Jackson facility this summer as the team aligns its expertise and builds its skills to ensure a successful launch.
Health & safety
See the impact of our safety initiatives.
Investing in safety Safety innovations Sharing knowledge
Investing in safety At our Hattiesburg, Mississippi, facility, the abundance of yellow in both the environment and employee high-visibility gear led to safety concerns, as workers blended into their surroundings, making it difficult for lift truck operators to see them. To address this, we applied our Principle Based Management™ framework, focusing on bottom-up problem solving and prioritizing safety. By listening to employee feedback, the facility began switching from yellow to orange hi-vis apparel in fall 2023 to enhance visibility and safety. This change involved distributing orange t-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, and other safety gear. The initiative demonstrates leaders' commitment to employee input, motivating more open communication and active participation in safety improvements.
Watch the power of sharing knowledge.
Safety innovations The team at Georgia-Pacific's Augusta, Georgia, Corrugated facility has been recognized with the Fibre Box Association's “Innovation in Safety” Achievement Award for creating a new tool to improve safety. Previously, employees faced significant risks when checking the gap on the single facer machine, which involved exposure to extreme heat, pinch points, and potential crushing injuries. Recognizing the dangers, the Augusta team — including leaders, maintenance staff, and operators — collaborated to develop a gap check stand within two months, which eliminates these risks by keeping employees away from the machine. This innovative solution, bolted to the floor for additional safety, has been praised for its simplicity and practicality, highlighting the team's commitment to safety and empowering employees to take ownership of their roles.
Sharing knowledge Driven by a shared vision and a desire to effectively share knowledge across the organization, more than 40 recently hired employees at Georgia-Pacific's new Dixie® tableware plant in Jackson, Tennessee, traveled to Bowling Green, Kentucky, for an immersive training experience. While there, the Jackson team members spent time with their Bowling Green counterparts — focusing on innovation, equipment and essential skills. This collaborative effort sets the stage for the grand opening of the Jackson facility this summer as the team aligns its expertise and builds its skills to ensure a successful launch.
Georgia Justice Project In Atlanta, Koch attorneys and legal professionals partnered with panel firm Hunton Andrews Kurth to work with the Georgia Justice Project on an expungement clinic. The teams met with clients in person to prepare their expungement petitions and continued to support them throughout the filing process. Paul Napolitano and Noshay Cancelo helped organized the event, and JaKathyrn Ross sits on the board. Second-chance hiring Georgia-Pacific’s removal of criminal history questions from initial job applications and Koch’s companywide “Creating Second Chances” strategy have enabled the hiring of more than 120 second-chance employees over the past three years. This initiative not only fills crucial roles but also reduces recidivism and strengthens community stability. Racial justice We have a long history of supporting the Civil Rights Movement. Among others, our partnerships include The King Center, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, the National Council of Negro Women, and 100 Black Men of America. We support their focus on STEM, financial literacy, economic stability, entrepreneurship, youth leadership mentoring programs, and social justice initiatives.
Breaking barriers Georgia-Pacific embraces equal rights as values critical to the success of our businesses and communities. Leveraging the diverse skills, knowledge, and experience of our employees creates a stronger workforce, leading to better ideas, greater innovation, and superior value. We provide inclusive opportunities and work continuously to ensure Georgia-Pacific is a place where all individuals are valued, respected, and can succeed.
Learn how Georgia-Pacific is helping to break down barriers.
Georgia Justice Project Second chance hiring Racial justice
Georgia Justice Project In Atlanta, Koch attorneys and legal professionals partnered with panel firm Hunton Andrews Kurth to work with the Georgia Justice Project on an expungement clinic. The teams met with clients in person to prepare their expungement petitions and continued to support them throughout the filing process. Paul Napolitano and Noshay Cancelo helped organized the event, and JaKathyrn Ross sits on the board.
Second chance hiring Georgia-Pacific’s removal of criminal history questions from initial job applications and Koch’s companywide “Creating Second Chances” strategy have enabled the hiring of more than 120 second-chance employees over the past three years. This initiative not only fills crucial roles but also reduces recidivism and strengthens community stability.
Racial justice We have a long history of supporting the Civil Rights Movement. Among others, our partnerships include The King Center, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, the National Council of Negro Women, and 100 Black Men of America. We support their focus on STEM, financial literacy, economic stability, entrepreneurship, youth leadership mentoring programs, and social justice initiatives.
Internships and early career Supervisor support Rethinking applications
Internships and early career We aim to attract and identify early-career talent through our internship program. In this program, students spend about 12 weeks in the summer at Georgia-Pacific learning practical skills within the industry while gaining real-world experience. At the end of the program, interns take on an innovation challenge and present their ideas to leadership. Our early-career program ultimately supports the development of long-term talent pipelines for our organization.
Supervisor support Supervisors support employee development by designing roles that fit the individual, coaching, and mentoring to help them thrive, seeking and using their knowledge and ideas, and encouraging role changes that enable them to more fully realize their potential. Supervisors create an open, inclusive, and empowering environment where employees can speak freely and honestly. Such discussions help supervisors know what they can do to remove barriers and help their employees make the greatest contributions.
