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Resolute Forest Products

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FY2013 Annual Report · Resolute Forest Products
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WHAT GETS
MEASURED
GETS DONE

2013 ANNUAL REPORT

resolutefp.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
paGe 

Table 0f ConTenTs

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56 
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66 
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67 

Resolute at a Glance
Consolidated Earnings
Sustainability Highlights
Letter from the Chairman and  
the President and Chief Executive Officer
Our Vision and Values
What Defines Resolute
Our Operations

business seGMenTs 
Newsprint
Specialty Papers
Market Pulp
Wood Products

Business and Sustainability Strategy

susTainabiliTy peRfoRManCe 
About this Section
Sustainability Oversight and Commitments
Fiber and Forestry
Energy and Climate Change
Mill Environmental Performance
Product Stewardship
Human Resources
Health and Safety
Community Involvement

Board of Directors
Corporate Officers
Shareholder Information

The inside pages of this report are printed on ResoluteMax 84 Gloss  
60 lb (89 g/m2) paper, part of Resolute’s Align™ portfolio of  
environmentally-conscious papers. This paper was manufactured at our 
Catawba (South Carolina) mill. With its smaller environmental footprint,  
ResoluteMax 84 Gloss is the perfect alternative to more costly coated 
freesheet paper.

Resolute completed a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the Align paper 
grades comparing Align with competitive papers across four categories 
of environmental impact: climate change, human health, energy and 
ecosystem quality. The results of the LCA indicated that our Align grades had 
significantly less environmental impact than competitive freesheet papers. 
Visit alignpaper.com for more information.

Among its environmental benefits, ResoluteMax 84 Gloss:
•	 uses 12% less wood fiber than the average coated freesheet  

in North America;

•	 uses 25% less energy to produce than the average coated freesheet  

in North America;

•	 has a carbon footprint that is 35% smaller over its life cycle  
than the average coated freesheet in North America; and

•	 is available with SFI® and/or PEFC chain of custody certifications. 

 
 
WHaT GeTs MeasuReD 
GeTs Done

When we’re focused on progress and finding solutions, it’s essential to have  

a clear vision and well-defined goals. Achieving major objectives requires 

establishing numerous milestones and tracking performance along the way. 

At Resolute, we’re taking measure of every mile we have traveled.  

Every milestone we pass tells us where we have been and where we are going. 

We use each measure we take to map our progress and adjust our course.  

It’s an approach that creates shared value for investors, employees and 

communities alike. And it’s a course that ensures a sustainable future for  

the environment and our customers, as well as other stakeholders and 

business partners. As a leading and diversified producer of pulp, paper  

and wood products, Resolute’s commitment to sustainability and profitability  

is further reflected in our discipline to measure our progress in a constantly 

evolving market. Our focus on measuring what we do has transformed  

our words into action.

2

ResoluTe aT a GlanCe

Adjusted EBITDA1 of

$377 million

Net pension and OPEB liability decreased by  

$672 million2 

45% 

of adjusted EBITDA from market pulp  
and wood products businesses  

100% 

of the forests we manage are certified  

71% 

of energy is sourced from renewable sources

1.  Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, is defined and reconciled below.  

For more information on the calculation and the reasons we include this measure, see note 9 on page 4.

2.  OPEB means “other postretirement benefits.” For more information on pension and OPEB liabilities, see note 14, “Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans” 

in our annual report on Form 10-K, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and the Canadian securities regulatory authorities.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt 
 
3

DisTRibuTion of 2013 sales by % of Revenue 

neWspRinT

speCialTy papeRs3

MaRkeT pulp

WooD pRoDuCTs

33% 31%

23%

13%

Total sales

$4,461 M

DisTRibuTion of 2013 sales by ReGion 

neWspRinT

speCialTy papeRs

MaRkeT pulp

WooD pRoDuCTs

46%
24%
15%

9%

5%

1%

88% 61%

4%

2%

5%

1%

6%

8%

9%

14%

2%

55%

45%

United States

Latin America

Asia

Canada

Europe

Other Countries

2014 ToTal CapaCiTy4

neWspRinT

speCialTy papeRs

MaRkeT pulp

WooD pRoDuCTs

2.9 million 
metric tons

2.0 million 
metric tons

1.7 million 
metric tons

2.7 billion 
board feet5

3.  As of the fourth quarter of 2013, the results from our coated papers operations have been integrated with the specialty papers segment. This better reflects management’s 

internal analysis, given the increasingly high degree of substitution with supercalender grades, and the diminishing percentage coated papers represents in our product portfolio.

4.  Represents capacity for pulp and paper manufacturing facilities and sawmills we owned or operated as of December 31, 2013 (excluding facilities and paper machines  
that had been permanently closed as of December 31, 2013). For more information, please see Part 1, Item 1, “Business” in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

5.  Our current supply of fiber, particularly in light of Quebec’s new forest tenure system, limits our operating capacity to about 2 billion board feet per year.  

In 2013, we shipped 1.5 billion board feet of wood products.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtConsoliDaTeD eaRninGs

seleCTeD annual finanCial infoRMaTion

4

Years Ended December 31, 
(in millions, except per share amounts, adjusted EBITDA margin and ROE)

2013

20126

20116

Sales7

Operating income (loss) per segment

  Newsprint

Specialty papers

  Market pulp7

  Wood products

  Corporate / other

  Total

Net (loss) income7

Net (loss) income per common share

  Basic

  Diluted

Cash and cash equivalents

Total assets

Adjusted EBITDA9

Adjusted EBITDA margin9

ROE, adjusted for special items10

$ 4,461

$ 4,503

$ 4,756

40

35

42

41

(160)

(2)
(639)8

$  (6.75)

(6.75)

$  322

5,385

$  377

8.5%

2.8%

97

85

(43)

26

(193)

(28)

1

$  0.01

0.01

$  263

6,333

$  393

8.7%

2.6%

89

122

91

(25)

(70)

207

47

$  0.48

0.48

$  369

6,304

$  490

10.3%

4.8%

6. 

In 2013, we changed our accounting policy for repair and maintenance costs associated with planned major maintenance activities. Previously, all repair and maintenance costs, 
including those associated with planned major maintenance, were expensed as incurred. We elected to change our accounting policy for planned major maintenance costs to 
the deferral method, whereby the costs of each planned major maintenance activity are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated period until the next planned major 
maintenance activity. All other routine repair and maintenance costs continue to be expensed as incurred. We believe that the deferral method is preferable as the economic 
benefit associated with planned major maintenance activities is more appropriately recognized over the period of future benefit, which is not limited to the period the expense 
is incurred. In addition, the deferral method enhances the comparability of our financial results with our peer companies. In accordance with the guidance in FASB ASC 250, 
“Accounting Changes and Error Corrections,” we have applied the change in accounting policy retroactively by adjusting our comparative consolidated financial statements  
for the effect of this change.

7.  We have included Fibrek Inc.’s results of operations in our consolidated financial statements, in the market pulp segment, as of May 2, 2012, the date we acquired a controlling 
interest. Fibrek’s sales, operating income and net income in our results for 2013 were $456 million, $40 million and $40 million, respectively. Its sales, operating loss and  
net loss in our 2012 results were $268 million, $9 million and $9 million, respectively.

8. 

Includes a $604 million non-recurring, non-cash income tax charge, taken largely in the third quarter, to reduce the value of deferred income tax assets on our balance sheet. 
For more information, see our annual report on Form 10-K.

9.  Earnings before interest expense, income taxes and depreciation, or “EBITDA,” adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin are not financial measures recognized under 
generally accepted accounting principles, or “GAAP.” EBITDA is calculated as net income (loss) including noncontrolling interests from the consolidated statements of 
operations, adjusted for interest expense, income taxes and depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA means EBITDA, excluding special items such as foreign exchange 
translation gains and losses, severance costs, closure costs, impairment and other related charges, inventory write-downs related to closures, start-up costs of idled mills, gains 
and losses on dispositions of assets, net loss on extinguishment of debt, transaction costs and other charges or credits that are excluded from our segments’ performance from 
GAAP operating income (loss). Adjusted EBITDA margin is adjusted EBITDA expressed as a percentage of sales. We believe that using measures such as EBITDA, adjusted 
EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin are useful because they are consistent with the indicators management uses internally to measure the company’s performance and they 
allow the reader to more easily compare our ongoing operations and financial performance from period to period.

10.  Return on equity, or “ROE,” is a non-GAAP financial measure, calculated by dividing net income (loss), excluding the special items identified on pages 6 and 7, by adjusted 

shareholders’ equity. ROE is a measure of profitability that shows how much profit the company generated as a percentage of shareholder money invested. 

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5

Years Ended December 31,  
(in millions)

2013

2012

2011

Net (loss) income including noncontrolling interests

$  (639)

$ 

(33)

$ 

Interest expense

Income tax provision (benefit)

  Depreciation and amortization

EBITDA

  Foreign exchange translation loss (gain)

Severance costs

  Closure costs, impairment and other related charges

Inventory write-downs related to closures

Start-up costs of idled mills

  Net gain on disposition of assets

  Net loss on extinguishment of debt

  Transaction costs

  Other (income) expense, net

Adjusted EBITDA

51

524

243

66

(39)

233

45

95

19

220

$ 

179

$  227

$  379

24

—

89

11

32

(2)

59

6

(21)

(17)

5

185

12

13

(35)

—

8

(5)

21

12

46

3

—

(3)

—

5

27

$  377

$  393

$  490

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ConsoliDaTeD eaRninGs (cont’d)

6

(in millions, except ROE)

GAAP as reported

Adjustments for special items:

  Foreign exchange translation loss

Severance costs

  Closure costs, impairment and other related charges

Inventory write-downs related to closures

Start-up costs of idled mills

  Net gain on disposition of assets

  Net loss on extinguishment of debt

  Transaction costs

  Other income, net

  U.S. deferred income tax asset valuation allowance

  Cumulative past-year adjustments for special items

GAAP as adjusted for special items

December 31, 2013

net (loss) 
income

shareholder’s 
equity

Roe (%)

$  (639)

$ 2,827

(22.6)%

26

—

59

7

23

(2)

38

5

(14)

604

—

26

—

59

7

23

(2)

38

5

(14)

604

210

$ 

107

$ 3,783

2.8 %

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7

December 31, 2012 

Net income

Shareholder’s 
equity

ROE (%)

$ 

1

$  3,102

—%

$ 

(23)

$ 

(23)

4

116

7

10

(22)

8

(2)

(13)

—

86

4

116

7

10

(22)

8

(2)

(13)

125

$  3,312

2.6%

(in millions, except ROE)

GAAP as reported

Adjustments for special items:

  Foreign exchange translation gain

Severance costs

  Closure costs, impairment and other related charges

Inventory write-downs related to closures

Start-up costs of idled mills

  Net gain on disposition of assets

  Transaction costs

  Other income, net

  Reorganization-related and other tax adjustments

  Cumulative past-year adjustments for special items

GAAP as adjusted for special items

$ 

(in millions, except ROE)

GAAP as reported

Adjustments for special items:

  Foreign exchange translation loss

Severance costs

  Closure costs, impairment and other related charges

Inventory write-downs related to closures

  Net gain on disposition of assets

  Transaction costs

  Other expense, net

  Reorganization-related and other tax adjustments

GAAP as adjusted for special items

December 31, 2011

Net income

Shareholder’s 
equity

ROE (%)

$ 

47

$ 3,423

1.4%

$ 

23

8

32

2

(2)

4

20

38

$ 

23

8

32

2

(2)

4

20

38

$ 

172

$ 3,548

4.8%

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
susTainabiliTy 
HiGHliGHTs

8

enviRonMenTal HiGHliGHTs11

201312

201213

2011

Class 1 environmental incidents14

Fuel energy used, TJ

Electricity used: 

  Total purchased, GWh

  Net purchased16, GWh

Self-generated or owned, GWh

Renewable energy, % of total energy (including purchased electricity)
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions17, thousands of mt CO2e (scope 1 and 2)18
Water used19, thousands of m3
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), thousands of mt
Total suspended solids (TSS), thousands of mt

Fiber loss, thousands of mt

Sustainable forest management certification20, %

Mills with chain of custody certification21, %

3
101,118 15

12,032

11,231

2,667

71

4,200

387,394

7,132

9,457

295,202

100

100

2

81,376

11,613

11,451

2,152

68

4,036

354,233

6,698

8,646

256,700

100

100

3

94,665

12,636

12,628

2,394

70

4,645

385,162

7,871

11,967

267,383 

100

100

soCial HiGHliGHTs

2013

2012

2011

Employees22 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) incidents, rate per 100 employees

Severity rate, %

Lost time incident cases

Recordable injuries23

Employee turnover, %

Employee wages and benefits, $ millions

Donations, $ millions

8,400 

1.02

25.9

24

90

11.7

734

0.9

8,800

1.13

34.01

38

107

12.5

775

1.2

10,400

1.43

36.5

55

145

9.94

901

0.5

eConoMiC HiGHliGHTs

2013

2012

2011

Actual external sales of electricity produced from cogeneration facilities, GWh/year

Sales of AlignTM papers, % of total specialty paper sales

801

4

152

5

8

4

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt 
9

11.  Environmental data is for pulp and paper mills only, except for environmental incidents, which also include sawmills. 

12.  The information is preliminary and subject to change; values will be confirmed with our comprehensive sustainability report later this year. 

13.  With the exception of environmental incidents, data does not include performance in respect of the former Fibrek mills, which we acquired part way through the year.

14.  Class 1 incidents include events that present a risk of significant adverse environmental impact, contamination, liability and/or damage to the company’s reputation,  

such as regulatory charges, fines and the initiation of legal action against the company.

15.  The increase in fuel energy consumption between 2012 and 2013 is mostly attributable to the addition of the former Fibrek mills acquired in 2012, the restart of operations at 
our Dolbeau (Quebec) mill in October 2012 and that of our Gatineau (Quebec) mill in May 2013, and the launch of our Thunder Bay (Ontario) cogeneration facility in March 2013.

16.  Represents purchased electricity minus actual external sales of electricity produced from cogeneration facilities.

17.  GHG emission figures have been adjusted to include landfill and process emissions. 

18.  Scope 1 GHG emissions are greenhouse gas emissions that come from sources owned or controlled by the company, such as the combustion of fuel at mills to generate heat to 
dry paper or generate electricity. Scope 2 GHG emissions are greenhouse gas emissions that are the result of company activities occurring at sources owned or controlled by 
third parties, associated with the production of purchased electricity or steam. Scope 2 emissions physically occur at the facility where electricity or steam is generated.

19.  Resolute returns more than 95% of the water it withdraws. The balance remains within products or evaporates during the manufacturing process. 

20. All of the forests we manage are certified to at least one of three internationally recognized sustainable forest management (SFM) certification standards:  

Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) or Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

21.  Resolute instituted fiber-tracking systems at all of our facilities, and all tracking systems are third-party certified according to one or more of three internationally recognized 

chain of custody (CoC) standards: FSC®, SFI® or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). 

22.  Excludes unconsolidated entities in which we have noncontrolling interests. 

23.  Recordable injuries do not include minor, first-aid level incidents.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt10

leTTeR fRoM THe CHaiRMan anD 
THe pResiDenT anD CHief exeCuTive offiCeR

Bradley P. Martin

Chairman

Richard Garneau

President and Chief Executive Officer

2013

Throughout 2013, we continued to 
strengthen Resolute, solidifying our financial 
position, improving the efficiency of our 
operations and reinforcing our commitment 
to safety and sustainability. We set goals, 
measured results and delivered.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt11

Despite competitive and challenging market 
conditions, the company generated adjusted 
EBITDA of $377 million in 2013, down only 
slightly from $393 million in 2012. Excluding 
special items of $746 million24, our net 
income increased by 24%, compared to 
2012, to $107 million for the year.

sTRonGeR 
finanCial 
posiTion

During 2013, we further improved our 
balance sheet. The rising interest rate 
environment, strong asset returns, our 2013 
funding, favorable currency fluctuations, 
and amendments to other post-employment 
benefit (OPEB) plans all contributed to 
a $672 million reduction in net pension 
and OPEB liabilities compared to 2012. 
The company also reached an agreement-
in-principle with pension regulators and 
other parties in Quebec and Ontario. We will 
replace the corrective measures mechanism 
under our funding relief regulations with 
more stable, predictable and balanced 
pension funding requirements for our 
Canadian plans, which represented about 
75% of our unfunded pension obligations 
at year-end 2013. 

