SMURFIT Kappa has announced a range of new sustainability targets across a number of different areas.
The firm’s Better Planet 2050 quantifies its commitment to sustainability, targeting environmental and social sustainability in areas where it believes it can have the greatest impact. These include delivering sustainable packaging to customers, reducing environmental footprint in water usage, waste and carbon emissions and supporting communities, promoting inclusion and diversity as well as health and safety.
Smurfit Kappa described the targets identified as ‘specific, measurable and provide a roadmap to deliver results in the short, medium and longer timeframes’.
Group CEO Tony Smurfit said, “Sustainability has always been part of our DNA but concerns about how we treat our planet, how we create a more inclusive world and support greater equality across our communities has never been so important. More needs to be done to address these global challenges. That is why we are setting new, more ambitious short-term targets and longer-term goals. Better Planet 2050 quantifies our commitment to protect what we care about – our planet, our people and our business – through a set of ambitious goals that will drive actions and behaviours that will deliver better outcomes.”
Smurfit Kappa said it is the ‘undisputed industry leader’ in delivering chain of custody certified sustainable packaging solutions. The company said it will further increase its certified deliveries to customers to 95%, up from its current 90% target.
As a large processor rather than a large consumer of water, the new target will also see the company reduce water intake. Smurfit Kappa added that as a manufacturer of products that are renewable, recyclable, recycled and biodegradable, the company will continue to seek alternative ways to reuse, recycle and recover waste material to reduce waste to landfill. Last year, Smurfit Kappa announced a goal to achieve at least net zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
The company is targeting a further annual reduction in its Total Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR) and has a stated ambition to ensure female gender representation is above 30%. Smurfit Kappa is also committing to donate over €24 million in the next five years to support community initiatives.
