Smurfit Kappa increases commitment to tackle climate change
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2014-06-23T12:00:00

Smurfit Kappa increases commitment to tackle climate change

Smurfit Kappa announces new fossil CO2 reduction target, increasing from 20% to 25% by 2020 on the occasion of today’s publication of its 7th annual Sustainable Development Report

  • Achieved 2020 target for CO2 with 21% reduction in carbon emissions per tonne of paper produced (initial target 20%) 
  • Achieved 2015 target for Chain of Custody with 91% converting operations certified (initial target 90%)
  • First time reporting on new commitments in four key areas of sustainability impact: Health and Safety, Community Involvement, Waste Minimisation and Sustainable Sourcing 

Smurfit Kappa, one of the world’s leading paper-based packaging solutions companies, today intensifies its commitment to tackle climate change by increasing its target to reduce CO2 emissions per tonne 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 its 7th annual Sustainable Development Report. By achieving a 21% reduction in its fossil CO2 emissions per unit of production, Smurfit Kappa has realised an absolute reduction of fossil CO2 emissions of 929,000 tonnes since 2005 through a combination of investments in energy reduction, energy efficiency initiatives and overall optimisation of its mill system. This follows a decrease of 6.5% in carbon emissions per tonne of paper produced in 2013.

Following significant advances in the use of sustainable fibres, 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 Smurfit Kappa’s dedication to customer growth by delivering the deepest insights programme ever seen in the paper-based packaging industry and building a new network of customer experience centres around the world to bring its innovation capabilities closer to its customers

Gary McGann, Group Chief Executive Officer at Smurfit Kappa said,

“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 CO2, Chain of Custody, and Water, these are aspects of environmental and social impact to which Smurfit Kappa believes it can make the greatest contribution in order to promote a more sustainable and resilient society.

To find out more about Smurfit Kappa’s Open the future campaign visit us at www.openthefuture.info

The 2013 Sustainable Development Report is available for download (PDF 4.9MB)

A hard copy can be obtained by contacting: sustainability@smurfitkappa.com