With cash and cash equivalents of 
$322 million and availability of $561 million 
under the company’s asset-based lending 
credit facility, we believe we have sufficient 
resources to finance our business plan. 
We are committed to pursuing growth 
opportunities that make sense financially, 
reduce costs, produce synergies or support 
diversification into growth markets.

Taking advantage of favorable interest rates 
last year, we refinanced, on a very timely 
basis, all of our outstanding secured debt 
with $600 million of unsecured notes, 
at 5.875% interest, reducing our annual 
interest costs by $16 million, adding five 
more years to maturity and improving our 
financial flexibility.

CoMpeTiTive, 
syneRGisTiC 
anD DiveRsifieD 
opeRaTions

In addition to disciplined capital 
management, we continued to work 
diligently throughout 2013 to maximize 
the profitability and competitiveness 
of our operations by investing in our 
most competitive mills, diversifying 
our product offering, and idling or 
restructuring higher-cost facilities. 

Resolute made key investments at pulp 
and paper operations in Augusta (Georgia), 
Baie-Comeau and Saint-Félicien (Quebec), 
Coosa Pines (Alabama) and Grenada 
(Mississippi). In addition, three investment 
projects for our wood products business 
in Northwestern Ontario continued to 
progress: the construction of a new sawmill 
at Atikokan; work related to the upgrade 
and restart of our idled Ignace sawmill; and 
the building of a wood pellet plant at our 
Thunder Bay sawmill. We expect this growth 
in our wood products business will create 
approximately 600 direct and indirect jobs, 
as well as important economic opportunities 
for First Nations in the region. 

During the year, Resolute completed the 
ramp-up of four power generation assets, 
including the $65 million cogeneration 
facility in Thunder Bay. This strategic 
investment will reduce operating costs, as 
well as optimize our woodlands, sawmill and 
pulp and paper operations by fully utilizing 
site-generated and forest-based biomass 
to produce green electricity. External 
sales of power produced by the four power 
generation assets reduced our costs 
overall by about $45 million in 2013.

Given evolving market trends in the forest 
products sector, we made the necessary 
decisions to produce only what we can sell to 
our customers and to optimize our operating 
platform. Since 2012, we adjusted our 
newsprint capacity by idling two machines 
and restarting the Gatineau (Quebec) mill, 
for a net annual reduction of approximately 
285,000 metric tons. In specialty papers, 
we idled three machines and restarted the 
Dolbeau (Quebec) mill, for a net annual 
reduction of about 220,000 metric tons. 

We restructured manning at two more sites 
in 2013 without reducing operating capacity. 
This effort alone represents an annual 
savings of about $17 million. Together, our 
asset optimization and mill restructuring 
efforts reduced Resolute’s operational 
costs by $42 million compared to 2012. 

Consistent with our diversification strategy, 
through our 2012 purchase of Fibrek Inc., 
we grew our pulp capacity by 70%. In 2013, 
Resolute restructured and significantly 
improved the performance of the three 
pulp mills we acquired. In fact, 45% of our 
adjusted EBITDA came from our market 
pulp and wood products businesses last 
year. Furthermore, by the time our Atikokan 
and Ignace sawmills are operational in 2015, 
and along with other capacity initiatives, 
our annual sawmill capacity will have grown 
by about 30%.

24.  This reflects a $604 million non-recurring, non-cash income tax charge, taken largely in the third quarter, to reduce the value of deferred income tax assets on our balance 

sheet. This reduction in no way affects our underlying tax attributes, including $1.8 billion of U.S. net operating loss (NOL) carryforwards, and it does not hinder our ability to 
use these NOLs to shield future earnings.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtleTTeR To sHaReHolDeRs (cont’d)

12

HealTH 
anD safeTy

For Resolute, safety is an absolute priority 
and one where no compromise is acceptable. 
We strive for zero incidents at all our 
operations and are pleased to report that 
2013 was the company’s best safety year on 
record. Resolute recorded an Occupational 
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 
incident rate of 1.02, which is generally 
considered world class. Through continued 
focus at all levels, we will improve our risk 
assessment and safety follow-up efforts 
and have set a 2014 OSHA incident rate 
target of 0.99.

balanCinG 
enviRonMenTal,
soCial anD 
eConoMiC 
neeDs

Placing increasing importance on sustainable 
practices and disclosure on sustainability 
performance is in line with our values and 
market expectations. Resolute will continue 
raising the bar on its sustainability efforts 
and transparency, ensuring a balanced 
approach to environmental, social and 
economic considerations, as thoroughly 
detailed in this annual report.

We’re closing in, ahead of schedule, on 
the goal we set as a member of the World 
Wildlife Fund Climate Savers program to 
reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 
by 65% by 2015, compared to 2000 levels. 
The progress we have made reflects a 
company-wide focus on improved energy 
efficiency and has led to switching from fossil 
fuels to cleaner renewable energy sources, 

such as hydroelectricity and carbon-neutral 
biomass. Our 65% goal is an industry-leading 
GHG reduction target and represents 
the equivalent of taking 1.57 million cars 
off the road. 

In 2014, we have set a goal to reduce the 
number of mill environmental incidents 
by 10% compared to 2013. Our inclusive 
approach to fiber certification also 
remains an important focus, with 100% 
of the woodlands we manage certified to 
internationally recognized sustainable forest 
management (SFM) standards. It’s important 
to note that Canadian producers are global 
leaders in manufacturing forest products 
under very strict environmental rules.  
In fact, a Yale University study and 
a comparative study by Helsinki-based 
Indufor Oy have cited Canada’s forestry 
regulatory environment as one of the most 
stringent in the world.25 

Notwithstanding the strength of the current 
forest management regime in Canada, 
we recognize that the road ahead is not 
without hurdles, and we will work hard to 
meet regulatory and market expectations 
for our SFM practices. During 2013, a 
certification for the Abitibi River Forest 
in Ontario brought Resolute’s total Forest 
Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certification 
of managed forests to 76%, as compared 
to the company’s commitment to achieve 
80% FSC certification by 2015. However, 
late in the year, the company received 
notice of temporary suspensions on 
certain FSC certificates in place. None 
of the issues raised in relation to these 
certificates involves our on-the-ground 
practices or our compliance with any 
laws or regulations. Resolute is working 
diligently to reinstate these certificates 
where possible and remains committed 
to our FSC certification goal.

During 2013, Resolute was an active and 
committed participant in the Canadian 
Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA), which 
brings together environmental groups 
and forest products companies to identify 
solutions for sustainable development 
in Canada’s boreal forest. Despite a 
disruption in negotiations among parties 
in May 2013 on joint plans to further 
support conservation efforts and forest 
economies in north-central Quebec and 
northwestern Ontario, Resolute remains 
a strong supporter of a collaborative 
approach. We believe that to achieve 
successful outcomes, the CBFA must do a 
better job of directly engaging First Nations 
groups, the communities whose livelihoods 
are most impacted by the discussions and 
provincial governments.

Resolute is a strong advocate for partnering 
with First Nations. In fact, in 2013, our 
Opitciwan (Quebec) joint-venture sawmill 
was awarded the Aboriginal Forest Products 
Business Leadership Award by the Forest 
Products Association of Canada and the 
Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. 
We also celebrated the 10th anniversary 
of our Thunder Bay sawmill, a unique 
partnership between Resolute and the 
Fort William First Nation. The facility is the 
first to operate under regulations in the 
First Nations Commercial and Industrial 
Development Act, which facilitates industrial 
development with First Nations on their land.

Another ongoing priority for the company 
is workforce recruitment and retention. 
Resolute’s long-term competitiveness 
depends on the ability to attract, retain 
and develop the right employees with the 
right skills to replace our retiring workers. 
Last year alone, we hired over 900 new 
employees, which was made possible by new 
recruitment and human resource practices as 
well as integrated communications efforts. 

25.  Indufor Oy, Comparison of Selected Forest Certification Standards, Helsinki, Finland, July 3, 2009. See also Cashore, Benjamin, Global Environmental Forest Policies:  

Canada as a Constant Case Comparison of Select Forest Practice Regulations, Yale University, 2004.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt 
 
13

This year is filled with both opportunities and 
challenges for Resolute. We will continue 
to focus on enhancing our competitiveness 
by optimizing our manufacturing assets to 
maximize capacity utilization and margins. 
We will also position the company to take 
advantage of long-term market trends, 
including expected growth in the pulp and 
wood products segments. 

We have made measurable progress and 
are proud of everything our employees have 
accomplished, giving their all to get things 
done. We are confident that our greatest 
achievements are still to come, as we work as 
one team with one vision where profitability 
and sustainability drive our future. 

Sincerely,

Bradley P. Martin

Chairman

Richard Garneau

President and Chief Executive Officer

THe yeaR 
aHeaD

We believe that with diligence and hard 
work, we will navigate market conditions, 
generate value for investors and enhance 
our competitive edge. 

ouR five key business pRioRiTies 
foR 2014 ReMain in line WiTH 
THose We iDenTifieD lasT yeaR:

1.  Increase efficiencies, set 

manufacturing cost targets 
and benchmark performance  
at all operations;

2.  Manage production  
and inventory levels;

3.  Pursue sales strategy to produce  
only what our customers order; 

4.  Identify and support disciplined 
capital investments at our most 
competitive facilities; and

5.  Pursue opportunistic growth  

to complement our product mix 
or improve the competitiveness  
of existing assets.

2014 is an important year for labor 
negotiations. We are working in close 
partnership with union representatives to 
renew many of our collective agreements 
with the goal of remaining both a 
competitive manufacturer and employer. 
In February 2014, we announced a five-year 
renewal of the master collective agreement 
covering four unionized pulp and paper 
mills in the United States. These operations, 
together with the company’s other 
U.S. pulp and paper operations — none of 
which has an expiring collective agreement — 
represent almost half of our pulp and paper 
production capacity.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt 
14

ouR 
vision

aT ResoluTe foResT pRoDuCTs, We aRe one TeaM WiTH one vision 

WHeRe pRofiTabiliTy anD susTainabiliTy DRive ouR fuTuRe. 

anD 
values

WoRk safely

be aCCounTable

ensuRe susTainabiliTy

suCCeeD ToGeTHeR

We always put the safety of  
our people first. Creating 
an injury-free workplace is 
everyone’s business.  
We maintain world-class 
standards and continuously 
measure and improve our  
safety efforts and results. 

We are accountable for our 
performance. The future of 
our company is in our hands. 
By empowering people, acting 
with integrity, setting goals and 
measuring progress, we deliver 
first-class products and services 
to customers and create value  
for shareholders. 

We make decisions with 
tomorrow in mind. We know 
that our long-term profitability 
depends on preserving the 
natural resources in our care  
and being a responsible partner 
in the communities where we  
live and work. 

We win together. Teamwork 
starts with a winning attitude 
and a true desire to support 
each other. We welcome ideas, 
communicate frequently and 
share best practices.

Our vision and values capture our business approach 
and our shared sense of purpose. They guide our 
decisions, actions and behaviors, and drive our culture  
of performance, growth and sustainability.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt15

WHaT 
Defines 
ResoluTe

We are guided by our vision  
and values, focusing on safety, 
profitability, accountability, 
sustainability and teamwork. 
These are the elements that  
we believe best define us:

CoMpeTiTive 

CosT sTRuCTuRe

syneRGisTiC anD DiveRsifieD

asseT base

finanCial 

sTRenGTH

As a result of aggressive cost reductions 
and mill rationalizations, today we compete 
as a leading, lower-cost North American 
producer. Maintaining this competitive 
advantage is our key focus. By challenging 
ourselves to optimize assets — maximizing 
the utilization of our most cost-effective 
mills and streamlining production to 
adapt to changing market dynamics — 
we seek to remain an industry cost leader 
and to maximize shareholder value and 
earnings power.

Our harvesting rights and extensive 
network of Canadian sawmills not only 
make us a significant lumber producer in 
eastern North America, but also give us the 
fiber management advantage of integration 
from the harvested log through the finished 
pulp or paper product at more than half of 
our facilities. In the U.S., we source primarily 
from the lower-cost southeastern fiber 
basket. The diversified and complementary 
nature of our asset base also provides 
earnings from multiple products.

We make disciplined capital management a 
priority; we believe in maintaining a flexible 
and conservative capital structure.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtThunder Bay, ON

Fort Frances, ON

Iroquois Falls, ON

Amos

Comtois

Senneterre

Mistassini

Dolbeau

Saint-Thomas

Girardville

Normandin

La Doré

Produits Forestiers Petit-Paris

Alma

Kénogami

Outardes

Baie-Comeau

Saint-Fulgence

Hydro-Saguenay

Clermont

Opitciwan

Saint-Prime

Larouche

Saint-Hilarion

Saint-Félicien

Roberval

Château-Richer

Maniwaki

Produits Forestiers Mauricie

Laurentide

Montréal, QC

Gatineau

16

ouR 
opeRaTions

CANADA
CANADA

Ponderay, WA

souTH
souTH
koRea
koRea

Mokpo

UNITED
UNITED
STATES
STATES

Menominee, MI

Chicago, IL

Kansas City, KS

St. Louis, MO

Tulsa/Oklahoma City, OK

Calhoun, TN

Thorold, ON

Buffalo, NY

Detroit, MI

Boston, MA

Indianapolis, IN

Cleveland, OH

Pittsburgh, PA

Columbus, OH

Philadelphia, PA

Cincinnati, OH

Fairmont, WV

Baltimore, MD

Catawba, SC

Grenada, MS

Coosa Pines, AL

Augusta, GA

Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

San Antonio/Austin, TX

Houston, TX

PulP and PaPerCANADAQUEBECAlma / Amos / Baie-Comeau / Clermont / Dolbeau / Gatineau / Kénogami / Laurentide / Saint-FélicienONTARIOFort Frances / Iroquois Falls / Thorold / Thunder Bay UNITED STATESAugusta, Georgia / Calhoun, Tennessee / Catawba, South Carolina / Coosa Pines, Alabama / Fairmont, West Virginia / Grenada, Mississippi / Menominee, Michigan / Ponderay, Washington SOUTH KOREAMokpoWood ProductsQUEBECAbitibi LP (Larouche and Saint-Prime) /  Château-Richer / Comtois / Girardville — Normandin / La Doré (2 facilities) / Maniwaki / Mistassini / Opitciwan / Outardes / Produits Forestiers Mauricie / Produits Forestiers Petit-Paris / Roberval /  Saint-Félicien / Saint-Fulgence / Saint-Hilarion / Saint-Thomas / SenneterreONTARIOThunder Baycogeneration Facilities  (external sales)CANADAQUEBECDolbeau / Gatineau / Saint-FélicienONTARIOThunder Baycogeneration Facilities  (internal consumption)CANADAONTARIOThunder BayUNITED STATESCalhoun, Tennessee / Catawba, South Carolina / Coosa Pines, AlabamaHydroelectric FacilitiesCANADAQUEBECHydro-Saguenay (7 hydroelectric dams)For the full list of our company locations,  visit resolutefp.com. Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtPonderay, WA

CANADA

CANADA

UNITED

UNITED

STATES

STATES

17

Mistassini
Dolbeau

Saint-Thomas
Girardville
Normandin
La Doré

Iroquois Falls, ON

Amos

Comtois

Senneterre

Opitciwan

Saint-Prime

Roberval

Produits Forestiers Petit-Paris

Alma

Baie-Comeau

Kénogami

Outardes

Saint-Fulgence
Hydro-Saguenay
Clermont

Larouche
Saint-Félicien

Saint-Hilarion

Château-Richer

Maniwaki

Produits Forestiers Mauricie

Laurentide

Montréal, QC

Gatineau

Thorold, ON

Buffalo, NY

Detroit, MI

Boston, MA

Thunder Bay, ON

Fort Frances, ON

Menominee, MI

Chicago, IL

Kansas City, KS

St. Louis, MO

Indianapolis, IN

Cleveland, OH

Pittsburgh, PA

Columbus, OH

Philadelphia, PA

Cincinnati, OH

Fairmont, WV

Baltimore, MD

Tulsa/Oklahoma City, OK

Calhoun, TN

Catawba, SC

Grenada, MS

Coosa Pines, AL

Augusta, GA

Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

San Antonio/Austin, TX

Houston, TX

PAPER/PULP

WOOD PRODUCTS 

ENERGY

RECYCLING

CORPORATE OFFICE

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt19

paRT of youR eveRyDay

Our forest products are connected to every aspect  
of the way we live our daily lives. We make the lumber 
that frames houses and the pulp found in tissues, 
coffeemaker liners and diapers. We make the newsprint 
that shares news from every corner of the globe and 
the specialty papers on which books, magazines, and 
catalogs are printed. Our pulp and paper is also in:  
the cup that holds your 8:30 a.m. coffee, the 12:30 p.m. 
napkin in your lunchbox, the 3:00 p.m. presentation on 
your desk, and the 5:30 p.m. air filter in your car. 

