News Limited is Norkse Skog's largest single customer anywhere in the world. The company has supplied newsprint to News Limited for over 50 years and currently supplies more than 90 per cent of News Limited's total newsprint.
News Limited chairman and chief executive, John Hartigan, said the decision by Norkse Skog is a stunning example of what can be achieved by businesses committed to reducing greenhouse gas. He says, "Through the One Degree initiative we introduced at News Limited last year, we are highlighting the importance of everyone working together to make the changes necessary to reduce global warming.
"Norske Skog's announcement to cut its 2006 emissions by 25 per cent by 2020 is the biggest single step in carbon reduction by any of our partners to date, and will significantly reduce the carbon footprint of our newspapers. We congratulate them on their foresight and commitment."
News Limited launched One Degree in June 2007. The initiative promotes the benefit of small changes by everyone which can collectively make a difference to the future of the planet.
News Limited is addressing its own carbon footprint with a commitment to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2010, with remaining emissions to be offset to achieve carbon neutrality. News Digital Media became the first division to become carbon neutral in last month.
Hartigan says, "We are also encouraging our employees, our business partners and our readers to consider the impact they have on the environment and to make One Degree of difference to what they do.
"The printing of our newspapers is by far the biggest part of our carbon footprint, so we are delighted that Norske Skog is making such a substantial change for the benefit of us all."
News Limited's print centres are working with Norske Skog to make further improvements to the efficiency of newsprint use including investigations into the use of lighter-weight paper, lighter wraps on the outside of rolls, ways to run closer to the core, re-usable cores and end-caps, and ways to reduce roll damage.
Norske Skog is the world's second largest supplier of newsprint with 18 mills around the world, including three mills in Australia and New Zealand.
