BOSTON, Sept. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sappi Fine Paper North America has been nominated for three awards in the fourth annual 2012 Pulp & Paper International (PPI) Awards. The PPI Awards are the only global awards dedicated to recognizing these achievements in various sectors of the pulp and paper industry.

Sappi Fine Paper North America has been declared a finalist for three awards spanning three different categories. The award nominations are a testament to Sappi's continued strong performance in the market, the impact our strategic initiatives have on positioning the company for the future and the valuable tools and resources Sappi provides our customers:

• Executive Leadership: Global CEO of the Year Award – Mark Gardner, CEO and President of Sappi Fine Paper North America is recognized for posting consistently strong financial results, overall strategy and outstanding leadership and vision. His proven industry track record spans a thirty-year career of achievements with the Company, which includes successfully implementing cost-efficiencies, upgrades in renewable energy and innovative capital expansions; most notably the $170M investment in the Cloquet pulp mill to convert from kraft pulp to chemical cellulose. Recently, Gardner has been invited to speak on the CEO Panel at the upcoming RISI 27th annual North American Forest Products Conference in Boston, Oct. 4, 2012.
• Company Award: Environmental Strategy of the Year Award – Our company-wide commitment to environmental strategy is recognized for excellence in achieving operational goals, contributing to step change improvements in reducing emissions, waste management, and increased productivity. As an integral and inseparable part of our business, the sustainable practices outlined in our Sustainability Report are exercised across the organization through dedicated employee education, civic responsibility and triple certification programs.
• Environmental Message, Promotional Campaign of the Year: eQ Journal 004:Taking the Guilt out of Paper – eQ is Sappi's industry-leading branded communication platform on sustainability and includes the eQ Microsite, which is designed to elevate readers' environmental knowledge with blog posts, videos and insights into the industry. Our latest issue, eQ Journal 004: Taking the Guilt out of Paper is recognized for debunking the myths and guilt associated with paper by providing evidence in how sustainable forestry results in healthier forests and thriving wildlife. Discussed from multiple perspectives of foresters, conservationists, customers and academics, the issue asks key questions to enable readers to engage in meaningful dialogue about forestry.

Mark Rushton, Editor of PPI magazine and Chairman of the jury for the PPI Awards 2012, commented: "Over the course of the last four years we at RISI have watched with growing pride as the PPI Awards have caught the imagination of the pulp and paper industry around the globe. We now have entries coming in from all continents and from many countries all over the world, with submissions across all the different grades and products, and with an increasingly extremely high quality."

In addition to being named a PPI finalist, Sappi Fine Paper North America has received recognition from the annual 2012 Gold Ink Awards print contest with Gold winners in ten categories printed on Sappi paper, including the Softcover Books category with our own The Standard 5.

Jennifer Miller, executive vice-president of strategic marketing and chief sustainability officer, Sappi Fine Paper North America said: "Through experienced leadership and strategic innovation, our continued strong position in the industry is reflected in our management performance, advancements in environmental strategy and commitment to print advocacy. We are honored to be recognized as a finalist in the 2012 PPI Awards."

Industry renowned names such as Teresa Presas (CEPI), Martyn Eustace (Two Sides), Rod Young (RISI) and Bob Latham (Delphi Projects) were involved in the judging, along with other experts in different fields. RISI will be publishing more information on the finalists in the November issue of PPI magazine as well as on the RISI and PPI Awards websites.

This year's winners will be announced at a spectacular ceremony at Le Plaza Hotel, Brussels, on Monday, November 12, 2012.

About Sappi Fine Paper North America
Sappi Fine Paper North America, known for innovation and quality, is a preeminent North American producer of coated fine and release papers headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.  Its coated fine papers, with highly recognized brand names such as McCoy, Opus, Somerset, and Flo, are used in premium magazines, catalogs, books, and high-end print advertising.  Sappi's mills in North America are triple chain of custody certified to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI), and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Over 85% of the energy used by Sappi's North American mills comes from renewable resources, resulting in one of the lowest carbon footprints of any major North American coated paper supplier. The company is also the world's leading supplier of Release papers for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries, including the globally recognized Ultracast brand. Sappi's Release papers provide the surface aesthetics for synthetic fabrics used in footwear, clothing, upholstery and accessories, as well as the textures for decorative laminates found in kitchens, baths, flooring and other decorative surfaces. Sappi Fine Paper North America is a division of Sappi Limited (NYSE: SPP and JSE: SAP), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with manufacturing operations on four continents in 9 countries, sales offices in 35 countries, and customers in over 100 countries around the world. For more information about Sappi Fine Paper North America, visit: www.sappi.com/na

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