It’s easy to see how our forest products connect to 
every part of our daily living. It’s hard to think of another 
renewable resource with as much impact on how we live. 

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt20

Q&a

With Carlos de Cordoba, 
Vice President, International Paper Sales

Tell us abouT youR CaReeR in 
THe foResT pRoDuCTs inDusTRy.

HoW Do sales CooRDinaTe 
WiTH opeRaTions?

My father sold paper for Abitibi-Price, one 
of our predecessor companies, for 20 years. 
I saw how much he loved the work and 
enjoyed meeting all the many interesting 
people involved in the industry. That always 
stayed with me. I studied law and practiced 
for three years, but when an opportunity to 
get into paper came up, I took it. I started 
in customer service with Abitibi-Price’s 
purchasing office in White Plains, New York. 
That was 18 years ago. After the merger of 
Abitibi-Price and Stone-Consolidated in 
1997, I was offered a sales position in Europe, 
where I worked for six years until I was given 
the opportunity to be vice president of sales 
and regional manager for Latin America. 
When Resolute was formed, I became 
vice president of international sales.

WHaT aRe THe CHallenGes of 
sellinG papeR inTeRnaTionally?

One of the fascinating and challenging 
aspects of international paper sales is 
that you have to stay on top of global 
events. Political instability, major currency 
fluctuations, natural disasters — all these 
developments affect your customers and 
the logistics of how you get paper to them. 
In fact, logistics are a big part of the overall 
delivery cost on the international side. 
We operate a very efficient network of mills. 
That helps to manage our logistics and 
makes us competitive.

We’re well integrated. We are constantly 
connecting to ensure sales and operations 
are aligned, that the work is balanced and 
that everyone is coordinated. Also, the 
fact that all our salespeople are working 
under one umbrella — whether domestic or 
international — is a positive advantage.

This is the most confident I have felt 
about the viability and the quality of the 
product our mills are producing since I 
first started with the organization. I think 
the recent quality-improvement work and 
cost-competitiveness moves Resolute has 
made has also helped to make our sales 
team better equipped to succeed, giving 
us more to work with than ever before. 

WHaT Goes inTo ensuRinG 
CusToMeR saTisfaCTion?

Security and reliability of supply are key in 
satisfying our international customer base. 
Because many of these customers rely 
heavily on us for their most important raw 
material, they have to be able to trust us, 
and that trust has been built up over many 
years of delivering quality product on time. 
Going the extra mile for customers has a 
way of cementing relationships and creating 
institutional memory and goodwill that 
become long-term assets for the company.

pRiCinG is essenTial To 
CusToMeRs, buT WHaT oTHeR 
faCToRs aRe iMpoRTanT? WHaT 
abouT THe enviRonMenTal 
aTTRibuTes of ouR pRoDuCTs?

The need for environmentally sound 
practices is really ingrained in our operating 
approach. You have to have sustainable 
practices in place or people won’t do 
business with you. Customers want to 
know they are dealing with a company that 
is committed to sustainability.

inTeRnaTional sales Have been 
GRoWinG. WHaT Does THis Mean 
foR ResoluTe anD youR TeaM?

By starting up Gatineau (Quebec) and 
making quality investments in Augusta 
(Georgia) and Baie Comeau (Quebec), 
Resolute has increased our ability to be cost 
and quality competitive in markets across 
the globe. We will continue to sell where it 
makes the most sense for us, but, clearly, our 
ability to profitably export will help Resolute 
adjust to evolving market conditions.

is HelpinG neWs oRGanizaTions 
sHaRe vieWs anD infoRMaTion 
peRsonally ReWaRDinG To you?

Yes. That was part of the original allure of 
the business. When I was a kid I remember 
watching coverage of the Nicaraguan 
revolution with my father. When the 
newscaster started talking about the 
assassination of a publisher there, my 
father told me the person had been his 
friend. The company had done what it 
could to keep the newspaper supplied 
and relevant — and it was an important 
thing. Our customers have important roles 
to play in the lives of the people in their 
communities, in the history of their countries.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtRESOLUTE FOREST PRODUCTS — 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

21

business 
seGMenTs

22

neWspRinT

#1

We are the largest producer  
of newsprint in the world  
by capacity.

When it is not carrying the day’s headlines, 
Resolute newsprint is used for a variety of 
printing needs such as inserts, flyers and 
other print products. 

We produce newsprint at 11 facilities in 
North America and one facility in South Korea. 
With total capacity of approximately 
2.9 million metric tons, or approximately 
10% of total worldwide capacity, we are the 
largest producer of newsprint in the world. 
We are also the largest North American 
producer of newsprint, with total capacity 
of approximately 2.7 million metric tons, or 
approximately 40% of total North American 
capacity. In 2013, approximately 44% of our 
total newsprint shipments were to markets 
outside of North America.

Total North American demand for newsprint 
fell by 10% in 2013, with a 10% reduction 
in demand from newspaper publishers and 
6% from other users. Globally, demand was 
down by 5%; Western Europe was down by 
6% and Latin America by 7%, but demand 
was up 7% in India. An 11% increase in 
exports helped North American producers 
ship only 4% less overall than in 2012, with 
a 31% increase in shipments to Asia and 2% 
to Latin America. Accordingly, the shipment-
to-capacity ratio in North America remained 
at 92% for the year, compared to the global 
average of 90%.

MaRkeT TRenDs

ToTal n. a.  
neWspRinT DeManD
(millions of metric tons)

7.7

2013 WoRlD neWspRinT CHanGe  
in DeManD by GeoGRapHiC MaRkeT
(% change over 2012)

2013 neWspRinT  
DeManD DisTRibuTion
(millions of metric tons)

5.8

5.4

5.0

4.9

4.5

(4.8%)

(1.5%)

(5.7%)

(5.5%)

(7.0%)

(9.5%)

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

World

North 
America

Latin
America

Western
Europe

Eastern
Europe

Asia

Source: Pulp and Paper Products Council (PPPC)

● Asia
● Western Europe
● North America
● Latin America
● Eastern Europe
● Other
Total world demand

12.8
6.5
4.5
1.6
1.3
1.1

27.8

46%
23%
16%
6%
5%
4%

100%

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt 
Our newsprint connects,  

informs and entertains  

the readers of some of the  

world’s most widely  

circulated papers.

Thunder bay (ontario) pulp and paper mill

RESOLUTE FOREST PRODUCTS — 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

25

From what you want to know  
to where you want to go,  
our specialty papers are used  
to make books, magazines,  
catalogs, flyers, inserts  
and even maps.

26

speCialTy 
papeRs

#1

We are the largest producer  
of uncoated mechanical papers 
in North America, and the third 
largest in the world. 

#3

We are North America’s  
third largest producer  
of coated mechanical papers.

Major printers, publishers, catalogers and 
retailers look to Resolute to support their 
diverse communication needs with paper 
products that provide an excellent value 
proposition. Working together with our 
customers to design versatile products, we 
produce papers for a multitude of end uses. 

We produce specialty papers at eight 
facilities in North America. We have 
2.0 million metric tons of capacity in 
specialty papers, which include uncoated 
mechanical and coated mechanical grades.

With total capacity of approximately 
1.4 million metric tons, or approximately 34% 
of total North American capacity, we are the 
largest producer of uncoated mechanical 
papers in North America, and the third 
largest in the world. Approximately one third 
of our production of uncoated mechanical 
papers is high-gloss (or supercalender) 
paper, mainly used for magazines, coupons, 
retail inserts and newspaper supplements. 
We produce another third of high-bright 
papers for general commercial printing, 
educational textbooks, digital printing and 

tradebooks. The last third includes papers 
for directories, paperback books and other 
commercial applications. 

With 580,000 metric tons of capacity, or 
approximately 18% of total North American 
capacity, we are North America’s third largest 
producer of coated mechanical papers. 

North American demand for uncoated 
mechanical papers rose by 3% in 2013, with 
a 14% increase in demand for high-gloss 
(supercalender) grades, as certain customers 
substituted down from coated mechanical 
grades. Demand was down by 3% for 
standard grades. The industry shipment-to-
capacity ratio was 92% for 2013, unchanged 
from 2012.

Demand for coated mechanical grades 
was down 7% in the year. After being 
higher through three quarters, imports fell 
significantly in the fourth quarter, finishing 
the year down 11% overall. The industry 
shipment-to-capacity ratio dropped 4% 
in 2013, to 89%.

MaRkeT TRenDs

ToTal n.a. unCoaTeD  
MeCHaniCal DeManD 
(millions of short tons)

2013 ToTal CHanGe in n.a. unCoaTeD 
MeCHaniCal DeManD, by GRaDe
(% change over 2012)

2013 n.a. unCoaTeD MeCHaniCal 
DeManD DisTRibuTion, by GRaDe
(thousands of short tons)

20.8%

6.6

5.5

5.6

5.1

4.3

4.4

3.4%

2.0%

(2.6%)

(13.9%)

● STD
● SC-A/A+
● SC-B/SNC+
● LW

1,906
1,435
697
399

43%
32%
16%
9%

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Total

LW

STD

SC-B/
SNC+

SC-A/
A+

Source: PPPC

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt27

Kénogami (Quebec) paper mill

n.a. CoaTeD MeCHaniCal  
papeR DeManD
(millions of short tons)

n.a. CoaTeD MeCHaniCal  
papeR iMpoRTs
(thousands of short tons)

906

719

5.5

4.4

4.5

4.1

4.0

3.7

506

496

439

444

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Source: PPPC

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt28

MaRkeT 
pulp

Resolute has grown its pulp capacity by over 
70% with the 2012 acquisition of Fibrek. 
We produce market pulp at seven facilities 
in North America, with total capacity of 
approximately 1.7 million metric tons, or 
approximately 10% of total North American 
capacity, making us the third largest pulp 
producer in North America. Approximately 
80% of our virgin pulp capacity is softwood-
based: northern bleached softwood kraft 
pulp (NBSK), southern bleached softwood 
kraft pulp (SBSK) and fluff pulp. We are also 
a competitive producer of northern bleached 
hardwood kraft pulp (NBHK) and southern 
bleached hardwood kraft pulp (SBHK), and 
a leading producer of recycled bleached 
kraft pulp (RBK).

Our market pulp — the pulp we produce but 
do not consume internally — is used to make 
a range of consumer products, from tissues, 
paper towels, diapers and other absorbent 
products to packaging and specialty paper 
products. Approximately 32% of our 
2013 market pulp shipments were exported 
outside of North America, including significant 
exports to Europe (14%), Asia (8%) and 
Latin America (6%).

The chemical pulp market grew by over 
1.5 million metric tons in 2013, up 3%. 
Regionally, North American demand was 
up 5%, China, 9%, while Western Europe 
was down 1%. Softwood mills operated at a 
strong 94% ratio in 2013.

Resolute has grown its  
pulp capacity by over 

70% 

with the 2012 acquisition  
of Fibrek. 

#3

We are the third largest  
pulp producer  
in North America.

MaRkeT TRenDs

2013 WoRlD CHeMiCal  
pulp DeManD
(% change over 2012)

9.3%

6.4%

5.7%

4.8%

3.2%

2.4%

1.8%

(0.7%)

(1.3%)

Western
Europe

Latin 
America

Japan North 
America

Eastern
Europe

Oceania China

World Other 
Asia / 
Africa

Source: PPPC

2013 WoRlD CHeMiCal pulp  
DeManD DisTRibuTion, by GRaDe
(millions of metric tons)

2013 WoRlD CHeMiCal pulp  
DeManD DisTRibuTion, by ReGion
(millions of metric tons)

● Eucalyptus
● NBSK
● Other
● SBSK
● NBHK
● SBHK
Total world demand

19
14
10
6
5
1

55

34%
26%
17%
12%
8%
3%

100%

● Western Europe
● China
● Other Asia / Africa
● North America
● Latin America
● Eastern Europe
● Japan
● Oceania
Total world demand

16
16
8
8
3
2
2
–

29%
28%
15%
14%
6%
4%
4%
–%

55

100%

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtFrom facial tissues and diapers 

to paper towels and fine stationery, 

our pulp products are renewable 

and biodegradable, and touch every 

part of daily living.

Thunder bay (ontario) pulp and paper mill

RESOLUTE FOREST PRODUCTS — 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

30

From home construction and  

household remodeling  

to commercial I-joists and  

bed frame components,  

Resolute’s wood products help  

build the spaces we live in.

Thunder bay (ontario) sawmill

31

100% 

of the woodlands we manage 
or on which we hold significant 
harvesting rights are  
third-party certified to one  
or more internationally 
recognized sustainable forest 
management standards.

We are in the process of  
building or refurbishing  
two sawmills in Northern Ontario, 
Canada. By the time they begin 
production in early 2015, along 
with other capacity initiatives 
we’re working on, we expect our 
annualized sawmill capacity to be 
around 1.9 billion board feet, a

30%

increase above 2013.

WooD 
pRoDuCTs

We operate 16 sawmills in Canada that 
produce construction-grade lumber sold in 
North America, mostly on the East Coast. 
Resolute is the largest lumber producer 
east of the Rockies. Our sawmills produce 
dimension spruce-pine-fir lumber and 
are a major source of wood chips for our 
pulp and paper mills and wood residue 
for fuel in our power cogeneration assets 
and other operations. In 2013, we shipped 
1.5 billion board feet of construction-
grade lumber within North America. 
We also operate two engineered wood 
products facilities in Canada that produce 
I-joists for the construction industry and 
two remanufacturing wood products 
facilities in Canada that produce bed frame 
components, finger joints and furring strips.

MaRkeT TRenDs

neW pRivaTely oWneD  
HousinG uniTs sTaRTeD
(millions of units)

1.6

1.6

1.8

1.7

2.1

2.0

1.8

1.4

0.9

0.9

0.8

0.6

0.6

0.6

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Actual U.S. housing starts in 2013 were 923,000, 18% higher than in 2012.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt32

business anD 
susTainabiliTy 
sTRaTeGy

susTaineD pRofiTabiliTy

Resolute’s business strategy includes, 
on the one hand, a gradual retreat from 
certain paper grades, and on the other, 
using our strong financial position to act 
on opportunities to diversify and grow. 
This strategy is based on three core themes: 
operational excellence, disciplined use of 
capital and strategic initiatives.

business sTRaTeGy

GRaDual ReTReaT fRoM CeRTain papeR GRaDes;  
usinG ouR sTRonG finanCial posiTion To aCT on oppoRTuniTies To DiveRsify anD GRoW

STRATEGIC STATEMENT

opeRaTional 
exCellenCe

DisCiplineD  
use of CapiTal

sTRaTeGiC  
 iniTiaTives

AREAS OF PRIMARY FOCUS

•	 Leveraging our lower-cost position
•	 Maintaining a stringent focus on 

reducing costs and optimizing our 
diversified asset base

•	 Maximizing the benefits of our access 

to virgin fiber and managing our 
exposure to volatile recycled fiber
•	 Managing production and inventory 

levels and focusing production on our 
most profitable facilities and machines
•	 Capitalizing on our economical access 

to international markets 

•	 Making capital management a priority 
•	 Continuing our efforts to decrease 

overhead 

•	 Spending our capital in a 

disciplined, strategic and focused 
manner, concentrated on our most 
successful sites

•	 Maintaining our strong financial 
position and financial flexibility

•	 Taking an opportunistic approach 

to strategic initiatives

•	 Pursuing initiatives that reduce our 
cost position, improve our product 
diversification, provide synergies 
or allow us to expand into future 
growth markets

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

CoMpeTiTive aDvanTaGes

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt33

Our sustainability strategy is aligned with our 
business strategy. The company’s sustainability 
approach aims to balance environmental, 
social and economic performance in order 
to maintain and enhance our competitive 
position. Resolute’s sustainability strategy 
has three areas of primary focus, supported 
by public commitments made in a number of 
key performance areas:

•	 Reinforce our environmental credentials, 
taking appropriate steps to responsibly 
manage our environmental footprint;

•	 Position Resolute as a competitive employer, 
attracting and retaining employees based 
on opportunities to quickly learn and grow 
within a dynamic organization; and

•	 Build solid community relations, 

recognizing that economically viable  
and civically involved companies support 
long-term regional prosperity.

susTainabiliTy sTRaTeGy

leveRaGe enviRonMenTal, soCial anD eConoMiC peRfoRManCe  
To MainTain anD enHanCe ouR CoMpeTiTive posiTion

STRATEGIC STATEMENT

ReinfoRCe 
 enviRonMenTal 
 CReDenTials

posiTion  
ResoluTe as a 
CoMpeTiTive 
 eMployeR

builD soliD 
 CoMMuniTy 
 RelaTions

AREAS OF PRIMARY FOCUS

•	 Sustainable fiber sourcing
•	 Climate change
•	 Water use
•	 Product and process innovation

•	 Health and safety 
•	 Employee engagement 

in company culture

•	 Professional development 
and career progression

•	 Labor relations

•	 Community involvement
•	 Collaboration with First Nations
•	 Participation in public policy 

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

sTRaTeGiC CoMMiTMenTs anD iniTiaTives

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtResOluTe FOResT PROducTs — 2013 annual RePORT

3434

susTainabiliTy 
peRfoRManCe

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtResOluTe FOResT PROducTs — 2013 annual RePORT

3535

balanCinG THe neeD foR a susTainable fuTuRe

At Resolute, sustainability is reflected in our company’s vision, 
our corporate values and in the way we do business every day. 
By carefully balancing environmental, social and economic priorities, 
we believe that we will ultimately become a more efficient company, 
a better employer, a stronger partner for our customers and  
an active member of the communities in which we live and work. 

