NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 08/27/09 -- Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education and media company, today announced that significant progress has been made toward the company-wide goal of strengthening its sustainable paper procurement practices and increasing the percentage of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified and post-consumer waste (PCW) recycled paper purchased. In January of 2008, Scholastic announced goals for 2012 to increase its purchase of FSC-certified paper for its publications to 30% and its use of recycled paper to 25%, of which 75% would be post-consumer waste.

In 2008, Scholastic purchased 89,378 tons of paper of which 17,608 tons, or 19.7%, was FSC-certified, up from 4% in 2007. In addition, 13,496 tons, or 15.1%, of the paper purchased was produced from recovered fiber, up from 13% in 2007, and of that amount, 11,258 tons, or 83%, was produced from PCW fiber, up from 77% in 2007.

"Last year Scholastic made an industry-leading commitment to forest stewardship with its goals for sourcing FSC-certified and recycled paper," said Corey Brinkema, President of FSC-US. "The results for 2008 demonstrate extraordinary progress toward those goals, including a five-fold increase in the procurement of FSC-certified fiber. This heightened demand is directly encouraging new certification of forests managed to FSC's high standards for environmentally responsible, socially equitable and economically viable forestry."

"In just one year, the Scholastic manufacturing team made impressive progress toward achieving our paper procurement goals, while still carefully managing our costs," said Maureen O'Connell, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer of Scholastic. "The Company remains keenly focused on achieving our 2012 goals and continuing to be an industry leader for environmentally responsible practices."

About Scholastic

Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology and children's media. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs and school-based book fairs, retail stores, schools, libraries, television networks and the Company's Internet Site, www.scholastic.com.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=1051358

Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to Newsvine