As we look back on 2021 from our New Hampshire homebase one word emerges top-of-mind: Resiliency. The uncertain recovery period presented so many challenges – those foreseen and those not – that required a combination of flexibility and creative thinking, true, but the resilience and steadfastness of our dedicated workforce was the bedrock on which our success was possible.
Bedrock. A relevant term surveying the landscape from The Granite State. Tough, protective, and foundational, granite is a strong base upon which new structures can be built and supported. Or, metaphorically, a resilient platform for new ideas.
Much like our state’s widely exported granite, Monadnock’s more than 100 technical, packaging, and fine printing papers are in wide use across the world. In the midst of well-publicized global supply chain disruptions, the strength and flexibility of our growing partner base allowed us to not only maintain but grow our output – sustainably– and we increased production by nearly 35 percent.
A remarkable feat and indicative of our long-term investment approach, befitting our more than 200 years as a privately held company that has seen and weathered its fair share of uncertainty. By investing in people, technology, and partnerships we have emerged from 2021 more resilient than ever.
From this grateful and humbling position of strength, we have the confidence to keep at it: reducing our environmental impacts, engineering advanced materials from sustainable sources, and providing a safe, healthy, and welcoming environment for employees old and new.
We are encouraged by our progress and will continue to grow our leadership in sustainability to preserve our beautiful Granite State for future generations.
EAGLE UPDATE
According to the New Hampshire Audubon, it was another record-setting year for our breeding Bald Eagles. NH Audubon staff and volunteers confirmed 81 territorial pairs in 2021, up 7% over 2020. Nearly 80% of the state’s incubating pairs (53 of 67) were successful, fledging a total of 81 young, and matching 2019’s record-high total.
PERFORMANCE COMMENTARY
In a time of disruption across our supply chain, from raw materials to transport, we did not lose sight of our mission. Monadnock experienced record growth yet achieved significant environmental impact reductions ton for ton.
Longer and more consistent grade runs (product mix) and mill wide optimization projects made our operations more efficient.
It was a good year for hydroelectric power generation with a 46% increase in kWh of electricity produced. While we can’t control precipitation, and we got a lot of rain in 2021, we do monitor and optimize the operation of our five turbines along the Contoocook River. In turn, we reduced our purchased electricity by 9% per ton of gross tons of production.
Again, while we significantly increased paper production, we recognized a relative 11% reduction in waste to landfill. We continue to drive waste reduction projects and find new markets for waste materials.
As consumers demanded more recycled papers, we helped them realize significant impact reductions that are quantified through the Environmental Paper Network’s environmental paper calculator. In 2021 we increased the sales of our post-consumer waste recycled fiber products by 19%.
MONADNOCK GREEN TEAM
The ongoing success of Monadnock’s sustainability initiatives is attributed to a company-wide effort fully supported by Monadnock’s executive management and spearheaded by the “Green Team”. Comprised of members from across all functional areas of the Company, the Team identifies opportunities for environmental impact reductions and reports the results across the company to promote transparency and awareness.
Labor shortages had an impact on our ability to complete improvement projects that were slotted for 2021. We were able to achieve the following results through efficiency and upgrade projects:
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Saved kWH | 88,062 | 105,502 | 112,000 | 100,000 |
| Saved Oil gal | 33,174 | 23,950 | 51,405 | 13,300 |
| Relative CO2e pounds avoided† | 824,244 | 595,063 | 1,277,212 | 487,338 |
MEASURE WHAT MATTERS
| ENERGY | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Electrical: kWH used per ton of production | 652 | 599 | 631 | 576 | -9% |
| Thermal: Oil Consumed YTD Gallons Per Ton (Goal 50) | 52.5 | 52.5 | 52.9 | 51.2 | -3% |
| Total On Site Hydroelectric Power Produced kWH | 6,399,600 | 4,507,800 | 4,561,000 | 6,654,500 | 46% |
| WATER – Goal 6,500 gal | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Mill Water use gal per Gross Ton | 6,913 | 6,769 | 6,973 | 6,421 | -8% |
| RECYCLED FIBER | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Percentage of Gross Pounds Produced | 12.16% | 9.79% | 12.23% | 14.60% | 19% |