This is Resolute’s second annual report combining both financial 
and sustainability performance reporting in one document, 
aligning with our belief that the two are linked together.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt36

abouT 
THis seCTion

Resolute defines “material” sustainability 
issues to be those that 1) are of high concern 
to internal and external stakeholders, and 
2) have the potential to impact our business 
financially. Identifying an issue as having a 
lower level of materiality does not mean it 
is unimportant or that we will not monitor 
company performance in that area. Rather, 
a lower level of materiality simply indicates 
the topic is of lower immediate concern to 
our operations or stakeholders compared 
to other issues. As the materiality of issues 
can change over time, our objective is to 
monitor materiality on a continuous basis, 
for example, through regular interactions 
with stakeholders.

Stakeholder expectations are identified 
and prioritized through a series of 
confidential, one-on-one, in-depth interviews 
with individuals representing the research 
community, industry, government, First 
Nations, customers, ENGOs, organized 
labor and investors. The interviews were 
conducted by a third party to ensure 
unbiased discussions, and only aggregate, 
unattributed responses were shared with 
Resolute. Stakeholder interview results were 
combined with a detailed industry scan of 
sustainability issues and a benchmarking 
of North American and international peer 
company reports. Using these assessments 
as a foundation, Resolute’s Sustainability 
Report Working Group (SRWG) added 
its own insight to create a list of issues of 
material importance to the company.

bounDaRies anD sCope

We report sustainability performance  
results for all operations we owned or 
operated as of December 31, 2013.26  
Our 2013 sustainability performance 
data is preliminary and subject to change. 
The information will be confirmed in our 
comprehensive sustainability report later this 
year, along with all of our other sustainability 
performance indicators, consistent with 
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) reporting 
disclosure guidelines. 

MaTeRialiTy analysis 
anD ResulTs

We report sustainability performance on 
issues we considered material, based on a 
detailed materiality analysis we completed 
in 2014 as part of our GRI disclosure. The 
results of our latest materiality assessment 
will guide our future priority-setting, in line 
with our sustainability strategy and our 
reporting on performance going forward.

MaTeRialiTy GRiD

Higher

sTakeHo lDeR 
ConCeRn

Lower

poTenTial 
iMpaCT 
iMpaCT

Higher

26.  See “Our Operations” on page 16 for more information.

low impact/ high concernlow impact/ medium concernlow impact/ low concernmedium impact/ high concernmedium impact/ medium concernmedium impact/ low concernhigh impact/ high concernhigh impact/ medium concernhigh impact/ low concernResolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt37

MaTeRialiTy issues

HigH impact/

HigH impact/

medium impact/

HigH impact/

medium impact/

Low impact/

medium impact/

Low impact/

Low impact/

medium concern

HigH concern

HigH concern

Low concern

medium concern

HigH concern

Low concern

Low concern

medium concern

enviRonMenTal

•	 Biodiversity

enviRonMenTal

soCial

•	 Environmental impacts of transportation

•	 Customer privacy

•	 Conservation/protected areas

•	 Green, responsible procurement/

•	 Philanthropy

•	 Environmental regulatory compliance

investment policies 

•	 Product health and safety

•	 Energy consumption

•	 Environmental incidents

•	 GHG emissions

•	 Raw material supply chain  

(especially fiber)

•	 Sustainable forest management  

(to third-party certification standards)

•	 Water consumption and  

protection of water resources

soCial

•	 Lower-environmental-impact products

•	 Non-GHG emissions, effluent and waste

•	 Renewable energy (biofuels)

soCial

•	 Community feedback mechanisms

•	 Economic contribution through wages, 

taxes, etc.

•	 Employee benefits and programs 

•	 Non-discrimination and diversity

•	 Social supply chain 

•	 Community and stakeholder engagement

•	 Workforce training and education 

eConoMiC anD GoveRnanCe

•	 Economic risks associated  

with climate change

•	 Involvement in public policy

•	 Policies on bribery and corruption

•	 Employee health and safety

•	 First Nations relations and  

economic partnerships

•	 Impact of entering or exiting  

operating communities 

•	 Labor relations 

•	 Pension obligations

•	 Transparency and communication

•	 Workforce turnover and recruitment needs

eConoMiC anD GoveRnanCe

•	 Corporate economic viability

•	 Code of conduct and business ethics

Material  issuesModerately  Material issuesLess MateriaL or  iMMateriaL issuesResolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt38

susTainabiliTy 
oveRsiGHT anD 
CoMMiTMenTs

susTainabiliTy oveRsiGHT 

susTainabiliTy CoMMiTTee

As with its other committees, the board of 
directors reviews the Environmental, Health 
and Safety (EH&S) Committee’s mandate 
and provides oversight of the company’s 
overall performance. The EH&S Committee 
meets a minimum of three times annually and 
conducts a thorough review of established 
key performance indicators (KPIs), incidents, 
audits, liabilities, stakeholder relations, 
public policy issues and other developments. 
A monthly report summarizing KPIs is also 
provided to the executive team and senior 
management.

The overall responsibility for our 
sustainability performance resides with 
our president and chief executive officer, 
but we rely on our sustainability committee, 
established in 2011, to ensure we deliver 
on our key commitments and implement 
our strategies in this area. The committee is 
a cross-functional group comprised of senior 
managers from sales and human resources 
to purchasing, engineering and environment, 
among other departments. It is accountable 
to the executive team and chaired by the 
vice president, corporate communications, 
sustainability and government affairs. 

The committee’s mandate is to recommend 
strategies, set goals and measure results, 
oversee reporting and communications, 
ensure continuous improvement, and assess 
stakeholder expectations and sustainability 
trends. The committee is also charged with 
providing project oversight on the company’s 
key sustainability commitments. 

susTainabiliTy sTRuCTuRe

H&s sTeeRinG 
CoMMiTTee

susTainabiliTy 
CoMMiTTee

boaRD  
of DiReCToRs

pResiDenT anD  
CHief exeCuTive offiCeR 

eH&s CoMMiTTee  
of THe boaRD

senioR viCe pResiDenT, CoRpoRaTe affaiRs, 
anD CHief leGal offiCeR

viCe pResiDenT, enviRonMenT  
anD CliMaTe CHanGe

viCe pResiDenT, CoRpoRaTe CoMMuniCaTions, 
susTainabiliTy anD GoveRnMenT affaiRs

CaRbon  
CoMMiTTee

susTainabiliTy RepoRT
WoRkinG GRoup

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt39

susTainabiliTy CoMMiTMenTs

key TRenDs  
iMpaCTinG ResoluTe

   Carbon/EnvironmEntal Footprint and rEsourCE managEmEnt

CoMMiTMenTs

peRfoRManCe in 2013

2013 RaTinG

sTRaTeGiC  
aRea of 
pRiMaRy 
susTainabiliTy
foCus

Reinforce our 
environmental 
credentials, taking 
appropriate steps  
to responsibly  
manage our 
environmental  
footprint

MosT  
MaTeRial  
issues  
affeCTinG 
business

•	 Sustainable	forest	

management	 
(to	third-party	
certification	standards)

•	 Fiber	supply	access
•	 Biodiversity
•	 Conservation	and	
protected	areas
•	 GHG	emissions
•	 Energy	consumption
•	 Water	consumption	 

and	protection	 
of	water	resources

•	 Environmental	 

regulatory	compliance

•	 Environmental	 

incidents

•	 Maintain	100%	certification	of	 

Resolute-managed	woodlands	to	
sustainable	forest	management	(SFM)	
certification	standards

•	 Maintain	chain	of	custody	certification,	

either	to	Sustainable	Forestry	Initiative®	
(SFI®),	Programme	for	the	Endorsement	
of	Forest	Certification	(PEFC)	or	Forest	
Stewardship	Council®	(FSC®)	at	all	
North American	pulp	and	paper	mills	 
and	wood	products	facilities	under	
company	management

•	 Increase	FSC®	forest	certification	 

of	managed	forests	from	18%	in	2010	 
to	80%	by	2015

•	 Achieve	a	65%	absolute	reduction	 
of	scope	1	and	2	GHG	emissions	 
by	2015	over	the	2000	base	year

•	 100%	of	managed	forests	

certified	to	either	SFI®,	FSC® 
and/or	CSA

•	 Instituted	fiber-tracking	systems	
at	all	facilities,	all	of	which	are	
third-party	certified	according	
to	one	or	more	of	three	
internationally-recognized	 
CoC	standards,	namely	SFI,	 
PEFC	and	FSC

•	 76%	of	tenures	FSC-certified;	
however,	late	in	the	year,	the	
company	received	notice	 
of	temporary	suspensions	on	
certain	FSC	certificates	in	place

•	 Reduced	total	GHG	emissions	 
by	over	64%	since	2000	and	 
closing	in	on	65%	reduction	
target	ahead	of	schedule

•	 Implement	standard	scope	3	GHG	

accounting	and	begin	full	scope	327	 
reporting	by	2015

•	 Progressing	in	our	work	to	track	
scope	3	emissions;	full	reporting	
planned	to	begin	in	2015

•	 Provide	disclosure	on	regulatory	

infractions	in	our	woodlands	operations	
and	set	a	target	for	annual	infractions,	
with	a	long-term	goal	of	zero	infractions

•	 Continue	to	improve	our	understanding	

of	our	water	footprint;	continue	 
to	voluntarily	report	to	the	
Carbon Disclosure	Project’s	(CDP)	
Water	Disclosure program

•	 Reduce	environmental	incidents	by	10%	
in	2014	compared	to	the	2013	baseline,	
with	a	long-term	goal	of	zero	incidents

•	 Implement	ISO	14001-certified	
environmental	management	 
system	(EMS)	at	all	our	pulp	and	paper,	 
sawmill	and	woodlands	operations

•	 New	commitment	established	 

in	2014

•	 Voluntarily	reported	to	CDP	
Water	Disclosure	program

•	 Fell	short	of	our	reduction	 

target	over	2012,	recording	 
3	class	1	incidents	and	 
61	class	2	incidents

•	 18	out	of	22	pulp	and	paper	

mills,	9	out	of	18	wood	products	
facilities28	and	8	out	of	9	
woodlands	operations	have	
implemented	an	ISO	14001-	
certified	EMS

=

=

>

>

>

>

=

–

>

27.   Scope 3 GHG emissions are all indirect greenhouse gas emissions not covered in scope 2, such as emissions from the production of purchased materials, or transportation 

activities in vehicles not owned or controlled by the company.

28.  Total wood products facilities does not include Opitciwan (Quebec), Produits Forestiers Petit-Paris (Quebec), and Manseau (Quebec), which closed in 2013.  

Total ISO 14001-certified wood products facilities does not include our La Doré (Quebec) remanufacturing site.

leGenD

Continuing
Commitment

New	
Commitment

++ Surpassed	 

Target

+ Achieved	 

Key	Milestone

= Maintained	

Achievement > Ongoing	

Progress

– Target	

Unattained

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt40

susTainabiliTy CoMMiTMenTs (cont’d)

key TRenDs  
iMpaCTinG ResoluTe

   publiC EnvironmEntal and soCial ConsCiousnEss

CoMMiTMenTs

peRfoRManCe in 2013

2013 RaTinG 

sTRaTeGiC  
aRea of 
pRiMaRy 
susTainabiliTy
foCus

build solid community 
relations, recognizing 
that economically 
viable and civically 
involved companies  
support long-term 
regional prosperity

Reinforce our 
environmental 
credentials, taking 
appropriate steps  
to responsibly  
manage our 
environmental 
footprint

•	 By	end	of	2015,	enhance	information-

sharing	community	groups	at	all	
company	operations;	embed	community	
stakeholder	outreach	efforts	across	
organization,	sharing	best	practices	and	
monitoring	activities

•	 Identify	business	opportunities	with	 
First	Nations	and	identify	means	 
to	increase	Aboriginal	employment

•	 Established	information-sharing	

community	groups	at	the	majority	
of	company	sites

•	 In	addition	to	other	partnerships,	

signed	memorandum	of	
agreement	with	six	First	Nations	
groups	in	the	Atikokan	region	of	
Ontario	—	agreement	expected	
to	generate	significant	mutually	
beneficial	economic	
opportunities

•	 Make	yearly	charitable	contributions	with	
emphasis	on	environmental	stewardship,	
and	health	and	education	programs	

•	 Made	charitable	contributions	 
of	approximately	$1	million	

•	 Ensure	and	sustain	ongoing	outreach	
with	stakeholders	and	develop	key	
strategic	partnerships

MosT  
MaTeRial 
issues  
affeCTinG 
business

•	 Community	 

and	stakeholder	
engagement
•	 First	Nations	 
and	economic	
partnerships

•	 Transparency	and	
communications	

•	 Develop	innovative	products	that	 
help	our	customers	reduce	their	
environmental	footprint

•	 Maintain	effective	sustainability	

oversight	and	management	practices

•	 Maintained	regular	engagement	
with	key	stakeholder	groups	such	
as:	employees/unions,	investors,	
governments,	NGOs,	First	
Nations,	local	communities,	
suppliers/partners	and	customers

•	 Maintained	partnership	with	
WWF	Climate	Savers	and	
implemented	Living	Planet	@	
Work	program,	among	others

•	 Explored	options	to	add	more	

grades	under	the	AlignTM	umbrella	
and	continued	to	offer	lower-
environmental-impact	products

•	 Worked	to	have	our	recycled	kraft	
pulp	meet	U.S.	Food	and	Drug	
Administration	criteria	for	the	
food	packaging	market

•	 Sustainability	committee	
continues	to	monitor	
sustainability	performance	 
and	recommend	areas	for	
improvement

•	 Maintain	annual	sustainability	reporting	

practices	and	transparency

•	 Issued	third	GRI-compliant	
annual	sustainability	report

•	 Roll	out	communications	on	our	Supplier	
Guidelines	and	measure	dissemination

•	 New	commitment	established	 

in	2014

>

+

=

=

>

=

=
>

leGenD

Continuing
Commitment

New	
Commitment

++ Surpassed	 

Target

+ Achieved	 

Key	Milestone

= Maintained	

Achievement > Ongoing	

Progress

– Target	

Unattained

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt41

key TRenDs  
iMpaCTinG ResoluTe

   dEmographiC ChangEs and labor rElations

CoMMiTMenTs

peRfoRManCe in 2013

2013 RaTinG 

position Resolute  
as a competitive 
employer, attracting 
and retaining 
employees based  
on opportunities  
to quickly learn  
and grow within a 
dynamic organization

build solid community 
relations, recognizing  
that economically 
viable and civically 
involved companies 
support long-term 
regional prosperity

