International Paper
CEF Lead Executives
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SOPHIE BECKHAMList Item 1
VP and Chief Sustainability Officer
Sophie leads the development and execution of IP’s sustainability strategy and tactics. Prior to joining IP, Sophie applied her training as a forester to work in domestic and foreign contexts, holding positions with forest management organizations and home furnishings retailers. Sophie’s interest in the transformation of materials into products that people use every day stems from a lifetime spent exploring the ways in which people rely on natural resources, and in turn, the impact our decisions have on people and planet. Early formative experiences on trails, in tents, and in forests and foreign countries contributed to a professional journey that has been dedicated to advancing sustainable business practices in consumer goods and manufacturing sectors for the past 20 years. She holds a Master of Forestry degree from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, w kwn as the Yale School of the Environment.
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KRISTIN DANNEMILLER
Sr. Manager Sustainable Operations
Kristin is an accomplished sustainability professional with a wealth of experience working across diverse businesses and staff groups at International Paper. In her capacity as Senior Manager of Sustainable Operations, she leads initiatives aimed at achieving IP's ambitious targets on water stewardship and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Kristin is a passionate advocate for sustainability, and her expertise and leadership have been instrumental in driving positive change across IP's operations. In her free time, Kristin enjoys traveling, playing tennis, and going on bike rides with her husband and dog. Her dedication to sustainability extends beyond her professional life, and she is committed to living a sustainable lifestyle that promotes environmental responsibility and awareness.
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DEVIN GILES
CEFNext
Manager, Renewable Solutions
As Manager, Renewable Solutions, Devin manages sustainability and circular economy strategies at International Paper. Devin is responsible for developing IP’s circularity strategy and facilitating integration into IP’s business plans to create renewable solutions. She is also responsible for helping improve the company’s environmental footprint and supporting the creation of innovative, sustainable and recyclable products that meet stakeholder expectations. Devin has an MBA from Pennsylvania State University, Smeal College of Business, where she concentrated in Sustainability & Strategic Leadership, and earned a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability Management & Policy.
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RUTU PATEL
Sustainability Analyst
Rutu is a sustainability professional with experience working with private and non-profit organizations in the USA and India. In her current role as Sustainability Analyst, at International Paper, she focuses on annual ESG surveys, stakeholder data requests, benchmarking research and internal ESG data management. She is also a full-time proponent of urban farming!
Sustainability Goals
Goals through 2030
2030 Sustainability Goals
- Reduce Scopes 1-, 2 & 3 GHG emissions by 35%
- Reduce water use by 25% and implement context-based water management plans at all mills
- Advance circular solutions throughout the value chain and create innovative products that are 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable
- Source 100% of fiber from sustainably managed forests or recovered fiber while safeguarding forests, watersheds and biodiversity
- Conserve and restore 1 million acres of ecologically significant forestland
- Achieve 30% diversity overall representation of women and 50% women in salaried positions; implement regional diversity plans, including 25% minorities in U.S. salaried positions
- Improve the lives of 1 million people in our communities
Latest Sustainability Reporting
(May 2023)
Highlights
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions 20% between 2010 and 2022;
- Conserved and restored 361,023 acres of ecologically significant forestland since 2020 (36% of its 2030 target of 1 million acres);
- 79% of fiber sourced in 2022 was verified as derived from a sustainably managed forest or was third-party verified, with the remaining 21% complying with International Paper’s Global Fiber Procurement Policy;
- Diverted 48% of manufacturing waste from landfills for beneficial uses in 2022;
- Collected, consumed, and marketed 7 million tons of paper from U.S. and Mexico as part of its circular value chain, making the company one of North America’s largest recyclers of recovered office paper and corrugated boxes;
- Women make up 17.9% of workforce, including 34.5% of all salaried positions; minorities represent 24.2% of all U.S. salaried positions;
- Received recognition by FORTUNE as World’s Most Admired Companies 2023, for the 20th time; and from Ethisphere Institute for World’s Most Ethical Companies 2023 for the 19th time.
Recent News
2022
More than 330 businesses and financial institutions from 52 countries, with combined revenues of over $1.5 trillion, urged world leaders to move beyond voluntary actions to halt and reverse biodiversity loss in a new statement. The statement advocates for the leaders to adopt “mandatory requirements for all large businesses and financial institutions to assess and disclose their impacts and dependencies on nature by 2030.” CEF Members involved include BASF, Google, International Paper, McKinsey & Co., Microsoft, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Schneider Electric, Tiffany & Co., Unilever, and WM. Businesses can sign the statement here. (Oct 2022)
ETHISPHERE’S “WORLD’S MOST ETHICAL COMPANIES®” LIST — Ethisphere released its list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® in 2022, recognizing 136 companies that “demonstrated a commitment to ethical business practices.” Fourteen companies (including CEF member Apple) are first-time honorees, and six companies (including CEF members Ecolab, International Paper, and PepsiCo) have been recognized all 16 years since the awards’ inception. (March 2022)
Over 90 total companies, municipalities, states, and other organizations have joined the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Better Climate Challenge, committing to reducing portfolio-wide Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by at least 50% within 10 years. Signatories will collaborate to identify pathways for improvement, and the DOE will provide technical assistance and convene peer-to-peer solution exchanges. CEF members GE, Honeywell, International Paper, Siemens, and Trane Technologies are among the signatories. (March 2022)
2021
The Department of Energy (DOE) released a
progress update on its
Better Plants program,
which aims to decarbonize the industrial sector. Over 250
manufacturers and water utilities
have participated in the program and
cumulatively saved $9.3 billion in energy costs and over 1.9 quadrillion BTUs of energy—more energy than Wisconsin uses annually. Program partners include CEF members
3M, Dow, Ford, General Electric, General Motors, International Paper, Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble,
and Schneider Electric.
(Oct 2021)
MORE »
The CEOs of over 1,000 companies
with a combined $4.7 trillion in annual revenue
sent an
open letter
to all heads of state
ahead of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity
(COP15), urging them to adopt a concrete commitment to reverse nature loss by 2030.
They said the July 2021
draft plan for a Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework
“lacks the ambition and specificity required to drive the urgent action needed.” Signatories include the CEOs of CEF members
BASF, Google, International Paper, McKinsey & Co., Microsoft, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Schneider Electric, Tiffany & Co., Unilever,
and Waste Management. (Oct 2021)
MORE »
Joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Network
to advance its contributions to the circular economy. (May 2021)
MORE »
Ethisphere released its 2021 list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. CEF members recognized include (March 2021):
- 3M
- ADM
- Aptiv
- CBRE
- Dell Technologies
- Ecolab
- General Motors
- HanesBrands
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- Honeywell
- HP
- International Paper
- Kaiser Permanente
- Kimberly-Clark
- Mastercard
- Microsoft
- PepsiCo
- VF Corporation
- Visa
- Waste Management
2020
International Paper will donate 2 million corrugated boxes to hunger relief organizations, including Feeding America and The Global FoodBanking Network. (May 2020)
International Paper donated more than 300,000 corrugated boxes to Feeding America and their network of food banks across the United States to help families in need during the pandemic. (April 2020)
Included again on Ethisphere 2020 list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies, after being named to the list in 2019 as well. (March 2020)
International Paper announced its Vision 2030 goals, which include commitments to cut its Scope 1, 2 & 3 GHG emissions by 35%, reduce water use by 25%, source 100% of fiber from sustainably managed forests or recovered fiber, improve the lives of 100 million people, create innovative products that are 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable, and more. (Feb 2020)
2019
International Paper launched “Our Renewable Future,” a new website that celebrates the company’s commitment to creating better products and a more sustainable world. (Sep 2019)