| Waste Avoided (Pounds)^ | 160,000 | 160,000 | 170,000 | 270,000 | 59% |
| BTUs Not Consumed (MM)^ | 20,700 | 19,200 | 21,000 | 33,800 | 61% |
| Pounds wood saved^ | 16,440,000 | 15,240,000 | 16,640,000 | 26,800,000 | 61% |
| GHG CO2 Not Produced (Pounds)^ | 21,300,000 | 19,800,000 | 21,500,000 | 41,062,038 | 91% |
| Wastewater Not Produced (Gal)^ | 4,000,000 | 3,700,000 | 4,000,000 | 6,400,000 | 60% |
| WASTE | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Trash to Landfill Tons Actual | 42.5 | 52.8 | 45.2 | 54.74 | 21% |
| Trash to Landfill Tons/ Per Gross Tons Produced | 0.25% | 0.27% | 0.27% | 0.24% | -11%* |
| Trash Recycled Tons | 597.4 | 626.2 | 618.9 | 624 | 1% |
| Mixed Paper Tons Repurposed Tons | 2,374 | 2,324 | 1,922 | 2,099 | 9.2% |
| Mixed Paper Tons/Gross Tons Produced | 14% | 11.9% | 11.2% | 9.2% | -17.8%** |
**Note relative increase in production far exceeds increase in mixed paper repurposed. Mixed paper repurposed includes machine trim, slabs, outer wraps, quality control samples, non-repulpable broke
COMMUNITY
Monadnock Worksource, a non-profit agency, provides and fosters work experiences for individuals with physical or intellectual challenges. For well over 20 years, we have collaborated with Worksource to offer their disabled clients employment opportunities. Our Worksource friends enrich our lives every day, providing important support to our teams with a willingness to get the job done. We celebrate, respect and value everything they bring to our workplace each week.
We also support our community in a host of other ways. Here are just a few of the activities that were important to the health and wellbeing of our people, their families and the greater community in 2021.
Bennington Earth Day Compassionate Friends
Grand Monadnock Rotary Club Granite State Independent Living
Antrim & Bennington Food Pantry Hillsboro Food Pantry
Peterborough Food Pantry Hillsboro History Alive
MacDowell Colony Medal Day LISTEN Drug Abuse Prevention Program
USW
Monadnock recognizes and works in partnership with the United Steelworkers, AFL-CIO-CLC, through its Local No. 4-0472, as the sole collective bargaining unit for its hourly employees.
The purpose of this partnership is to further the safety of the employees, continuity of operation, quality, and quantity of output, cleanliness of the plant and protection of property.
SGP PARTNERSHIP
Monadnock is a long-time leader in crafting sustainable and premium printing, packaging, and specialty technical papers for leading brands worldwide. Furthering our commitment to the industry’s growing print sustainable supply chain we became a Patron of the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP). Operating under a third-party certified ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, the synergistic alignment and partnership with SGP will help us to better understand and serve our mutual stakeholders and customers.
THIRD-PARTY CERTIFICATION/VERIFICATION
ISO 9001:2015 Certified Quality Management System
ISO 14001:2015 Certified Environmental Management System
Forest Stewardship Council Certified FSC C018866
Green-e – 100% Renewable Wind-Powered Electricity
GHG Clean Projects Protocol – Verified Emission Reductions for 100% Carbon Neutral Manufacturing
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2022
Consumers continue to demand recycled and alternative fiber products. They want less plastic in the world. States and entire countries are passing legislation banning single use plastics. Plans are underway to pass end-of-life municipal waste costs of packaging to the producers (Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR).
The better prepared companies are to handle this inevitability, the stronger and more resilient they will be. So, we must continue down this path to a more sustainable future – to behave responsibly, to be transparent and authentic.
It makes sense that our next step is to embark on a reassessment of our CSR activities through EcoVadis. We have committed to submit our performance for re-evaluation in the EcoVadis Corporate Social Responsibility supply chain assessment. With our concerted efforts and considerable improvement across environmental, social and ethics policies, procedures, and metrics, we feel we stand a good chance to improve our rating beyond Silver in 2022.
ECOVADIS
EcoVadis is the world’s most trusted independent provider of business sustainability ratings, intelligence, and collaborative performance improvement tools for global supply chains. Over 90,000 companies from over 160 countries across more than 200 purchasing categories have been assessed. Companies are evaluated for their performance in terms of a total of 21 criteria, which in turn are divided into four general areas: environment, labor, and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.