•	 Workforce	turnover	 

and	recruitment	needs

•	 Labor	relations	
•	 Pension	obligations
•	 Code	of	conduct	 

and	business	ethics
•	 Impact	of	entering	 

and	exiting	operating	 
communities

•	 Employee	health	 

and	safety

•	 Through	2015,	implement	new	human	

resource	practices	to	support	workforce	
renewal	and	retention,	and	engage	
employees	in	company’s	sustainability-
focused	vision	and	values

•	 Renew expired or expiring collective 

agreements at pulp, paper and  
wood products operations, ensuring our 
competitiveness as an employer while 
supporting our long-term viability

•	 Train	100%	of	employees	on	our	new	
Code	of	Business	Conduct;	provide	
additional	training	on	anti-bribery,	
corruption	and	whistleblower	programs

•	 Hired	over	900	new	employees	
and	raised	company	profile	 
as	a	competitive	employer	
through	new	recruitment	
practices

•	 Launched	new	internship	 

and	co-op	programs

•	 New	commitment	established	 

in	2014

•	 New	commitment	established	 

in	2014

•	 Roll out communications on new diversity, 
equal employment, anti-discrimination  
and harassment policies

•	 New	commitment	established	 

in	2014

•	 Achieve	an	Occupational	Safety	and	

Health	Administration	(OSHA)	incident	
rate	of	0.99	or	below	through	2014,	with	
a	long-term	goal	of	zero	incidents,	zero	
injuries;	achieve	a	severity	rate	of	27	
in 2014;	increase	disclosure	around	our	
near-miss	reporting

•	 Achieved	an	OSHA	incident	rate	

of	1.02

•	 Achieved	a	severity	rate	result	 

of	25.85

•	 Implemented	a	near-miss	 

reporting	system	to	improve	 
how	we	track	performance

•	 Ensure	employees	submit	2	to	3	near-miss	

•	 New	commitment	established	 

reports	annually

in	2014

>

>

>

>

+

>

sTRaTeGiC  
aRea of 
pRiMaRy 
susTainabiliTy
foCus

MosT  
MaTeRial 
issues  
affeCTinG 
business

leGenD

Continuing
Commitment

New	
Commitment

++ Surpassed	 

Target

+ Achieved	 

Key	Milestone

= Maintained	

Achievement > Ongoing	

Progress

– Target	

Unattained

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt42

fibeR anD 
foResTRy

ouR CoMMiTMenT

WooD anD viRGin fibeR supply

We are committed to protecting the 
forest for future generations. We do so 
by responsibly managing the woodlands 
entrusted to our care by:

•	 Maintaining our current sustainable forest 

management (SFM) certifications;

•	 Increasing Forest Stewardship Council® 
(FSC®) certification of our managed 
forests;

•	 Promoting and supporting certification 
efforts of the third-party suppliers and 
landowners from whom we source fiber; 
and

•	 Tracking carefully the sources of  

our fiber supply.

WHaT We aRe DoinG

Some of the highlights of our work in 
responsible forest management and wood 
fiber sourcing include:

•	 100% of the woodlands we manage 

are certified to SFM certification standards; 
almost all of these lands are in Canada;

•	 100% of our North American 

manufacturing facilities are third-party 
certified to chain of custody (CoC) 
tracking systems;

•	 91.4% of our wood for sawmills and 46%  
of our virgin wood fiber inputs for pulp  
and paper mills are SFM-certified; 

•	 40% of our total internal and external fiber 
inputs for pulp and paper mills are sourced 
from sawmill chips; and

•	 12.5% of our total fiber inputs for pulp  

and paper mills are sourced from 
recovered paper.29 

Our sources of wood and virgin fiber  
include the following:

•	 Crown land on which we hold harvest 

rights, short-term volume allocations and 
auction sales;

•	 Purchases from private forest landowners;

•	 Wood chips from our own sawmills and 

from external suppliers; and

•	 Property we own or lease. 

Our harvest rights on Crown land are all in 
Canada. As of December 31, 2013, we had 
long-term harvest rights for approximately 
5.28 million cubic meters of supply from 
Crown land in Ontario. In Quebec, as of 
April 1, 2013, timber supply and forest 
management agreements have been replaced 
by timber supply guarantees. As of that 
date, we were allocated 4.47 million cubic 
meters of supply through these timber 
supply guarantees.  

ensuRinG THe susTainabiliTy 
of ouR WooD anD 
viRGin fibeR supply

In Canada, we operate under very strict 
forest management and wood fiber sourcing 
rules. In fact, a Yale University study released 
in 2004 and a comparative study by Indufor 
Oy released in 2009 have cited Canada’s 
forestry regulatory environment as one of 
the most stringent in the world.30

Our sustainable forest management 
certifications, which seek to balance 
environmental, social and economic 
considerations, along with our chain 
of custody certifications, serve as 
a confirmation of our sustainable 
forestry practices. 

sustainable forest Management 
Certification 
As of December 31, 2013, Resolute held 
SFM certificates covering 22.1 million 
hectares (54.5 million acres) of forest lands 
in Canada and the U.S. All of our managed 
forests are certified to one or more of 
three internationally-recognized SFM 
certification standards. These standards are: 
the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®); 
the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®); and 
the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). 
Third-party SFM audits are conducted at 
our operations on a yearly basis. 

In 2010, Resolute made a commitment to 
increase FSC certification of our managed 
forests and the tenures on which we hold 
significant harvest rights from 18% to 
80% by 2015. As of December 31, 2012, 
63% of our tenures were FSC-certified. 
During 2013, a dual FSC and SFI certification 
was awarded for the Abitibi River Forest in 
Ontario, Canada, a large tenure in which 
Resolute holds significant harvest rights. 
This additional certification brought 
Resolute’s total FSC certification to 76%. 
Late in the year, the company received notice 
of upcoming temporary suspensions on 
certain FSC certificates in place. None of the 
issues raised in relation to these certificates 
involves our on-the-ground practices or our 
compliance with any laws or regulations. 
Resolute is working diligently to reinstate 
these certificates where possible and remains 
committed to our FSC certification goal. 

29.  Includes recycled bleached kraft pulp (RBK).

30. Indufor OY, Comparison of Selected Forest Certification Standards, Helsinki, Finland, July 3, 2009. See also Cashore, Benjamin, Global Environmental Forest Policies: Canada as  
a Constant Case Comparison of Select Forest Practice Regulations,.Yale University, 2004. Learn more at fpac.ca/index.php/en/environmental-progress#sthash.Pb9dhKlm.dpuf.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtWe are committed to protecting  

the forest for future generations. 

We do so by responsibly managing 

the woodlands entrusted  

to our care.

saguenay — lac-saint-Jean (Quebec) region

fibeR anD foResTRy (cont’d)

44

viRGin WooD fibeR souRCinG foR pulp anD papeR Mills

2013 ConsuMpTion anD souRCinG of viRGin WooD fibeR (pulp anD papeR Mills)

Total fiber consumed  
(odmt)

3,533,755

3,371,489

6,905,244

Canada

United States

ToTal

Proportion of fiber 
consumed with  
SFM certification,  
%

Total fiber  
externally sourced  
(odmt)

Proportion of externally 
sourced fiber with  
SFM certification,  
%

Proportion of total  
 fiber supply that is sourced 
through FSC® controlled 
wood, PEFC due diligence or 
SFI® sourcing requirements, 
%

74.7%

15.9%

46%

1,427,864

3,303,521

4,731,385

52.9%

14.5%

26.1%

100%

100%

100%

WooD souRCinG foR saWMills

2013 ConsuMpTion anD souRCinG of WooD (saWMills)

Total wood consumed  
(m3)

Proportion of wood 
consumed with  
SFM certification,  
% 

Proportion of wood that  
is externally sourced,  
% 

Proportion of total  
wood supply that is sourced 
through FSC® controlled 
wood, PEFC due diligence or 
SFI® sourcing requirements, 
%

Canada

7,049,331 31

91.4%

31.5%

100%

Chain of Custody Certification
We have instituted fiber-tracking systems at 
all of our facilities, which are all third-party 
certified according to one or more of three 
internationally recognized CoC standards, 
namely FSC, SFI and Programme for the 
Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).

For both our internal and external wood and 
fiber sources, 100% is procured through the 
FSC® Controlled Wood standard, the PEFC 
due diligence requirements or the SFI® fiber 
sourcing requirements, and in some cases  
a combination of these standards.

We value bioDiveRsiTy

It is possible to harvest trees while 
maintaining biodiversity and protecting 
social and environmental forest values. In 
the Canadian provinces where Resolute 
has tenures, monitoring of biodiversity is 
usually carried out by provincial agencies 

responsible for wildlife policies and 
wildlife management. But the protection 
of biodiversity and forest habitat is also 
an important component of our own 
SFM certifications. Our SFM standards 
require third-party audits and are aimed 
at safeguarding biodiversity, water quality, 
wildlife habitat, species at risk and forests 
with exceptional conservation value. 

We have adopted strategies to safeguard 
biodiversity, which include identification 
of protected areas, implementation of 
selected management practices (such as 
partial or progressive cuts, retention of trees 
for nesting, buffering around eagle nests, 
leaving riparian green belts, etc.), as well as 
natural and planted forest regeneration. 

For more information on our biodiversity 
initiatives, please refer to our 2012 GRI-
compliant sustainability report at  
resolutefp.com/sustainability. 

We aRe a leaDinG ReCyCleR

12.5% of our fiber supply comes 
from recovered fiber, including ONP 
(old newspapers), SOP (sorted office paper) 
and OMG (old magazines). In addition to 
other facilities that utilize recycled fiber, 
we operate two (Thorold, Ontario, and 
Mokpo, South Korea) newsprint mills that 
use 100% recycled furnish. We are also the 
only producer of air-dried recycled bleached 
kraft pulp in North America (Fairmont, 
West Virginia, and Menominee, Michigan).

In 2013, we used 1.1 million metric tons 
of recovered paper in our production 
processes, and the recycled fiber content in 
the newsprint we produced averaged 18%. 

31.  Does not include Opitciwan (Quebec) and Produits Forestiers Petit-Paris (Quebec) joint ventures. Does not include our remanufacturing wood products facilities at Château-Richer 

(Quebec) and La Doré (Quebec) as well as our engineered wood products facilities, Abitibi-LP Engineered Wood Inc. and Abitibi-LP Engineered Wood II Inc. (Quebec).

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt45

ouR peRspeCTive 
on RefoResTaTion

Every year, approximately 0.2% of the boreal 
forest in Canada is impacted by industrial 
activities.32 In comparison, about five times 
that area is naturally disturbed every year 
by insects, forest fires or disease.33 Nature 
itself is responsible for the renewal of 
thousands of hectares of forest. In fact, 

approximately 75% of the area harvested 
through forestry grows back naturally. The 
rest is promptly reforested via seeding or 
planting of seedlings. Responsibly managing 
timberlands, utilizing wood before natural 
disturbances occur and salvaging wood 
after such natural disturbances occur can 
safeguard the forest’s natural life cycle and 
ensure its sustainability. 

Comtois (Quebec) sawmill

foResT life CyCle

leGenD
1994 Harvest
1996 Planting
2002 Spacing

1997

2005

2013

32.  Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). The State of Canada’s Forests: Annual Report 2012. Canadian Forest Service, Ottawa, 2012, p. 7. Available at cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/publications.

33.  Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). Boreal Forest, Natural Disturbances. Canadian Forest Service, 2012. Available at cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/pages/258.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtResoluTe foResT pRoDuCTs — 2013 annual RepoRT

4747

less than 0.2% of  
canada’s forests are  
harvested annually

foResT ClassifiCaTion in Millions of HeCTaRes (MILLIONS OF ACRES)

Total forest and  
other wooded land

Commercial forest

Forests certified as being 
sustainably managed

Less than 0.2% of Canada’s forests 
are harvested annually

397 Ha 
(981 acres)a

235 Ha 
(580 acres)b

148 Ha 
(365 acres)a

0.2%a

a.  The State of Canada’s Forests: Annual Report 2013. Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service.

b.  Human Activities in Ecosystems - Productive Forest Land Use, Natural Resources Canada, 2010.

saguenay — lac-saint-Jean (Quebec) region

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt48

eneRGy anD 
CliMaTe CHanGe

ouR CoMMiTMenT

eneRGy souRCes

As part of our membership in the World 
Wildlife Fund (WWF) Climate Savers 
program, we are committed to achieving  
a reduction in absolute greenhouse gas 
(GHG) emissions (scope 1 and 2)34 of 65% 
below 2000 levels by 2015. This is an 
industry-leading GHG reduction target,  
and is the equivalent of taking 1.62 million 
cars off the road.35 

WHaT We aRe DoinG

We are implementing operational excellence 
initiatives aimed at enhancing the energy 
efficiency of our operations as well as 
investing in clean energy projects that 
contribute to controlling power costs and 
reducing GHG emissions. 

Some key highlights of our 2013 work 
include:

•	 Reduction of total GHG emissions by 
approximately 64.6% since 2000.  
We are closing in on our WWF reduction 
target ahead of schedule.

•	 Sourcing 71% of our total energy  
needs from renewable sources.36 

•	 Deriving 75% of our fuel energy  

usage from biomass.37

Steam and electrical power constitute the 
primary forms of energy used in pulp and 
paper production. We buy fuel, electricity and 
steam from external suppliers, but we also 
make electricity at our hydroelectric dams and 
cogeneration facilities. The latter allows us 
to extract more energy from our biomass, by 
producing both thermal and electrical energy. 
This, in turn, reduces the amount of harmful 
GHG released into the atmosphere. 

All but two — Iroquois Falls and Thorold 
(Ontario) — of our mills produce 100% of 
their own steam requirements principally from 
combustibles, including biomass and fossil 
fuels. In 2013, our Alma (Quebec), Calhoun 
(Tennessee), Catawba (South Carolina), 
Coosa Pines (Alabama), Dolbeau (Quebec), 
Fort Frances (Ontario), Gatineau (Quebec), 
Kénogami (Quebec), Saint-Félicien (Quebec) 
and Thunder Bay (Ontario) operations 
collectively met approximately 44% of 
their electrical requirements from internal 
sources, notably on-site cogeneration and 
hydroelectric dams.

We also use alternative energy sources  
such as methane from landfills, used oils,  
tire-derived fuel and waste plastics, 
recovering their energy value to reduce 
consumption of fossil fuels. 

usinG anD pRoDuCinG 
eleCTRiCiTy

Overall, we produce 18% of our electricity 
needs internally (owned and self-generated). 
The remainder is purchased from third 
parties. In 2013, the combined amount of 
purchased and self-generated electricity 
we used in our pulp and paper mills totaled 
approximately 14,000 GWh. 

We produce electricity at seven cogeneration 
facilities and seven hydroelectric dams. 
The output is consumed internally, sold at 
contracted fixed prices and/or sold on the 
spot market. This allows us to reduce our costs 
by generating energy internally at a lower cost 
compared to open market purchases, and by 
producing revenue from external sales of some 
of the power. 

fuel use foR sTeaM 
pulp anD papeR, 2013

eleCTRiCiTy use  
pulp anD papeR, 2013

● Black liquor solids
● Bark and biosolids
● Natural gas
● Coal
● Bunker C oil
● Purchased steam
● Landfill gas
● Tire-derived fuel
● Plastics
● Light fuel oil

● Purchased – hydro
● Purchased – nuclear
● Purchase – coal
● Purchased natural gas
● Purchased – other
● Self-generated cogeneration power
● Owned hydro power

46
14
10
10
2
10
8

41
33
18
3
2
1
1
0.5
0.4
0.03

34.  See note 18 for more information.

35. Based on an estimated reduction of 7,707,036 metric tons of CO2. Visit epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html for more information.

36.  Does not include wood products. Renewable sources include hydroelectricity (owned and purchased) and biomass used to produce steam and cogeneration electricity.

