St. Paul-based 3M Co, one of the world's largest manufacturers and the maker of Post-it notes, will take new steps to ensure that its suppliers of paper, pulp and packaging provide materials that come from sustainably logged timber.

The new paper-sourcing policy, aimed at preventing the destruction of forests, comes after pressure on 3M from environmental activists, who accused the company of outdated practices that jeopardized fragile forests.

The company, which also manufacturers Scotch brand tape products, will now require some 5,000 direct suppliers, located in more than 70 countries, to provide data, including the source of their harvested wood fiber. The company says it may sever ties with suppliers that fail to meet its standards.

While other companies have also set conservation standards for their suppliers, 3M's action is expected to have broad ripple effects, because of the size of its supply network, said Todd Paglia, executive director at ForestEthics, a forest and climate advocacy organization.

ForestEthics, which led a campaign against 3M, is now applauding the company's new standards.

"No other manufacturer has adopted such a rigorous policy with such reach around the world," Paglia said.

3M is the latest company to take voluntary steps to reform its supply chain practices amid pressure from environmental groups. In January, Wilmar International, the world's largest palm oil processor, opened its supply chains to outside scrutiny in what environmentalists called an unprecedented step to help safeguard tropical forests.

Under 3M's policy, all paper-based products and packaging suppliers will be expected to harvest in ways that don't threaten peatland ecosystems and intact forest landscapes. The policy also aims to protect dense, high-carbon stock forests and ensure the rights of indigenous peoples. - Reuters