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Real Forest Protection Now
Though ANZ is Australia's third largest bank, it is the country's leading financier of environmentally destructive projects. One of ANZ's most controversial clients, Gunns Limited, is rapidly destroying Tasmania's forests. ANZ recently developed a draft forests policy that was supposed to apply ethical criteria to its investments. Unfortunately, the policy doesn't reflect our discussions with the bank and would allow the bank to continue funding destructive projects, including Gunns' pulp mill in Tasmania and illegal logging in Indonesia. Tell ANZ’s Sustainability Director Gavin Murray that his company should develop a real forests policy and commit to not funding the Gunns pulp mill project!
Dear [ Decision Maker ] , ANZ's draft Forest & Biodiversity Policy fails to demonstrate that your bank has any real interest in adopting genuine environmental standards. Indeed, the policy contains no meaningful restrictions and therefore would allow ANZ to continue funding atrocious projects in Australia and abroad. A bank of ANZ's stature can do better. At a minimum, any respectable forests policy needs to include a strong preference for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification or equivalent standards. What good is having a forests policy if it allows ANZ to continue funding illegal logging in Indonesia; or supporting the clear-cutting old growth forests, firebombing the land, and killing thousands of native animals, as your client Gunns does in Tasmania? I also note that Gunns has recently withdrawn from the legal environmental assessment process of the Resource Planning & Development Commission in Tasmania. Gunns' dramatic move to bypass the legal process shows that the mill was never going to meet even basic environmental standards and violates the Equator Principles that ANZ has recently signed. ANZ is therefore obligated to withdraw from any role in Gunns? pulp mill, just as Gunns has withdrawn from the legal assessment process. ANZ still has the opportunity to do the right thing by developing a Forest & Biodiversity Policy with meaningful standards and by backing away from any funding or support for Gunns' egregious pulp mill project. As many leaders of the financial industry move towards greater corporate responsibility and ethical practices, ANZ needs to decide whether it will adopt more progressive values or risk being left behind by customers that demand higher standards. Please make the right choice.
Sincerely, |
Campaign Launched: |
| Background Information |
RAN worked with ANZ for six months to develop a forests policy that would apply ethical criteria to the bank's investments. We were surprised that the draft policy they sent us did not reflect our discussions and would allow ANZ to continue funding destructive projects, including Gunns' pulp mill in Tasmania and illegal logging in Indonesia.
ANZ has asked for public comments on the policy, and we need your help to send a strong message to ANZ that this policy will not protect Tasmania's remaining forests. It should be noted that ANZ's client Gunns recently withdrew from Tasmania's legal assessment process and has refused to adopt any environmental standards. This violates the Equator Principles, of which ANZ is a signatory, and shows that Gunns can't even meet the lowest bar for ethical investment.
Tell Sustainability Director Gavin Murray that ANZ should develop a real forests policy and commit to not funding the Gunns pulp mill project!