37.  Does not include wood products. Includes bark and sludge, black liquor and landfill gas. 

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt49

This table provides a breakdown of the output capacity (based on installed capacity and operating expectations in 2014) available for internal 
consumption at our existing production facilities.

inTeRnal ConsuMpTion

Calhoun, Tennessee

Catawba, South Carolina

Coosa Pines, Alabama

Hydro-Saguenay, Quebec (7 dams)

Thunder Bay, Ontario

Energy

Type

Capacity 
(MW)

Consumption
(MWh/year)

Cogeneration

Cogeneration

Cogeneration

Hydroelectric

Cogeneration

64

55

30

170

51

373,000

430,000

105,000

1,050,000

220,000

This table shows the facilities where we currently produce electricity to sell externally as power produced from renewable sources at favorable 
rates, almost all of which we buy back for use in our operations:

exTeRnal sales

Dolbeau, Quebec

Gatineau, Quebec

Saint-Félicien, Quebec

Thunder Bay, Ontario

Energy

Type

Capacity 
(MW)

Annualized sales
(MWh/year)

Cogeneration

Cogeneration

Cogeneration

Cogeneration

28

15

43

65

192,000

110,000

300,000

390,000

Together, all four of our cogeneration assets 
from which we sell electricity externally 
reduced our costs by approximately  
$45 million, not including other operational 
efficiencies realized with the operation of the 
cogeneration assets.

A good example of our investments in 
renewable energy projects is the construction 
of an industrial wood pellet plant adjacent 
to our Thunder Bay sawmill. This new plant 
will convert sawdust and shavings into a 
reliable source of renewable energy. We have 
a 10-year agreement to supply Ontario 
Power Generation’s Atikokan station with 
45,000 metric tons of pellets annually. 

TRaCkinG anD ReDuCinG 
GReenHouse Gas eMissions

Reducing our carbon footprint by enhancing 
the energy efficiency of our facilities is an 
important focus of our operational strategy. 
Having a positive environmental impact 
through climate mitigation efforts and 
energy-efficiency projects aligns well with 
company efforts to manage operating costs 
and GHG emission reductions.

Our participation in the WWF Climate 
Savers program has enhanced our 
GHG reduction commitment. Our industry-
leading emission reduction target positions 

Resolute as an environmental supplier of 
choice and contributes to strengthening 
our overall competitiveness. At the end 
of 2013, our total GHG emissions were 
reduced by 64.6% since 2000, and our 
total yearly GHG emissions amounted to 
4.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide 
equivalents (CO2e). 

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRteneRGy anD CliMaTe CHanGe (cont’d)

50

We are also constantly evaluating and 
improving our manufacturing processes 
in light of their energy efficiency by 
implementing effective projects in order to 
reduce our manufacturing costs and carbon 
footprint. Examples include:

•	 A $12 million investment at our Coosa Pines 

(Alabama) mill replacing four coal-fired 
boilers with two new natural gas-fired 
package boilers. 

•	 A $10 million investment at our  

Saint-Félicien (Quebec) mill to convert 
from heavy fuel oil to natural gas.

•	 A $16 million investment at our Grenada 

(Mississippi) newsprint operation to 
convert the thermo-mechanical pulp (TMP) 
to inter-stage screening long-fiber refining. 
This technology will allow us to reduce 
our electrical energy consumption used 
to manufacture mechanical pulp at this 
site. This, in turn, will directly contribute 
to reducing our scope 2 emissions. 

In addition to incremental improvements 
around energy efficiency, having a detailed 
inventory of our scope 1 and 2 emissions is 
crucial to identifying where they stem from 
and to evaluating where there is potential for 
emission reductions. We are also progressing 
in our work to track scope 3 emissions38 and 
full reporting is planned to start in 2015.

Other mill environmental performance 
indicators were also affected by the closure 
of four paper machines at four of our 
mills during the course of 2013. Closing 
one machine in a multi-machine mill site 
often results in incrementally higher water 
consumption and fiber loss for the remaining 
machine(s) on a tons-produced basis 
because of a loss of efficiencies of scale. 

Total GHG emissions were slightly higher 
in 2013 compared to 2012 as a result of 
the addition, as of 2013, of data from the 
three mills we acquired with Fibrek, as 
well as the restart of the Dolbeau and 
Gatineau (Quebec) mills in October 2012 
and May 2013, respectively.

When measured on a per-ton basis, our 
total direct and indirect GHG emissions 
decreased by 3% compared to 2012 levels.

CaRbon fooTpRinT 
pulp anD papeR Mills, 2013

GReenHouse Gas eMissions  
oveR 2000 levels  
pulp anD papeR Mills, 2000-2013

Millions mt CO2e

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

kg CO2e/mt
1,000

900

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

40%

60%

2000

2011

2012

2013

■  Total absolute (direct)
■  Total absolute (indirect)
■  Total intensity (direct + indirect)

●  Scope 1:  

Direct emissions  
from production

●  Scope 2:  

Indirect emissions related  
to purchased electricity  
and steam

38.  Scope 3 GHG emissions are all indirect greenhouse gas emissions not covered in scope 2, such as emissions from the production of purchased materials, or transportation activities 

in vehicles not owned or controlled by the company.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt“Being a member of WWF’s  
global Climate Savers program requires  
a substantial and meaningful commitment, 
as well as sectoral leadership.  
Resolute’s target to reduce  
GHG emissions by 65% below  
2000 levels demonstrates just that.  
In making tangible progress toward that 
target, Resolute is not only increasing 
their own efficiencies, and cutting costs  
as a result, but also raising the bar for 
other companies in their industry.” 

— World Wildlife fund (WWf) Canada

kénogami paper mill and Hydro-saguenay  
hydroelectric operations (Quebec)

52

Kénogami (Quebec) paper mill

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt53

Mill enviRonMenTal 
peRfoRManCe

ouR CoMMiTMenT

Our operations have an environmental 
impact through the consumption of 
resources and the generation of waste, as 
well as through air emissions. We seek to 
minimize these impacts and to go beyond 
minimum requirements by focusing on 
continuous improvement and by establishing 
environmental management systems (ESM) 
at all our operating sites.

 WHaT We aRe DoinG

In addition to our EMS structure, we 
are implementing mill-level efforts to 
continuously improve environmental 
performance in five key areas: 

•	 Air emissions 
•	 Waste generation
•	 Water management
•	 Environmental incidents
•	 Key chemicals

enviRonMenTal 
ManaGeMenT sysTeMs

Environmental performance is managed 
at the local level with oversight from 
the highest levels of the organization. 
Guided by our environmental policy, mill 
environment coordinators are responsible 
for ensuring compliance with local laws 
and regulations, as well as facilitating 
continuous improvement. The coordinators 
work closely with corporate environment 
managers to identify and manage the 
issues most relevant to a specific operation. 
Each facility identifies key performance 
indicators (KPIs) for which reduction targets 
are set annually. This approach was chosen 
to best reflect the different geographic and 
technological contexts of each operation. 
KPIs are monitored at both the mill and 
corporate levels. 

All of our operations have an EMS in place. 
In 2013, 18 out of 22 pulp and paper mills, 
9 out of 18 wood products facilities39 and 
8 out of 9 woodlands operations had 
implemented an ISO 14001-certified EMS. 

Two of the Fibrek mills acquired in 2012 as 
well as our Dolbeau (Quebec) and Gatineau 
(Quebec) paper mills, which resumed 
operations in 2012 and 2013, respectively, and 
8 wood products facilities are in the process 
of implementing an ISO 14001-certified EMS.

air emissions and Waste Generation
The pulp and paper manufacturing process 
produces emissions such as carbon dioxide 
(CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen 
oxides (NOx) and total particulate matter 
(TPM). We manage these emissions 
primarily through generally accepted 
pollution control technologies, such as 
electrostatic precipitators, and by reducing 
our consumption of fossil fuels. In fact, 
we are in the process of phasing out coal at 
our Calhoun (Tennessee) and Coosa Pines 
(Alabama) mills by switching to natural gas. 
This will contribute to reducing company-
wide emissions of SO2, TPM and CO2.

fibeR loss  
pulp anD papeR Mills, 2011-2013

ToTal suspenDeD soliDs, bioCHeMiCal oxyGen DeManD  
pulp anD papeR Mills, 2011-2013

Thousands of mt

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

2011

2012

2013

■  Total Fiber Loss
■ Intensity

kg/mt
60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Thousands of mt

14,000

12,000

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

0

■  Absolute
■ Intensity

2011

2012

BOD5

2013

2011

2013

2012

TSS

kg/mt

2.0

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0

39.  Total wood products facilities does not include Opitciwan and Produits Forestiers Petit-Paris (Quebec), nor Manseau (Quebec), which closed in 2013.  

Total ISO 14001-certified wood products facilities does not include our La Doré (Quebec) remanufacturing site.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtMill enviRonMenTal peRfoRManCe (cont’d)

54

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
enacted the Boiler Maximum Achievable 
Control Technology (MACT) rule in 
December 2012 that will impose new limits 
on emissions of various contaminants, 
including particulate matter, carbon 
monoxide, mercury and hydrogen chloride 
from boilers as of 2016. We are in the 
process of implementing our company-wide 
compliance strategy. With the exception of 
our Augusta (Georgia) and Catawba (South 
Carolina) mills, the rest of our U.S. facilities 
are already operating in compliance with 
this rule.

We have an opportunity to reduce  
waste through the efficient use of fiber. 
By reducing the amount we lose through 
processing, we can minimize the cost  
of effluent treatment and minimize the 
waste sent to landfill. The company’s 
operational excellence team conducts 
fiber loss blitzes at priority mills to drive 
efficiency, and senior management reviews 
progress toward the achievement of fiber 
efficiency on a monthly basis.

We will report on air emissions and landfilled 
waste in our upcoming 2013 GRI-compliant 
sustainability report. 

Water Management
Papermaking is a water-intensive process. 
We reuse water as much as possible  
and return 95% to the environment.  
The remaining 5% is captured in the end 
product or evaporated in manufacturing. 
All the water we use passes through primary 
and secondary effluent treatment prior 
to being returned to the environment. 
In addition, we voluntarily report to the 
Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) Water 
Disclosure program and continually work 
to improve our understanding of the impact  
of our water footprint.

environmental incidents 
Every incident at our pulp and paper mills, 
sawmills and woodlands operations, as well 
as at our hydroelectric power facilities, is 
tracked. In 2013, we fell short of our 10% 
reduction target over 2012. There were  
3 class 1 incidents and 61 class 2 incidents.40

This increase can be explained in part by  
the restart of operations at our Gatineau 
and Dolbeau (Quebec) mills, and by the 
acquisition of the three Fibrek mills, which 
expanded our mill network. 

For 2014, we set a target to reduce 
environmental incidents by 10% over 2013. 
To support this goal, we have incorporated 
environmental risk audits into our three-year 
compliance audit to identify improvement 
areas. We have also incentivized employees 
to reach our 2014 environmental incident 
reduction goal by incorporating the target 
as an element of our annual short-term 
incentive plan. 

key Chemicals
Our manufacturing processes require the 
use of chemicals to improve the brightness 
of our pulp, to treat our effluent and for pH 
control. Below is a list of the key chemicals 
we used in 2013.

WaTeR DisCHaRGeD  
pulp anD papeR Mills, 2011-2013

key CHeMiCals41

Millions of m3
450

m3/mt
70

Sodium hydroxide (thousands of dry metric tons)

Sodium chlorate (thousands of dry metric tons)

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

■  Absolute
■ Intensity

2011

2012

2013

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Sulfuric acid (thousands of dry metric tons)

Sodium bisulfite (thousands of dry metric tons)

Urea (thousands of metric tons)

Sodium hydrosulfite (thousands of dry metric tons)

Sulfur (thousands of dry metric tons)

Borol (thousands of dry metric tons)

Sulfur Dioxide (thousands of dry metric tons)

2013

 116

79

69

 16

14

11

5.3

2.8

1.4

40. Class 2 incidents include events that present a risk of moderate adverse environmental impact, contamination, liability and/or damage to the company’s reputation,  

such as regulatory charges, fines and the initiation of legal action against the company.

41.  Materials used for pulp and paper production only, except for logs (supplied to sawmills). Unlike other information provided in this report, all data is based on 100% of production, 

including unconsolidated entities in which we have noncontrolling interests.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt55

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt56

pRoDuCT 
sTeWaRDsHip

The Align brand’s thermo-mechanical 
process, on the other hand, keeps the lignin 
along with the cellulose. The lignin then 
serves to give the mechanical pulp two 
things: higher opacity and greater bulk.  
And because this process keeps the lignin 
in the sheet, it requires only half the amount 
of wood fiber needed to make traditional 
uncoated freesheet. 

Our Calhoun (Tennessee) mill made 
significant advancements in reducing its 
environmental footprint in 2013, which 
qualify certain of its products to become 
part of the Align family. One of the most 
important changes involved shifting 
Calhoun’s energy source from coal to 
natural gas, considerably reducing the 
mill’s GHG emissions. 

It’s not just the wood fiber savings that 
are significant compared to freesheet 
competitive papers. A life cycle assessment 
(LCA) demonstrated that the uncoated 
grades in the Align portfolio (Ecopaque 
Offset, Ecopaque Laser, Equal Offset and 
Equal Book) have a carbon footprint that 
is 85% lower than that of the average UFS 
over its life cycle. That means that using 
100 metric tons of Align uncoated instead 
of UFS can eliminate the same amount of 
greenhouse gas emissions as produced 
annually by 22 passenger cars. 

Align uncoated grades are also produced 
using 63% less energy compared to the 
average UFS. On coated grades, the LCA 
found that Align’s ResoluteMax paper has a 
carbon footprint that is 35% lower than that 
of the average coated freesheet over its life 
cycle and uses 25% less energy to produce.

In March 2014, we continued to expand 
our Align™ brand of environmentally 
responsible and budget-friendly papers by 
adding two more superbrite grades, Hybrid 
and Alternative, to our existing offerings of 
Ecopaque, Equal Offset and ResoluteMax. 

Learn how our Align grades have significantly 
less environmental impact at alignpaper.com.

exploRinG fibeR innovaTion

At Resolute, we promote research projects 
to facilitate the commercialization of 
innovative products such as biochemicals, 
bioenergy and biomaterials. We are currently 
evaluating opportunities to diversify into 
renewable energy products. Among these:

•	 Biofuel production technologies: 

We are leveraging our strategic expertise 
in responsible forest harvesting and 
access to forest biomass to investigate 
various technologies that could potentially 
commercially produce biofuels; and 

•	 Pulp and paper process optimization: 

We are focused on reducing waste and 
increasing efficiency in our manufacturing 
processes, while efficiently managing 
and increasing the value of by-products, 
including remanufacturing production waste 
into biochemical and biomaterial products.

ouR CoMMiTMenT

As part of our commitment to sustainability 
and product diversification, we are looking 
into developing innovative products and 
practices to grow market share and extend 
the reach of our environmentally friendly 
products. We strive to offer products 
that help our customers reduce their 
environmental footprint.

 WHaT We aRe DoinG

finDinG neW MaRkeTs 
in ReCyClinG

To extend the reach of our recycled pulp 
products, we are looking into broadening 
their uses. Last year, we began work to have 
our recycled kraft pulp meet U.S. Food and 
Drug Administration criteria for the food 
packaging market. 

GRoWinG ouR aliGn 
eCo-fRienDly bRanD

Our AlignTM family of environmentally 
responsible papers requires up to 50%  
less wood fiber than freesheet. With a 
smaller environmental footprint than 
traditional offset papers, Align papers also 
offer higher opacity and bulk at a lower 
basis weight than traditional freesheet. 
This helps our users reduce paper, 
postage and transportation costs.

With our thermo-mechanical pulping process 
that applies heat and mechanical grinding 
to wood fibers, 90% of the wood fiber is 
used. In the chemical process used to make 
competitive traditional uncoated freesheet 
(UFS) from kraft pulp, the lignin, which is the 
organic “glue” that holds the wood fibers 
together, is removed, and about half of the 
original wood fiber is used.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt57

Q&a

With Marie-philippe Drouin, 
Junior Engineer, Kénogami mill in Jonquière, Quebec

WHaT Do you Do  
aT THe kénoGaMi Mill?

I’m a chemical engineer and I work on 
projects that help make the mill’s thermo-
mechanical pulping process more efficient. 
Many of my projects involve optimizing  
wood fiber length and improving the 
operation’s energy efficiency. One big 
effort we are currently focused on 
is improving the fault detection system 
on our supercalender machine.

HoW DiD you GeT sTaRTeD 
WiTH ResoluTe? 

I studied chemical engineering at 
Laval University and started working for 
Resolute through a co-op program in 2013. 
The mill’s general manager at the time, 
Michel Leroux, came to present a research 
project opportunity to our class, and 
I took it on as a grad project. This got me 
interested in pursuing a career at Resolute, 
and I eventually applied and got hired as 
part of the company's internship program 
for engineers. 

