Is there such a thing as too much transparency?

When we released the Paper Trail back in 2011, we were making a statement that transparency was a commitment we were willing to put into practice.  The on-line tool helps our customers make informed purchasing decisions by providing social and environmental data about our paper products.  It’s also continually being expanded with data from additional mills and paper lines.   

We`re delighted with the awards the site has received along the way, as with the kudos from leading business sustainability thinkers like GreenBiz founder Joel Makower.  But the even more compelling part of the Paper Trail story for us is its transformative impact on our company. 

Setting the transparency bar at an industry-leading level and, in the process, shining the light on areas where we need to get better has been a catalyst for realizing those improvements.   This is good for our shareholders, good for our customers, and good for our employees.  It's just good business.

Increasingly, stakeholders are expecting greater openness from companies, and for Domtar this kind of transparency and the prioritizing of stakeholder input is the foundation of our sustainability efforts.  In fact, it's what we think separates us from the crowd and creates our competitive advantage. 

For more information, please visit our 2011 Sustainable Growth Report. 

Lewis Fix is Vice-President, Sustainable Business & Brand Management of Domtar. In this role, he directs the sustainable business strategy for Domtar’s pulp and paper segment as a member of the company’s Sustainability Committee. Additionally, he directs the marketing communications and advertising functions of the pulp & paper business. Lewis also manages Domtar’s relationships with NGO partners, setting goals for continuous improvement. Lewis engages with people throughout North America on subjects like forest certification, corporate and NGO relationships, sustainability in the paper industry and the “greening” of the supply chain through paper. With 17 years of experience in the paper industry - the last ten with Domtar - Lewis has also served as Senior Director of Business Development, Director of Pricing and as a Territory Sales Manager. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Florida.