Cutting trees to grow healthy forests
Plum Creek, Client
How a sustainability report aligned perceptions of corporate responsibility with stakeholder priorities
Plum Creek Sustainability Report Plum Creek (since merged with Weyerhauser) owned and sustainably managed 6.6 million acres of highly productive forest land in 19 U.S. states. Perceptions of land management and, in particular, forests, can be fraught (insert mental images of rainforest deforestation). Stakeholders were beginning to require that companies prove their leadership in stewardship, responsibility, and ethics — an area where Plum Creek shone. Under the theme, “Every Tree Counts”, this report used bold numbers and infographics alongside expansive imagery from custom photoshoots of Plum Creek’s well-managed lands — underscoring the intense analytic scrutiny the company operates by in service to their three main focal points: growing healthy forests in perpetual cycles (including responsible harvesting); building a strong workforce and sustaining rural communities; and creating long-term value for stakeholders.
Telling the year’s story through the lens of company value, and values
Plum Creek Annual Reports Shown first: “We grow value from…” emphasizes that Plum Creek’s land is valuable for its trees as well as for it’s other resources and uses, which are also carefully managed by the company to ensure proper stewardship and return on investment.
“True to our core” uses the metaphor of a tree’s rings to quite literally spell out Plum Creek’s values at the center of their organization.
The third report uses “We see…” statements, finishing them with powerful words like “Value,” and “Opportunity,” juxtaposed with inspiring nature imagery to discuss what management sees as the year’s strengths, opportunities, and successes.
A year in the life
