Human rights statement

International Paper is committed to protecting and upholding the human rights of our employees and any others with whom we are in contact. Our unwavering commitment to human rights is embodied in our Code of Conduct, our Third Party Code of Conduct and our corporate policies.

Our Code of Conduct provides the framework of the expected standards of behavior and foremost of which is to always do the right thing. Fundamentally, we believe International Paper can help promote respect for human rights through the examples of its actions and its values. We are committed to working against human rights abuses, we comply with applicable labor and employment laws of every country in which we operate, we draw on internationally recognized labor principles, like those contained in the UN Declaration of Human Rights, in how we treat our employees and conduct our business. Therefore, IP does not tolerate child labor, forced labor, physical punishment or abuse, harassment, discrimination or retaliation in our workplace. IP’s U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Policy prohibiting discrimination, harassment and retaliation is posted, frequently communicated, and training is conducted. The process to raise concerns about potential violations is spelled out in these policies and in the training. IP participates in human resources audits, supply chain audits and various third-party assessments. Further evidence that IP places the highest value on human rights is through our use of Ethical Culture and Pulse Surveys. Where legally allowed, these surveys are completely anonymous, and the results are aggregated and are acted upon to make identified improvements.

Another extremely important component to IP’s ensuring that there are no human rights violations is IP’s “Speak Up” policy and the IP Helpline, which is available for all employees, as well as third parties, to bring to our attention possible violations. Anyone may call or email anonymously, or they may choose to self-identify. We investigate possible violations of laws, our policies and our values. If at the conclusion of the investigation it is determined that there has been a violation, immediate, remedial action will be taken, and the complaining party will receive a communication from the Helpline regarding the outcome. We do not tolerate retaliation against those who seek advice, raise an ethical concern or make a report of suspected misconduct.

While IP believes that employees do not need to be represented by third parties, IP recognizes and respects the lawful right of our employees to form and join trade unions or other representative organizations for the purpose of collective bargaining, and, if selected, IP will engage in constructive negotiations with that third party. 

 We are committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment and to promoting the well-being of our employees by offering various forms of assistance, including our Employee Assistance Program. 

The Company strongly believes in an inclusive workforce where diverse backgrounds are represented, engaged and empowered to inspire innovative ideas and decisions.  The Company is focused on promoting a culture of diversity and inclusion that leverages the talents of all employees and implementing practices that attract, recruit and retain diverse top talent.   

The IP Foundation and the Company’s other charitable investments fund community development throughout the world and reinforce the Company’s commitment to human rights.  

While we believe that it is the role of government to safeguard human rights, we also believe that International Paper can help promote respect for human rights through the example of its actions and its values.