WHaT inTeResTeD you  
abouT WoRkinG in THe foResT 
pRoDuCTs inDusTRy?

When I was working on my grad project  
for Resolute, I would often call people at  
the mill to get information and, interestingly, 
they didn’t always have a ready answer 
because things are always changing at  
a pulp and paper mill. It made me realize 
that papermaking is a dynamic field, always 
evolving. Before I started working for the 
company, I thought my challenges would 
all be pretty straightforward: You take some 
wood chips, refine and bleach them and 
make some paper. It’s a process that has 
existed for generations, and I didn’t really 
think there was much to improve upon.  
But every day we are improving the process, 
working on the details that will enhance 
quality, efficiency or cost, and help make us 
competitive in a challenging marketplace.

WHaT Do you THink of WoRkinG 
in an inDusTRial enviRonMenT?

I’m not a person who likes to spend all her 
time behind a desk, and working at the mill 
is a very active job. There are some great 
challenges to resolve here. If you don’t like 
routine, this is a great environment. It’s also 
a very ‘real’ job because you see the raw 
material at the start and the finished product 
at the other end. 

DiD you WoRRy abouT safeTy?

When friends first heard I was going to work 
in pulp and paper they would tell me to be 
careful, that paper mills could be a dangerous 
place. But Resolute provided me with training 
before I was even allowed on the mill floor.  
I have seen the safety work Resolute is doing 
first hand — all the reporting, the training,  
the careful use of eye protection, gloves, 
boots and hats. It’s all an important part 
of the culture here and it’s something 
I personally value. The Kénogami mill 
recently achieved 996,000 hours of work 
without OSHA incidents. Some of my hours 
contributed to that and it makes me proud. 

WHaT oppoRTuniTy Does  
youR WoRk offeR you?

I haven’t been here six months and already 
I’ve seen far more engineering than I ever 
covered in school. I have friends who went 
to work for engineering consulting firms. 
They work on one part of a process and they 
get a narrower focus. Here, my work goes 
beyond chemical engineering. I work closely 
with mechanical and electrical engineers and 
I’m always learning from them. There’s also 
a lot of retirements coming up so there is 
opportunity for advancement in this field.

HoW Will THis WoRk 
Help youR CaReeR?

This is a great opportunity to learn in  
a collaborative setting. Not everyone 
gets this kind of framework that supports 
learning as part of a team. Because my work 
introduces me to many different areas of 
engineering, I know I will become a better 
engineer as a result.

WHaT Do you THink abouT 
WoRkinG in THe foResT  
pRoDuCTs inDusTRy?

People have been talking about paper 
disappearing for years, but paper will 
continue to have its place in communications. 
Mills that are working to be competitive 
will always see possibilities. I believe in the 
viability of Resolute and of the Kénogami 
mill. Of course it’s always hard to know,  
but I think that if we continue to work the 
way we are working here and focus on finding 
efficiencies that bring down our operating 
costs, we can be here for a long time. 

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt58

HuMan 
ResouRCes

ouR CoMMiTMenT

WoRkfoRCe anD TuRnoveR

laboR RelaTions

Constructive labor and management relations 
are at the foundation of good human resource 
management and, as such, are very important 
to Resolute’s business. Regular dialogue with 
union leaders, local union representatives and 
employees at all our operations ensures that 
these key stakeholders are kept informed 
and engaged.

On February 17, 2014, we announced a 
five-year renewal of the master collective 
agreement covering four unionized U.S. 
pulp and paper mills. The agreement covers 
about 1,500 employees, represented by 
the United Steelworkers, the International 
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and 
the United Association of Journeymen and 
Apprentices of the Plumbing, Pipefitting 
and Sprinkler Fitting Industry of the U.S. 
and Canada (the “UA”). The four mills, 
together with our other U.S. pulp and paper 
operations, none of which has an expiring 
collective agreement, represent almost half 
of our pulp and paper production capacity.

The collective agreements covering 
approximately 2,000 employees in Canada 
are scheduled to expire in 2014, affecting 
eight of our pulp and paper operations 
and approximately 35% of our pulp and 
paper production. We also have collective 
agreements covering 750 employees 
in 13 woodlands and sawmill operations 
in Canada that have either expired or are 
scheduled to expire in 2014.

Our long-term competitiveness is tied  
to our ability to recruit, develop and retain 
top-quality employees with the right 
skills. We are committed to implementing 
new human resource practices to ensure 
employee retention and workforce renewal. 
We are focused on building a company 
culture where results-driven and  
action-oriented employees want to be  
and where natural leaders can grow.

WHaT We aRe DoinG

Some highlights of our 2013 work include:

•	 Hired 921 new employees;

•	 Raised Resolute’s profile as an employer 
using several channels: from enhancing  
our social media presence (Twitter, 
Facebook, YouTube) and participating 
in career days hosted by Cegeps (colleges) 
and universities to sustaining a recruiting 
presence in all our operating communities; 

•	 Maintained our labor renewal rate and  

are on target to hire 4,250 new employees 
over the 2014-2018 period;

•	 Launched our official internship and co-op 

placement programs for engineers;

•	 Hired our first 10 engineering graduates 

through our internship program, providing 
them with opportunities to accelerate 
their professional development toward 
leadership roles; and

•	 Adopted a policy on workplace 

diversity, and revised and launched 
our equal employment opportunity,  
anti-discrimination  and harassment 
prevention policies.

As of December 31, 2013, we employed 
approximately 8,400 people, of whom 
approximately 6,200 were represented 
by bargaining units.

We experienced a turnover rate of 11.7%,  
half of which was the result of retirements 
and the other half was natural attrition.

ReneWal anD ReTenTion sTRaTeGy

We believe that our employees are our 
strongest asset, and that our organization 
is bettered through investing in the 
recruitment of new talent and developing 
the competencies of our people. Over the 
next few years, many of our long-standing 
workers will be taking their well-deserved 
retirement, and we will need to attract skilled 
candidates who are motivated and eager  
to learn. To rise to this challenge, we have 
built a workplace where our employees can 
learn, grow and contribute. 

Our long-term recruitment strategy includes 
revitalizing our recruitment processes, 
leveraging social media, creating new 
communication tools and promoting our 
employer brand: “Resolute. Jobs where 
you grow.” Another key aspect of our 
recruitment strategy is strengthening 
the close relationships we have with the 
communities in which we operate. 

Our human resource teams frequently 
participate in employment fairs, open 
house events at schools and other 
community activities.

Resolute partnered with Cégep (College) 
de Saint-Félicien (Quebec) and launched 
a certificate program in pulp and paper 
manufacturing in January 2013. The program 
includes two internships of 120 hours each 
at one of our mills. 13 students graduated 
from this program in 2014.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtjobs whErE you grow

resolutefp.com

60

HealTH 
anD safeTy

ouR CoMMiTMenT

safeTy ManaGeMenT sysTeM

safeTy innovaTion

We continue to diligently pursue our goal 
of establishing a “Total Safety Organization” 
at Resolute by embedding a day-to-day 
safety-focused culture, where all employees 
put safety first in making their daily 
decisions about performing their job tasks. 
Our commitment for 2014 is to achieve 
an OSHA incident rate of 0.99 or below, 
with a long-term goal of zero incidents and 
zero injuries in all our operations.

WHaT We aRe DoinG

Our health and safety focus is driven by our 
company values and our health and safety 
policy, which is centered on the three pillars 
of our safety management system (SMS). 
Those pillars are: 

•	 one-on-one discussions: These allow us to 
strengthen our expectations and employee 
commitment to work safely;

•	 near-miss reporting system: Such a 

system allows for a high level of employee 
engagement in our health and safety 
processes; and

•	 Hazard recognition: This is performed 
prior to undertaking any tasks, allowing 
employees to evaluate and hedge against 
safety-related risks, which reduces the 
potential for injury. 

Our health and safety policy and 
management system apply to all employees 
and contractors worldwide. Our SMS 
provides for training and awareness, audits 
and monitoring, and employee engagement 
through the use of joint health and safety 
committees at all the operations we manage. 
All employees receive specific training  
on safety policies and procedures to ensure 
compliance with these requirements and 
expectations for performing their tasks safely. 
All policies are required to be reviewed 
annually at each operation, ensuring 
consistent adherence. 

Our board of directors requires audits of 
each operation for compliance with the SMS, 
which we carry out in a three-year cycle.

In 2013, our company-wide injury severity 
rate was 25.85, a 24% reduction compared 
to 2012.42 This severity rate allows us to 
measure the actual impact from injuries  
on the health of our employees. 

On November 7, 2013, our Maniwaki 
(Quebec) sawmill won a regional CSST 
(Quebec’s Health and Safety Commission) 
award for innovation in workplace safety. 
The award is linked to a safety improvement 
at the planer, where workers must replace 
the knives on a daily basis. The Maniwaki 
sawmill designed a lifting system that 
eliminates components without fasteners 
and allows for a more ergonomic and safe 
work posture, with minimal physical effort. 
Innovation has made the task safer and 
more efficient, and the system can be used 
by other Resolute sawmills.

osHa RaTe 2007-2013 anD  
2014 TaRGeT peR 100 eMployees

Number of injured employees

520 307

184

171

145

107

90

3.06

1.95

1.51

1.51

1.43

1.13

1.02 0.99

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

2012 2013 2014
target

In 2013, we:

ResoluTe’s appRoaCH To builDinG a “ToTal safeTy oRGanizaTion”

•	 Achieved a 16% reduction in total 

recordable injuries and a 37% reduction  
in lost time incident cases; and

•	 Achieved an OSHA incident rate of 1.02, 

slightly higher than our established target 
of 1.0 but also our best annual safety 
performance on record. 

ToTal safeTy 
oRGanizaTion

42.  The severity rate is calculated by adding the number of workdays lost to the number of restricted workdays  

due to injury, multiplied by 200,000 hours worked, divided by total number of hours worked.

sTRuCTuRe

 > Safety management system (SMS)
 > Performance measurement and reporting
 > Reinforcement of positive behavior
 > Clearly defined roles and responsibilities

CulTuRe

 > Safety is a value
 > All injuries are preventable — there are no accidents
 > Safety is about people, not numbers
 > Leaders set the example

inDiviDuals

 > Do not compromise safety
 > Commit to eliminating all injuries
 > Address causes, not blame
 > Everyone is accountable

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt61

CoMMuniTy 
involveMenT

ouR CoMMiTMenT

We are committed to building solid 
community relations by maintaining ongoing 
outreach with stakeholders and developing 
key strategic partnerships. Following 
through on our commitment from 2012, 
we launched information-sharing groups 
in key operating areas. We also focused 
on cultivating our relationships with First 
Nations groups, with whom we share a 
common interest in ensuring that our forests 
continue to provide for future generations. 

Resolute continues to partner with groups 
whose actions make a positive difference. 
And we are constantly inspired by our 
employees who get involved in their 
communities, participating in countless 
events and initiatives and supporting many 
important causes. 

 WHaT We aRe DoinG

ResoluTe’s infoRMaTion  
sHaRinG pRoGRaM

Through Resolute’s information-sharing 
program, we maintain strong relationships 
with key members of the communities where 
we operate. The program was launched as 
part of an initiative to better understand 
local issues and concerns. Members of 
each facility’s management team meet 
regularly with local First Nations groups, 
governments, business partners, chambers 
of commerce, environmental organizations, 
educational institutions, representatives 
from other industries, retirees and others. 
These meetings are designed to provide a 
forum for discussion on a range of issues 
of mutual importance to the participants — 
from harvest area allocation and energy 
conservation to controls for noise pollution.

We believe that this collaborative approach 
fosters trust and partnership with the groups 
and individuals most directly impacted by 
our operations. The lines of communication 
are always open, and we are listening. 

DialoGue on 
susTainable foResTRy

While dialogue at the local level is essential 
for building trust, it is also important to 
have open and honest conversations about 
broader environmental, social and economic 
issues facing the forest products industry. 

During 2013, Resolute remained an active 
and committed participant in the Canadian 
Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA), which 
brings together environmental groups 
and forest products companies to identify 
solutions for sustainable development in 
Canada’s boreal forest. Despite a breakdown 
in negotiations among parties in May 2013 
on joint plans to further support conservation 
efforts and forest economies, Resolute is 
still a strong supporter of a collaborative 
approach. We believe that to achieve 
successful outcomes, the CBFA must do 
a better job of directly engaging First 
Nations groups and the communities whose 
livelihoods are most impacted by the issues 
discussed, as well as provincial governments.

While structured initiatives such as the CBFA 
have the potential to deliver positive and 
mutually beneficial outcomes, Resolute also 
supports other forums for open exchange.  
In keeping with our approach to transparency 
and sustainability, we launched, in 2013,  
a social media platform called Forum Boréal 
to share information about the management 
of the boreal forest and foster discussion 
with Quebec communities where the 
company operates. To participate in this 
dialogue, visit the French language site at 
forumboreal.com. An English version of 
this social media platform will be launched 
in 2014.

While Resolute strongly believes in the right 
of free speech and has multiple channels 
in place to encourage discussion and 
dialogue, we do not agree that freedom 
of expression extends to slander and libel. 
In December 2012, Greenpeace Canada 
issued a series of misleading, deceptive and 
factually inaccurate allegations concerning 
Resolute. Resolute provided clear proof that 
these allegations were false.

After being cautioned that Resolute would 
begin legal proceedings, Greenpeace 
admitted that the allegations in question 
made by it were untrue and issued a rare 
formal retraction in March 2013. Since then, 
unfortunately, Greenpeace has persisted 
in promoting certain misinformation 
concerning Resolute.

Resolute has adopted a firm stance in the 
face of market campaigns by Greenpeace 
Canada, including proceeding with legal 
action with respect to falsehoods concerning 
our operations. This decision was not taken 
lightly. Resolute has a responsibility to 
protect its own reputation and that of our 
valued employees, customers and partners.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtResolute continues to partner 

with groups whose actions make 

a positive difference. And we 

are constantly inspired by our 

employees who get involved in 

their communities, participating in 

countless events and initiatives and 

supporting many important causes.

Wabigoon (ontario) tree nursery 

CoMMuniTy involveMenT (cont’d)

63

GivinG baCk To ouR naTional 
anD loCal CoMMuniTies

Resolute strives to have a positive and 
meaningful impact in our national and 
local communities, and supports many 
registered charitable organizations each year. 
As strong believers in a balanced approach 
to sustainability, our major charitable 
contributions are focused on environmental 
and social programs. Through a structured 
approach to donations, we choose programs 
and partners that reflect our corporate values. 

In 2013, we made charitable contributions 
of approximately $1 million. At Resolute 
operations, each facility has its respective 
contributions budget, provided that 50%  
of the funded activities fall within our 
strategic funding areas. Last year, donations 
made by Resolute facilities supported causes 
as diverse as environmental conservation, 
literacy promotion, heart disease research, 
bullying awareness, local children’s 
hospitals, amateur sports programs, cultural 
organizations, domestic violence prevention 
and hunger relief. And proving that even 
small gestures can make a big difference, 
Resolute mills further supported their 
communities in 2013 through actions such 
as donating rolls of paper for a children’s 
coloring contest, purchasing computers 
for a classroom, and providing wood chips 
for a local playground. 

As long-time supporters of United Way/
Centraide, Resolute encourages site-
specific campaigns to raise funds towards 
the organization’s efforts to tackle a wide 
range of social issues. Recognizing the 
importance of education, we sponsored 
scholarship programs at various schools 
and became leading sponsors of Forces 
AVENIR, a program that recognizes 
students who are socially conscious,  
active and responsible citizens. 

We have proudly partnered with the 
WWF as a member of their Climate Savers 
program since 2010. (See page 48 for more 
information.) In 2013, we expanded that 
partnership to join the organization’s  
Living	Planet	@	Work	program.	This	
program provides support to companies 
who wish to engage their employees around 
sustainability. With the support of program 
representatives, employees at our Montreal 
corporate office formed a Green Team,  
and have participated in events and 
initiatives such as an energy conservation 
awareness campaign, an office-wide 
sustainability question-and-answer session, 
and the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-Up. 

eMployees WHo inspiRe

We are proud of the important contributions 
our employees make in the communities 
where they live and work. Sharing our 
time and resources is part of being a good 
neighbor and helps ensure we have a 
positive impact on the lives of others. 

