Smurfit Kappa has reduced its fossil CO2 emissions by almost 32.9% between 2005 and 2019, according to its 13th annual Sustainable Development Report (SDR) which was published recently.
The paper-based packaging company said that while this is an impressive achievement, the company’s current target is even more ambitious as it seeks to reduce relative CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030, in comparison to the 2005 baseline.
“During these uncertain times we will continue to focus on our sustainability offering, not only to customers, but also on where we can make a tangible difference in the communities in which we operate," Steven Stoffer, Group VP Development at Smurfit Kappa said.
“For Smurfit Kappa, sustainability is more than mitigating climate change and minimising environmental impact by our operations; the Sustainable Development Report also demonstrates how we are using our scale, experience and expertise to help deliver solutions to a broad range of global issues including inclusion and diversity, safety and human rights,” he added.
Other Achievements
Headquartered in Dublin, the company's SDR has shown that it has made considerable progress was made in the area of safety with a 17% reduction in its Total Recordable Injury Rate.
According to the report, Smurfit Kappa also reached 92.1% for all packaging solutions sold as Chain of Custody certified, which is cast-iron assurance for customers of the sustainable origin of the raw material used.
Other highlights for 2019 that are outlined in the SDR includes the creation of a Board-appointed Sustainability Committee and €3.5 million investment in social initiatives including children’s education and health.
"We have been deemed an ‘essential business’ during the COVID-19 pandemic and at this challenging time, our immediate, primary focus is to protect our employees and meet our customers’ needs," said Tony Smurfit, Group CEO.
“Sustainability remains a key focus for us," he added.
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