Smurfit Kappa Increases Commitment to Tackle Climate Change
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Smurfit Kappa, Ireland, a paper-based packaging company, this week intensified its commitment to tackle climate change by increasing its target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions per metric ton of paper produced by 25% by 2020, having achieved its original 2020 target of a 20% reduction well ahead of schedule.
The renewed commitment coincides with the publication of the company’s seventhh annual Sustainable Development Report. By achieving a 21% reduction in its fossil carbon dioxide emissions per unit of production, Smurfit Kappa says it has realized an absolute reduction of fossil carbon dioxide emissions of 929,000 metric tons since 2005 through a combination of investments in energy reduction, energy efficiency initiatives, and overall optimization of its mill system. This follows a decrease of 6.5% in carbon emissions per metric ton of paper produced in 2013.
Following significant advances in the use of sustainable fibers, 91% of all Smurfit Kappa converting operations are now Chain of Custody certified, exceeding its original commitment to reach at least a 90% certification level by 2015. In addition, close to 90% of all packaging produced in Europe can now be declared Chain of Custody certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), or the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI). All of Smurfit Kappa's relevant operations in the Americas are forecast to achieve Chain of Custody certified status by the end of 2014, following the certification of its Venezuelan operations.
These 2013 achievements form a key part of Smurfit Kappa's Vision on Sustainability, which is a commitment to deliver sustainable, innovative solutions to help customers succeed in their respective markets, reduce their environmental impact, and achieve commercial success.
This sustainability commitment is embedded within Smurfit Kappa's new global brand initiative, Open the future, which was launched last week. It showcases the company’s dedication to customer growth by delivering what it describes as "the deepest insights program ever seen in the paper-based packaging industry" and building a new network of customer experience centers around the world to bring its innovation capabilities closer to its customers
Gary McGann, group CEO at Smurfit Kappa, said that "our vision is to assist our customers to succeed in their markets by ensuring the sustainability of our paper packaging solutions and by delivering innovative solutions for them that both drive their business growth and deliver against their own sustainability agendas. Having successfully met two key targets on carbon emissions and chain of custody certification well ahead of schedule, we are now intensifying our commitment to tackle climate change. We believe that sustainability is not only the right thing to do, but a key driver of business success for both our customers and for Smurfit Kappa, now and into the future."
For the first time, this year's report commits to four new, time-bound objectives in areas for which the company has not previously set targets, including health and safety, community involvement, waste elimination, and sustainable sourcing. Together with carbon dioxide, chain of custody, and water, these are aspects of environmental and social impact to which Smurfit Kappa believes it can make the greatest contribution to promote a more sustainable and resilient society.
