greenpiece: Making the Grade on Green

Mix an international nonprofit with a large paper distribution company and what do you get?

Hopefully, high marks on supplier sustainability.

Net Impact, an international nonprofit based in San Francisco, announced it is teaming with Cincinnati-based xpedx, International Paper's North American distribution business, to host a student competition promoting ongoing sustainable business practices in xpedx's supply chain. As part of the competition, Master of Business Administration (MBA) students from the Net Impact network will develop a survey and scorecard that xpedx can use to document the sustainability goals and policies of the manufacturers xpedx represents.

xpedx's supply chain includes the leading manufacturers in the print, packaging and janitorial-sanitary industries. xpedx is one of the largest distribution companies in North America. xpedx distributes a wide variety of print, packaging and facility solutions supplies and equipment to printers, manufacturers, retailers and commercial facilities from more than 200 locations across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

"Gaining additional insight into our supplier sustainability initiatives, and working collaboratively to further those efforts, is integral to our sustainability strategy," said David Wallace, xpedx's director, sustainability. "By engaging Net Impact and developing an impartial survey and scorecard process, we will better understand the 'state of sustainability' across multiple industries. That benefits everyone."

Net Impact will select three student teams from its network of more than 170 MBA chapters worldwide. The teams will work with xpedx and its strategic suppliers to develop their projects, submitting their final surveys, scorecards and analyses by early May. Competing teams will present their projects to a panel of judges that will include leaders from xpedx and participating suppliers and manufacturers, as well as an environmental organization. The winning team will receive a cash prize and have the opportunity to present its work to xpedx senior leaders at its business headquarters, as well as to Net Impact.