Sonoco?s Forestry Management Program Recognized for Best Practices

HARTSVILLE, S.C.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Sonoco (NYSE: SON), one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, today announced it has received certification from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)® for the management of its forests. The certification recognizes businesses and industries that demonstrate responsible and sustainable forestry practices.

Sonoco currently owns and manages approximately 56,490 acres of timberland that are included within the scope of the SFI Standard. These Company-owned forests are primarily hardwoods and provide a fiber source used to produce corrugated paper at Sonoco's Hartsville-based paper mill. The Company ensures maximum utilization of the trees harvested by using "in-woods" whole tree chippers.

Sonoco began participating in the SFI program in 1995 and achieved independent certification by:

practicing sustainable forestry
regenerating the forest and maintaining productive capacity
protecting and maintaining long-term forest and soil productivity
protecting water resources
protecting special sites and biological diversity
promoting and protecting wildlife habitat
complying with appropriate legal requirements
continually working to improve its overall forest management practices

"Receiving the SFI certification for forestry management was important to us because it's a responsibility we've always taken very seriously at Sonoco," said Jim Bowen, senior vice president Sonoco Recycling and Internal Supply. "The certification certainly validates our commitment to sustainable forestry practices and reflects the hard work and dedication of the employees who made it happen. It also shows that we're effectively implementing the highest environmental standards possible in our forestry management program."

A number of specific standards must be met by companies seeking SFI certification for forestry management. These standards include: annual audits, proper record keeping and other written documentation, interviews with responsible personnel and inspection of field sites.

About SFI Inc.

SFI Inc. is a 501c(3) non-profit charitable organization, and is solely responsible for maintaining, overseeing and improving the Sustainable Forestry Initiative program ([ www.sfiprogram.org ]), a sustainable forestry certification program that is internationally recognized and among the largest in the world. Across North America, 152.6 million acres (61.7 million hectares) are certified to the SFI 2005-2009 Standard, which is based on principles and measures that promote sustainability, including measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk and forests with exceptional conservation value. The SFI Standard includes unique fiber sourcing requirements that promote responsible forest management on all suppliers' lands. SFI Inc. also has chain-of-custody certification, which is used to tell buyers how much certified fiber is in a specific product.

About Sonoco

Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a $4.0 billion global manufacturer of industrial and consumer products and provider of packaging services, with more than 300 operations in 35 countries, serving customers in some 85 nations. For more information the Company, go to our Web site at [ http://www.sonoco.com ].

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Sonoco?s Forestry Management Program Recognized for Best Practices