Marcal Paper Recognizes Staples' Environmental Marketing Accomplishments

Boston Commons receives 10 trees in commemoration of the award.

Marcal Paper Mills Inc. today announced that it is awarding Staples Inc. with the 2002 Marcal Environmental Marketing Excellence Award, which recognizes outstanding marketers of recycled and environmentally responsible products.

Nick Marcalus, President/CEO of Marcal, presented the award to Staples Chairman Thomas Stemberg, who accepted on behalf of Staples at the company's home office in Boston. To commemorate the occasion, Marcal donated $10,000 to the City of Boston for 10 trees that were selected and planted by the Parks Department in historic Boston Common.

“We are extremely pleased to present Staples with this award," Marcalus says. "I am particularly glad that Tom Stemberg, whose entrepreneurial spirit pioneered the office supply superstore industry, had the vision to offer environmentally progressive products. Back in 1986, Tom personally asked Marcal to be Staples' first provider of toilet, toweling, napkins and facial tissue paper products – all made from recycled paper – for their first store in Brighton, Mass. We are proud to work with Staples as they continue their leadership in providing customers with a wide selection of recycled content products."

“Staples is honored by Marcal's recognition of our environmental product marketing," Stemberg says. "Marcal has been a tremendous partner in helping us provide environmentally friendly products to our small business customers for 16 years. As part of Staples' overall environmental commitment, we look forward to promoting high quality recycled content products into the future."

The Marcal Environmental Marketing Excellence Award honor reflects Staples' commitment to the environment. Staples is dedicated to protecting and preserving natural resources through its leadership in the purchase and promotion of recycled content products, chain-wide recycling initiatives, energy conservation programs and educational initiatives for customers and associates. Including Marcal's innovative recycled-content products, Staples currently offers about 1,000 recycled content products – from copy paper to corrugated storage boxes to remanufactured ink cartridges – through its stores, Web site and catalogs.