Rethinking applications To provide greater career access to job applicants, we have removed unnecessary requirements such as degrees and prior experience for some roles.
Learn more about Georgia-Pacific‘s Diversity & Inclusion efforts.
#SeeHer: Women in manufacturing. Hear from some of the women across our company who share how being motivated to contribute and partnering with others has helped them advance their careers.
At Georgia-Pacific, protecting the well-being of our people is foundational to everything we do. From integrating facility-driven safety improvements to encouraging cross-facility collaboration and knowledge sharing, employees are empowered to identify risks, share ideas, and help create better, safer workspaces.
Green Bay, WI
Many Georgia-Pacific products and facilities are recognized and/or certified by these third-party groups:
Certifications
Awards We appreciate the recognition we’ve received from local and federal government agencies, nongovernmental organizations and customers, and we are especially proud of the Georgia-Pacific employees who helped make these awards possible. Since 2015, Georgia-Pacific has been recognized eight times as one of "America’s Best Large Employers" by Forbes.
The Georgia-Pacific mills in Brewton and Big Island, Virginia, also earned this award in 2022 and 2024, respectively. And the Crossett, Arkansas, paper mill earned recognition from the EPA for reducing its energy intensity, exceeding the ENERGY STAR® Challenge for Industry goal within three years.
EPA ENERGY STAR®
Georgia-Pacific’s corrugated facilities in Martinsville, Virginia, and Augusta, Georgia, were recognized for transforming safety by developing innovations that improved operations and efficiency.
Fibre Box Association Safety Achievement Awards
Georgia-Pacific has been recognized by the American Forest & Paper Association with Sustainability Award wins in: Energy Efficiency: Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong® saves 30% more water and uses 30% less energy by using efficient manufacturing technology to squeeze more water from tissue paper before drying. Sustainability: In 2022, Georgia-Pacific was recognized with an Innovation in Sustainability award for Juno® Technology, Georgia-Pacific’s breakthrough solution to waste diversion and resource recovery. Juno® Technology can recover up to 90% of the materials it processes, diverting them from landfills and incinerators. Safety: In 2023, Georgia-Pacific was recognized with a Leadership in Sustainability award. Save My Life is a digital platform that was built by and for frontline employees. This system uses technology to provide a guided framework to ensure workers have the best information and control measures to prevent serious injuries and fatalities.
American Forest & Paper Association
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Honors
The energy performance of industrial facilities is compared nationally to similar operations. Only the top 25% become certified.
3 ENERGY STAR® CERTIFIED PLANTS
Business initiatives that demonstrate leadership and commitment to reducing emissions and meeting EPA energy design criteria are eligible for ENERGY STAR® recognition.
6 TOP PROJECTS
ENERGY STAR® Challenge for Industry is a global initiative for industrial sites to reduce their energy intensity by 10% within five years.
8 CHALLENGE AWARDS
FSC® Chain of Custody
SFI® Certified Sourcing
SFI® Chain of Custody
PEFC Chain of Custody
LEED
Tandem Global
USDA BioPreferred Program
BPI Compostable
Green Seal
Juno
International Sustainability and Carbon Certification
Certified Recycled Content SCS Global Services
GreenGuard
UL Responsible Sourcing
EPA SmartWay
Georgia-Pacific and KBX Logistics were awarded the EPA SmartWay Excellence Award five years in a row for their innovations in streamlined shipping efficiency. The two companies continue to collaborate on improving practices in intermodal shipping, load capacity, and backhauls.
GP and KBX Logistics were awarded the EPA SmartWay Excellence Award four years in a row for their innovations in streamlined shipping efficiency. The two companies continue to collaborate on improving practices in intermodal shipping, load capacity, and backhauls.
WHC Certified
Christian Fischer CEO
CLOSING THOUGHTS
©2025 Georgia-Pacific LLC. All Rights Reserved.
MAY 2025 EDITION
By applying our Stewardship Framework in everything we do, Georgia-Pacific is making significant progress in driving long-term value for our customers, consumers, suppliers, employees, and the communities where we operate. This focus helps us continue to lead in business performance while making a meaningful impact on society for generations to come.
Georgia-Pacific’s culture is built on recognizing and respecting the uniqueness of each individual. Each of us can discover and develop our innate abilities and apply them to contribute and succeed when empowered to do so. Our shared values allow us to create an environment where our many different perspectives, aptitudes, skills, knowledge, experiences, and backgrounds can come together to solve problems and create greater value for others.
Megan Sirna SVP, Human Resources
Georgia-Pacific products are part of everyday life. While they fill a diverse range of home, commercial, and industrial needs, they have one thing in common: They’re all made to high standards of quality and safety. Our 30,000 employees around the world are always looking for better ways of doing things.
Jeff Koeppel SVP, Operations
Georgia-Pacific makes a broad range of products for home, commercial, and industrial needs. Our employees around the world are constantly looking for ways to do things better and more efficiently when it comes to using resources. Our commitment is to maintain a high standard of safety and quality that makes us the preferred supplier for customers and consumers.
Hudson Pope SVP, Operations
