Nippon Paper was named in the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) report, 'The Truth Behind Tasmanian Forest Destruction and the Japanese Paper Industry: Who Logs Them? Who Buys Them?' (2007) as the biggest buyer of Gunns' old growth woodchips -- purchasing over 1,400,000 tons in 2006.

The Friends of the Earth 'Kick Reflex' campaign ran in 2010, calling on the Maryvale Mill and parent company Nippon Paper to cease purchasing logs from high conservation value forests, water catchments and threatened species habitat.

Nippon subsidiary South East Fibre Exports did own the chipmill at Eden, NSW. (It was sold to Allied Natural Wood Exports Pty Ltd on 23 December 2015). This chipmill uses mainly native forest trees, most cut down solely for woodchipping. It does not use waste. Nippon Paper was the focus of a campaign to stop wood-chipping the South East and East Gippsland forests.

In 2023, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security score of C.

This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 51/100 in the Paper & Forest Products category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 23 Sep 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.