Resolute Forest Products commitment to sustainability extends well beyond the jobs we create, the taxes we pay and the charitable support we provide. We are focused on building solid, mutually beneficial business relationships, grassroots support, and positive government and community relations through transparency, information-sharing and active involvement in local organizations and initiatives. Ensuring the health, safety and well-being of our 6,400 employees helps Resolute attract results-driven and action-oriented talent.
Our business activities have social impacts on a range of stakeholders, from our employees and customers to the communities in which we operate. To ensure the responsible management of our social impacts, we continuously monitor, analyze and update our performance. The following key performance indicators are required disclosures for our Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) compliant sustainability reporting, in line with the shared priorities identified by our internal and external stakeholders.
Direct Economic Impact
In 2022, the direct economic value generated by our operations through operating costs and employee wages & benefits was $2.3 billion, including $1.25 billion in Canada, and $1.05 billion in the United States. The following chart provides a breakdown of Resolute’s direct economic impact (in millions of US$) according to GRI Standard 201-1.
Direct Economic Impact
(in millions of US$) |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
| Direct economic value generated |
|
|
|
| Revenues |
2,800 |
3,664 |
3,793 |
| Economic value generated |
|
|
|
| Operating costs |
2,236 |
2,215 |
1,956 |
| Employee wages and benefits |
545 |
610 |
509 |
| Payments to providers of capital |
|
|
|
| Capital returned to shareholders and distributed to non-controlling interests |
0 |
79 |
0 |
| Interest, fees, and premiums paid to debt holders and lenders |
34 |
21 |
22 |
| Payments to government (per country)* |
|
|
|
| Canada |
14 |
14 |
12 |
| United States |
89 |
14 |
13 |
| Community investments |
2 |
1 |
1 |
| Economic value retained |
(120) |
710 |
1,280 |
* Includes corporate income taxes; franchise tax; property and school taxes; non-recoverable sales taxes; and countervailing and antidumping duties. Excludes payroll taxes.
|
We also support our operating communities through fundraising, financial and material contributions as well as our employees’ numerous volunteer hours. In 2022, we achieved our annual commitment to providing at least $1 million in community and charitable support by contributing $1.3 million to various community and academic organizations. For more information, visit our Corporate Philanthropy page.
In addition, Resolute promotes the development of local procurement through its Regional Supplier Registration Portal. Our supply chain is in large part built upon the efforts of local, regional and Indigenous goods and services providers, and we value the role they play in generating growth and opportunity. The objective of our portal is to obtain value-added goods and services aligned with our Regional Procurement Policy Guidelines and Indigenous Procurement Policy Guidelines. Over 2,800 businesses have signed up since launching the registry – read more on The Resolute Blog.
Job Creation
In 2022, we hired 1,350 employees, including 148 foreign workers: 114 in Quebec and 34 in Ontario; 165 more are expected to arrive in 2023. We also renewed 26 collective agreements covering 1,700 employees at seven of our Canadian pulp and paper mills and eight sawmills in Quebec. For more information, visit our Labor Relations page.
The employment that Resolute generates is particularly important in rural communities. According to the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), more than 650 Canadian communities rely on forestry, representing close to six million people. Natural Resources Canada estimates that almost 600,000 people are employed directly and indirectly by the forest products industry across Canada. Research by the Economic Policy Institute indicates that for every 100 jobs in the paper industry, 325 additional jobs are supported in supplier industries and in local communities due to the re-spending of wages.
In addition to creating jobs, we support small and midsize businesses in the communities where we operate and actively pursue opportunities to develop partnerships with Indigenous communities, further contributing to job creation and local economic development.
Indirect Economic Impact
Resolute believes that investing in the communities where we live and work creates value for all of our stakeholders. We generate indirect economic impacts through the purchases of our suppliers and the wages our employees spend in their communities. Research by the Economic Policy Institute indicates that for every 100 jobs in the paper industry, 325 additional jobs are supported in supplier industries and in local communities due to the re-spending of wages.
In 2022, the indirect economic impact of our operations was the equivalent of 21,000 full-time jobs.
We also contribute to local economic growth by donating or selling our products to non-profit organizations and local businesses. Examples include donating paper to print quarterly library newsletters, providing tissue paper donation to numerous outreach organizations, and setting aside manufacturing by-products for use as fertilizer in local farmers’ fields.
Supporting Education and Academic Research
Over the years, Resolute has provided substantial financial support to universities and colleges to improve education outcomes in our operating communities and to help spark innovation in the forest products sector. In 2022, Resolute donated funds for scholarships, bursaries and research grants totaling $297,000.
For more information on our support for education and research, visit our Research Partnerships page.