Pulp and paper
Salman Akhoundzadeh; Mansour Soufi; Seyedeh Ameneh Sajjadi; Mehdi Fadaei
Abstract
Background and Objective: The paper industry, as one of the keys and widely applied sectors in the national economy, has always faced multiple challenges regarding resource consumption, environmental impacts, and social requirements. Achieving sustainability in this industry not only ensures long-term ...
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Background and Objective: The paper industry, as one of the keys and widely applied sectors in the national economy, has always faced multiple challenges regarding resource consumption, environmental impacts, and social requirements. Achieving sustainability in this industry not only ensures long-term survival and profitability but also contributes to reducing the use of natural resources, improving environmental performance, and strengthening the social standing of organizations. The present study was conducted to identify and analyze the fundamental sustainability indicators in Iran’s paper industry, employing the fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) method to provide a comprehensive picture of the interactions among key factors and to propose practical strategies for enhancing organizational resilience.Materials and Methods: The research population consisted of 12 experts from the paper industry and academics specializing in sustainability, selected based on criteria such as extensive professional experience, managerial background, and familiarity with sustainability concepts. Initially, through a systematic review of scientific sources and searches in reputable databases, 93 preliminary indicators were identified. Using principal component analysis (PCA), these were reduced to 24 final indicators across three dimensions: Social (employee training and development, employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, corporate accountability, employee exposure to chemicals and bleaching agents); Environmental (energy consumption, maintenance planning for energy loss reduction, hazardous waste management, recycling capacity, reduction of environmental pollutants, use of recycled materials, sludge management, air pollution, use of gray water, wood consumption); and Economic (production cost per ton of paper, paper product price, company profitability, operational efficiency, paper quality, wastepaper purchase cost, downtime and production stoppages, revenue from by-products, recycling costs). Although the role of government in policy formulation and the enforcement of environmental and social regulations is highly significant, this study primarily focused on internal organizational components that are directly under the control of industrial units. Nevertheless, the influence of governmental policies is indirectly reflected through regulatory and environmental indicators incorporated within the analytical framework. Pairwise comparison questionnaires were then designed to measure the intensity of causal relationships among indicators, and the resulting data were transformed into fuzzy numbers. Finally, using FCM Expert software, the fuzzy cognitive map was constructed, and the degree of influence, dependency, and centrality of the indicators was analyzed.Results: The results revealed that the sustainability structure in the paper industry is shaped around a central core of key indicators that play the most significant role in overall system dynamics. Among these, corporate accountability ranked first with the highest centrality score (14.37), establishing itself as a managerial lever and strategic intervention point. Following this were company profitability (13.78), use of recycled materials (10.92), wood consumption (10.80), and operational efficiency (10.72). These indicators rapidly converged to stable values and were classified as “strong and persistent drivers,” meaning that managerial interventions in these areas can swiftly trigger systemic transformations. In contrast, indicators such as energy consumption, sludge management, and maintenance planning for energy efficiency were categorized as “moderate drivers,” showing slower growth and stabilizing at slightly lower levels, though still exerting substantial long-term influence. Meanwhile, factors like wastepaper purchase cost, production downtime, revenue from by-products, air pollution, and customer satisfaction showed lower centrality, declining early in the iterations and converging to minimal values. This behavior suggests that these peripheral indicators have a weaker role in stimulating the overall network and are more strongly influenced by other components rather than acting as independent change agents.Conclusion: The findings indicate that achieving sustainability in the paper industry requires a phased and systemic approach. The initial focus should be on designing socially responsible policies, improving efficiency, and developing circular economic models. Subsequently, investments in modern energy and recycling technologies can consolidate the path toward sustainability. Ultimately, enhancing peripheral aspects such as cost management, pollution control, and expansion of by-product markets can reinforce the industry’s long-term sustainability and strengthen its position within the national economy.
