Fake Green Certification Backfires

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The Australian supermarket company Woolworths has withdrawn a range of tissue products after being outed by an anonymous blogger for using a "Sustainable Forest Fibre" logo on products sourced from a notorious Indonesian forestry company. In its most recent corporate social responsibility report, Woolworths states that a "key element of our 'Corporate Social Responsibility' (CSR) commitment is transparency." The packaging on Woolworths' "Select" tissues claimed they were sourced "from a certified environmentally managed company that is environmentally, socially and economically responsible." However, environmental groups had never heard of a "Sustainable Forest Fibre" certification scheme. In a statement, NSW Greens member of parliament John Kaye said consumers "should treat such claims as greenwash and spin." Following widespread reporting of Asia Pulp and Paper's track record in logging Indonesian rainforests, Woolworths withdrew the product range.