Here are just a few examples of efforts 
undertaken by Resolute employees in 2013: 

•	 Calhoun (Tennessee): Employees at our 
Calhoun mill formed and have operated 
the Goodfellows program for almost 
60 years. Since its beginnings, the program 
has provided assistance to local families 
in need. In 2013, the Goodfellows prepared 
and delivered Christmas baskets to  
275 families. 

•	 saint-félicien and lac-saint-Jean 

(Quebec): Two human resource managers 
from Resolute teamed up to co-chair 2013’s 
“Bicyclons avec la fondation,” a bicycle race 
designed to raise funds for scholarships at 
the local college, Cégep de Saint-Félicien. 
Under their leadership, the campaign 
raised a record C$25,000 in support of 
scholarship programs. 

•	 Montreal (Quebec): A group of 

sustainability-minded employees rallied 
to support Les Amis de la Montagne in 
2013, helping to plant over 100 trees in 
Montreal’s iconic Mount Royal Park and 
participating in a number of fundraising 
activities throughout the year, such as 
the annual Tuques bleues snowshoe race. 
These activities supported Resolute’s 
donation of C$50,000 to the organization 
in 2013. 

•	 In metropolitan areas across the United 

States, employees from Resolute’s 
recycling divisions worked closely with 
their local chapters of Keep America 
Beautiful, with a strong focus on promoting 
recycling in schools and businesses. 

•	 Resolute employees across the 

organization served their communities 
through individual initiatives such 
as membership in local chambers of 
commerce, participation in volunteer fire 
or rescue squads, and volunteering time  
at shelters for the homeless. 

Through Resolute’s safety milestones 
program, facilities receive cash prizes from 
our corporate office when they achieve 
250,000 or 500,000 work hours without 
an injury. The funds are then donated 
to local causes of the facility’s choosing. 
Countless deserving organizations have 
received donations through the program, 
from the Société Alzheimer de la Sagamie 
(Sagamie Alzheimer’s Foundation) in  
Alma (Quebec), to the Grenada Soup 
Kitchen in Grenada, (Mississippi). Over 
the past five years, through the safety 
milestones program, our Kénogami 
(Quebec) mill alone has made C$60,000 in 
local charitable contributions to Centraide, 
the Red Cross and other non-profits. 

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtCoMMuniTy involveMenT (cont’d)

64

onTaRio

QuebeC

lasTinG CollaboRaTions 
WiTH fiRsT naTions 

In some of our operating communities 
in Canada, First Nations peoples form 
a large portion of the population. Resolute 
recognizes and respects the cultural and 
social significance of Canada’s land, water 
and forests to its Aboriginal peoples, and 
we understand these resources are critical 
to the future prosperity of Aboriginal 
communities. 

As outlined in our Aboriginal Peoples 
Policy, Resolute is committed to developing 
and nurturing constructive relationships 
with First Nations. A key aspect of this 
commitment is to engage in dialogue 
with Chiefs, Councils and Elders in each 
community located in our operating areas. 
Through collaboration with them, we seek 
to explore mutually beneficial opportunities. 

Public consultation is an essential step in 
the sustainable forest management planning 
process, and Resolute actively engages First 
Nations in the review of our harvesting plans 
to ensure the company takes into account 
all local environmental, social and economic 
considerations. 

While matters pertaining to authority and 
title to land are between First Nations and 
the provincial and federal governments of 
Canada, Resolute has been referenced in a 
few cases of territorial claims and disputes, 
including in Barrière Lake and land east of 
Mistassini, in Quebec. We take these matters 
seriously and make every effort to support 
constructive dialogue in order to help 
identify positive solutions. 

The examples that follow illustrate what 
is possible when we work together on 
sustainable economic initiatives. 

fort William first nation
On May 14, 2013, Resolute celebrated the 
10th anniversary of its Thunder Bay (Ontario) 
sawmill, a unique business partnership 
between Resolute and the Fort William First 
Nation. In 2012, the Thunder Bay sawmill 
also became the first facility in Canada to 
operate under regulations created by the 
First Nations Commercial and Industrial 
Development Act, which facilitates industrial 
development with First Nations on their land. 
The project’s ongoing success is the result of 
our collaboration over the past 10 years with 
the Fort William First Nation, the sawmill’s 
170 employees, the City of Thunder Bay, 
the governments of Ontario and Canada, 
and the many contractors and suppliers that 
service the facility. 

Couchiching first nation, 
Mitaanjigamiing first nation, 
nigigoonsiminikaaning first nation, 
seine River first nation,  
lac la Croix first nation,  
lac des Mille lacs first nation
In 2013, Resolute signed a memorandum 
of agreement with these six groups in the 
Atikokan region of Ontario. The agreement 
is expected to generate significant mutually 
beneficial economic opportunities.

Wabigoon lake ojibway nation
Resolute assisted the Wabigoon Lake 
Ojibway Nation (Ontario) in establishing a 
tree nursery in their community in the late 
1990s. The company has purchased more 
than one million trees annually from this 
venture to support regeneration activities, 
and has expanded this contract to 1.5 million 
trees per year. In 2013, Resolute forest 
regeneration coordinator John Lawson led 
an educational session at the tree nursery, 
in which children from the local elementary 
school were invited to learn about 
sustainable forest management. Members 
of the community are also engaged in 
identifying employment opportunities 
for the restart of our sawmill in Ignace. 

atikamekw Council of obedjiwan 
The Opitciwan (Quebec) sawmill is a unique 
joint-venture operation that has operated 
successfully since 1999. The Atikamekw 
Council of Obedjiwan owns 55%, while 
Resolute owns 45%. The sawmill is 
located on reserve land and employs 
nearly 80 community members. Resolute 
has contributed to the maintenance of 
road access to the community, supported 
infrastructure, assisted in the implementation 
of the sawmill forestry service and entered 
into wood purchase agreements with the 
community. In September 2013, the sawmill 
was awarded the prestigious Aboriginal 
Business Leadership Award by the Forest 
Products Association of Canada and the 
Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, 
in recognition of its exemplary history in the 
community, its commitment to sustainability, 
the high quality of its production and a 
number of other criteria. 

kitigan zibi anishinabeg 
We have maintained a partnership with the 
community of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg for 
over 10 years, in which we have carried out 
forest management and harvesting activities 
and paid a stumpage fee in exchange for 
volumes allocated to Kitigan Zibi by the 
Quebec government.

aDDiTional paRTneRsHip 
oppoRTuniTies

Resolute has a number of partnerships 
with members of First Nations communities 
across Quebec and Ontario beyond those 
mentioned above. Examples include: 

•	 Working together to identify employment 

and contracting opportunities;
•	 Providing support for educational 

programs;

•	 Collaborating on wood purchase 

agreements, harvest planning, road 
construction and forest regeneration;
•	 Sharing of expertise in sustainable forest 

management and certification;

•	 Facilitating negotiations and providing 

language translation support; and 

•	 Offering support with mapping 

of cultural landmarks.

These opportunities vary widely in their 
scope, from partnerships with one or two 
individuals to large business contracts.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt65

Q&a

With Johnny awashish, 
Process Controller at the Opitciwan sawmill43 in Obedjiwan, Quebec

WHaT Do you Do aT opiTCiWan? 
WHaT Does a TypiCal WoRkDay 
look like?

I start work at 6:00 a.m. Typically I go to the 
woodyard first where I can get a sense of 
how much product is going to be going out 
that day. I’m a process controller, so I’ll do 
things like look at the orders and check them 
against what the system says to make sure 
the numbers all match. If they don’t, I have  
to figure out why. Some of this work is 
about problem-solving, but mostly it’s about 
controlling quality, reducing waste and 
generally just keeping your eyes open  
to find ways to help other employees do 
things more efficiently.

HoW Has youR WoRk  
aT THe saWMill CHanGeD 
oveR THe yeaRs?

I’ve been at the sawmill for 10 years now. 
When I started, frankly, it was just a job. 
But I was curious about how things worked 
and why we did things the way we did. 
My bosses started to give me more 
responsibilities because I asked a lot of 
questions and learned about the business. 
They were patient with me and took the 
time to help me understand and grow. I had 
the opportunity to pretty much do most 
of the jobs here and continue to look for 
opportunities to broaden my skills.

WHaT key CHallenGe DiD you 
exploRe in all THe DiffeRenT 
Jobs you Have Done?

Reducing waste has always been a big 
area of interest for me. It’s an interesting 
challenge: How you can get the most 
useable cuts from each tree as opposed  
to making wood chips, which sell for less. 
It was pretty exciting to finally finish the big 
installation of our new Canter-twin machine. 
It can trim logs with great precision and that 
eliminates waste more than ever.

the blueberry season. The mill also shuts 
down in October for the moose and bear 
hunt. Resolute really works with us on this 
and understands that this is an essential part 
of maintaining the community’s traditional 
activities. It’s one of the reasons our 
partnership with Resolute works. 

WHaT Do you THink is THe 
iMpoRTanCe of THe saWMill 
in THe CoMMuniTy?

The sawmill definitely brings many 
opportunities to the community. People have 
money to build a home and buy a car, and 
they have careers. But it wasn’t always like 
that. At first, some people weren’t too happy 
about having a sawmill. They were worried 
about clear cuts and environmental issues. 
But now people understand more how it 
works. How harvest planning is done working 
with the Band Council. How protected areas 
like hunting territories are respected. In fact, 
I can think of some people who used to be 
opposed to harvesting who now ask: Hey, 
when are you guys coming to do some cutting 
near my place? Because after a harvest, 
there’s a lot of new growth that comes up and 
moose love to eat young plants. Bears and 
wolves follow the moose too. After a harvest, 
it’s not just trees that come back. Many of the 
animals come back too.

WHaT Was youR iMpRession of 
THe foResT pRoDuCTs inDusTRy 
befoRe you Took THis Job? 
Has iT CHanGeD sinCe you beGan 
youR WoRk? 

My dad worked in forestry, but he never 
really talked about it. It was just a job to him. 
I guess I started out that way, but then I just 
got interested in how the sawmill worked 
and that led to doing much more stuff.  
All the jobs that I’ve done here so far, they’ve 
really helped me learn a great deal about 
the industry. It’s an important industry that 
provides products we all use. And I know 
from first-hand experience that it’s possible 
to make those products in a way that 
respects the environment and the land. 

THe opiTCiWan saWMill Won  
THe 2013 aboRiGinal foResT 
pRoDuCTs business leaDeRsHip 
aWaRD. WHaT Does THaT Mean 
To you anD To THe oTHeR 
eMployees aT THe faCiliTy?

I had heard about it, but I didn’t know much 
of the details until we had a staff meeting to 
talk about the achievement. When they told 
us about all the great businesses that had 
entered the competition and how the 
decision to pick Opitciwan was based on 
things like how it worked with the 
community, our safety record, the quality  
of the product we put out and how we are 
FSC-certified, it made us all proud. We keep 
the plaque in the employee break room. 
It reminds us that what we do, we are doing 
very well.

WHaT aRe soMe of THe Ways 
THe saWMill WoRks WiTH 
THe CoMMuniTy?

This is a First Nations community, and 
there are a few traditional activities that 
are a very important part of Atikamekw 
culture. The sawmill respects that and we 
shut down production three times a year to 
make sure everyone can participate in these 
activities. May is the goose hunt, August is 

43. Sociéte en Commandite Scierie Opitciwan is located in Obedjiwan (Quebec) and is an unconsolidated entity in which we have a 45% interest.

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt66

boaRD of 
DiReCToRs

CoRpoRaTe 
offiCeRs

Richard Garneau 
President and  
Chief Executive Officer 

pierre laberge 
Senior Vice President,  
Human Resources 

John lafave 
Senior Vice President,  
Pulp and Paper Sales and  
Marketing 

yves laflamme 
Senior Vice President,  
Wood Products, Procurement 
and Information Technology 

Jo-ann longworth 
Senior Vice President and  
Chief Financial Officer 

andré piché 
Senior Vice President,  
Pulp and Paper Operations 

Richard Tremblay 
Senior Vice President,  
Pulp and Paper Operations 

Jacques p. vachon 
Senior Vice President,  
Corporate Affairs and  
Chief Legal Officer

bradley p. Martin 2, 3 
Chairman of the Board;  
Vice President for Strategic  
Investments, Fairfax Financial 
Holdings Limited

Richard Garneau  
President and Chief Executive Officer

Michel p. Desbiens 2, 3 
Corporate Director

Jennifer C. Dolan 1, 4 
Corporate Director

Richard D. falconer 1, 2, 3 
Corporate Director

Jeffrey a. Hearn 2, 4 
Corporate Director

alain Rhéaume 1, 3 
Managing Partner, Trio Capital Inc.

Michael s. Rousseau 1, 4 
Executive Vice President and  
Chief Financial Officer, Air Canada

ambassador David H. Wilkins 2, 4 
Partner, Nelson Mullins  
Riley & Scarborough LLP;  
Former U.S. Ambassador to Canada

board Committees
1  Audit Committee
2  Environmental, Health  
and Safety Committee

3  Finance Committee
4  Human Resources,  

Compensation and Nominating and  
Governance Committee

Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRtsHaReHolDeR 
infoRMaTion

67

investor information  
and financial Reporting
Investor inquiries should be directed to 
Resolute’s Investor Relations department  
at ir@resolutefp.com.

Vous trouverez la version française  
de ce rapport sur pfresolu.com.

All figures reported in the document are 
stated in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated. 

10-k Report
Resolute Forest Products Inc. files its annual 
report on Form 10-K with the U.S. Securities 
and Exchange Commission, a copy of which 
is included with this Annual Report to 
Stockholders. Free copies (without exhibits) 
are available upon request to Resolute’s 
Investor Relations department. The company’s 
SEC filings, annual reports to stockholders, 
news releases and other investor information 
can be accessed at resolutefp.com/investors.

stock listings
The shares of common stock of Resolute 
Forest Products Inc. trade under the stock 
symbol “RFP” on both the New York Stock 
Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange. 

Resolute Forest Products
111 Duke Street, Suite 5000
Montreal, Quebec, H3C 2M1, Canada
514 875-2160 or 1 800 361-2888

For a full list of contacts,  
visit resolutefp.com/contact.

annual General Meeting
Our annual meeting of stockholders will be 
held on Friday, May 23, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. 
(Eastern), at the Centre for Conservation  
of Boreal Biodiversity, 2230 boulevard  
du Jardin, Saint-Félicien, Quebec.

Transfer agent for Common stock
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
P.O. Box 30170, College Station,  
Texas, 77842-3170, United States
866 820-6919 (toll-free within  
the United States and Canada)
781 757-3100 
computershare.com/investor

Co-Transfer agent (Canada)
Computershare Investor Services Inc.
100 University Avenue, 9th Floor
Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2Y1, Canada
800 564-6253 (toll-free within  
the United States and Canada)
computershare.com/investor

independent Registered  
public accounting firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
1250 René-Lévesque Boulevard West  
Suite 2800
Montreal, Quebec, H3B 2G4, Canada

investor Relations
Rémi G. Lalonde
Vice President, Investor Relations
514 394-2345
ir@resolutefp.com

Media
Seth Kursman
Vice President, Corporate Communications, 
Sustainability and Government Affairs
514 394-2398
seth.kursman@resolutefp.com

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Resolute FoRest PRoducts — 2013 annual RePoRt 
 
 
 
 
abouT ResoluTe foResT pRoDuCTs

Resolute Forest Products is a global leader in the forest products industry with a 

diverse range of products, including newsprint, specialty papers, market pulp and 

wood products. The company owns or operates over 40 pulp and paper mills and 

wood products facilities in the United States, Canada and South Korea, and power 

generation assets in Canada. Marketing its products in close to 90 countries, 

Resolute has third-party certified 100% of its managed woodlands to at least one 

of three internationally-recognized sustainable forest management standards. 

The shares of Resolute Forest Products trade under the stock symbol RFP on 

both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Resolute and other member companies of the Forest Products Association of 

Canada, as well as a number of environmental organizations, are partners in the 

Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement. The group works to identify solutions to 

conservation issues that meet the goal of balancing equally the three pillars of 

sustainability linked to human activities: environmental, social and economic. 

Resolute is also a member of the World Wildlife Fund's Climate Savers program, 

in which businesses establish ambitious targets to voluntarily reduce greenhouse 

gas emissions and work aggressively toward achieving them.

resolutefp.com

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2013 ANNUAL REPORT

resolutefp.com