DOMTAR - Domtar EarthChoice Ambassadors Step in to Help Our Communities Across North America

Engagement

Domtar EarthChoice Ambassadors Step in to Help Our Communities Across North America

Throughout our nearly 175-year history, Domtar has remained deeply rooted in the communities where our employees live and raise their families. Today, we have a presence in more than 20 locations. We know that maintaining strong relations with our neighbors is critical to our communities’ success.

In response to the pandemic, Domtar’s employees, including those in our EarthChoice Ambassador (ECA) program, came together to support our neighbors while working with COVID-19 restrictions. Local staff volunteered hours on programs to improve health outcomes, meet the personal challenges of families in our communities, distribute medical supplies to our first responders and medical workers, and offer educational assistance to children learning from home.

Domtar continues to work with community partners to promote sustainable practices, sustain the health and safety of our employees and neighbors, improve livelihoods, enhance resilience, and build a better future.

Here are some of the many community investment projects accomplished by our ECA teams in 2020 and 2021:

Now in its 11^th year, Domtar’s EarthChoice Ambassador program promotes sustainable practices that focus on our customers, employees, company and communities.By identifying and sharing innovative solutions, educating and encouraging sustainable habits, and leading by example, these ambassadors amplify our sustainability message throughout our organization and beyond.

Ashdown, Arkansas

The Ashdown Mill ECA team volunteered at the Ashdown Community Auction to raise money for the beautification and improvement of the downtown area and city park. Ashdown Mill ECAs also partnered with the mill’s wood procurement group for a tree seedling giveaway event, distributing more than 1,000 seedlings to residents.

The Ashdown Mill team participated in the clean-up of a two-mile stretch of the Highway 71 frontage in Ashdown. The team also volunteered in early 2021 at the Harvest Regional Food Bank and packaged over 4,000 pounds of meals for residents.

Bennettsville, South Carolina

To address a pressing need in their community, ECAs from our Marlboro Mill moved quickly to send diapers and books directly to the organizations serving families in need in early 2020. The mill sent diaper donations to the Pee Dee Pregnancy Resource Center to help new mothers as they navigate parenting. They also supplied books to the local school district to distribute through its lunch delivery program while school was not in session.

Windsor, Quebec

Windsor Mill ECAs donated 1,000 N95 masks to regional hospitals, cleaned up local parks and held a school supply drive for children learning at home during the pandemic. They also raised funds for a children’s foundation that provides educational assistance to children in need.

Dryden, Ontario

The Dryden Mill participated in the city’s “At Work for the Planet” clean-up day at two local parks in celebration of National Forestry Week. They also held their first “Fall Fest,” which featured outdoor vendors and a walk through the Laura Howe Marsh Trail, previously cleaned up and maintained by Domtar ECAs and community volunteers.

Hawesville, Kentucky

ECAs from our Hawesville Mill created special “Thinking of You” cards and distributed them to a local nursing home during the pandemic. They also donated books through First Book, and participated in a virtual reading activity for a local elementary school. Kids were given backpacks with the EarthChoice logo, along with activity books and bookmarks. They also conducted a river cleanup in the area.

Rothschild, Wisconsin

ECAs at our Rothschild Mill participated in two community cleanup projects through Adopt-A-Highway and at the Domtar boat landing. Employees donated gardening tools to support the North Central Health Care Facility to start a garden for youth patients during their treatment.

Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania

The Johnsonburg Mill ECA team participated in the Knothole baseball field clean-up activity and donated fencing and tin for dugouts. During Youth Field Day in Elk County, goodie bags were handed out to participants. Employees also organized a mill-wide toy collection drive and volunteers wrapped gifts to be distributed to kids in need for Project Gifts for Kids.

Tatum, South Carolina

Tatum Converting Center ECA teams volunteered more than 500 hours in the last two years, preparing and delivering meals to the Community Kitchen Meal. They also participated in the cleaning of the Tatum Church and cemetery, and in the McColl School’s book event and Dr. Seuss Week activities by reading and donating books to students.

Plymouth, North Carolina

ECAs at our Plymouth Mill typically sponsor a school supply drive to support the local school district, but due to the changing needs in 2020, instead they purchased internet hotspots for local students that didn’t have reliable internet at home. They also provided $3,000 to the United Fund and supported the Humane Society by providing food, litter and veterinary care to displaced and abandoned animals. In addition, they provided much-needed disaster relief in the aftermath of tropical storm Isaias, and donated to the Ronald McDonald House of Eastern North Carolina, which provides temporary housing for families of seriously ill or injured children receiving treatment from area medical facilities.

This past summer, our Plymouth Mill employees donated books for middle school students to the Read Program to promote literacy in the community. They provided school materials and resources to students and created informational booths at the Back-to-School BASH event. They also donated $500 to the Martin Community College Foundation Scholarship Golf Classic for students in vocational areas of electrical, welding, HVAC and others.

Nekoosa, Wisconsin

The Nekoosa Mill ECA team participated in the Men in the Kitchen fundraiser for the Family Center, a shelter for abused women and families. During this activity, eight men from the mill planned, prepared and served their guests. They sponsored four children for the Shining Star Holiday Gift Giving Project for Chahk Ha Chee Head Start by buying gifts, including clothing, shoes, toys and books. More recently, employees hosted an 18-hole golf scramble for 36 teams during the Domtar United Way Golf Scramble that benefits the United Way of South Wood and Adams counties.

Espanola, Ontario

Our Espanola Mill participated in the Sagamok Learning Initiatives Program by sponsoring a class at Sagamok First Nation to assist children in reaching provincial reading requirements. ECAs from Espanola donated gift cards to a local café and provided meals to families in the area whose children depended on the school’s breakfast and lunch programs.

Montreal, Quebec

Our Montreal employees partnered with Earth Rangers, a Canadian youth environmental education and conservation nonprofit, to teach students and their families about biodiversity, inspire them to adopt sustainable behaviors, and empower them to become directly involved in protecting animals and their habitats. During Earthweek in 2021, several activities were organized for employees such as a conference on the impact of climate change, articles on the decline in the bee population, the water cycle in Montreal and rummage day 2.0 on how to recycle and where to donate items.

Washington Court House, Ohio

The Washington Court House Converting Center ECA team participated in the Fayette County Fair by contributing to 4-H projects that empower all youth to reach their full potential. For the occasion, children raised animals, showed and sold them during the Junior Fair Livestock Sale.

Domtar EarthChoice Ambassadors Step in to Help Our Communities Across North America

Here are some of the many community investment projects accomplished by our ECA teams in 2020 and 2021:

Now in its 11^th year, Domtar’s EarthChoice Ambassador program promotes sustainable practices that focus on our customers, employees, company and communities.By identifying and sharing innovative solutions, educating and encouraging sustainable habits, and leading by example, these ambassadors amplify our sustainability message throughout our organization and beyond.