DELRAY BEACH, United States — Office Depot has announced that it will make Domtar's EarthChoice Paper -- certified to Forest Stewardship Council standards and endorsed by the Rainforest Alliance -- widely available in its stores for the first time in the U.S.

The paper meets the rigorous standards of the FSC, which is regarded as the "gold standard" of forest management by many businesses and environmental groups, will be availble through Office Depot's website and through Office Depot's North America Business Solutions Division. The product will also be available in Office Depot retail stores in the U.S. by the end of this month.

"Office Depot supports a number of major third-party forest certification programs," said Yalmaz Siddiqui, Office Depot's Environmental Strategy Advisor. "By adding FSC-certified office paper to our assortment of environmentally-preferable products, we reinforce our vision to increasingly buy green, be green and sell green."

The FSC Certification of Domtar's EarthChoice paper helps ensure forests are conserved through responsible management practices, such as legal wood harvesting, respect for the rights of workers and indigenous communities, and protection of wildlife habitats. FSC-Certified paper is also supported by a number of other environmental groups, including Greenpeace, ForestEthics and Dogwood Alliance.

"The Rainforest Alliance applauds this development that makes it simpler than ever for consumers and businesses to buy paper that comes from responsibly managed forests," said Tensie Whelan, executive director of the Rainforest Alliance. "Domtar should also be commended for its bold commitment to work toward FSC-certification of all its forests and operations."