The Award Committee met on the 25th January at Stationers' Hall under the independent chairmanship of the current Master of the Stationers' Company, Mr Richard Brewster. The medal will be presented to Mike Clark at the Charter Dinner of the Stationers' Company on 5th May 2010.

Mike retired from full time employment with M-real in 2008, but remained active in retirement as Chairman of PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes) until December 2009.
The award recognises Mike's contribution to the wider industry over many years. Although primarily concerned with the cartonboard market, Mike recognised that the industry needed to present a united front when faced with wider issues such as the introduction of Packaging Waste Regulations, the poor perception of the industry by NGOs and the wider public, or the need to embrace environmental issues such as forest certification proactively and whole-heartedly.

His contributions to PIMO (Paper Industry Materials Organisation), the CPI (Confederation of Paper Industries), Pro Carton, and PEFC have been positive and constructive. At the same time he was active within the PAA (Paper Agents Association) where he served on Council for a number of years and completed a two year term as President. He continued to support the Association's Environmental Committee after his retirement from M-real.

In nominating him, the PAA said "The Paper Agents Association believes that Mike's commitment to the establishment of meaningful industry bodies and fair representation for all branches of the industry in its relationships with Government, the EU and NGOs uniquely qualify him for consideration as a recipient of the Gold Medal."

The Paper Industry Gold Medal Association
5 Frecheville Court
Bury
Lancashire
BL9 0UF
info@papergoldmedal.org.uk
http://www.papergoldmedal.org.uk