CORPORATE AND EUROPEAN SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENTS AND INVESTMENTS
Goals with impact.
We’re actively implementing our Corporate 2025 and 2030 sustainability goals across operations in Europe.
Sonoco Releases 2025 Corporate Responsibility Report
Sonoco Releases 2025 Corporate Responsibility Report Detailing Progress on ESG and Sustainability Initiatives.
At Sonoco, we’re manufacturing to ensure a sustainable future, by continuously challenging ourselves to create a better world and brighter tomorrow. Take a look at our 5 key 2025 Corporate Sustainability Commitments and our 3 key 2030 Corporate sustainability commitments below.
2025
Goal 1
We will increase the equivalent, by weight, the amount we recycle or cause to be recycled from 65% to 85% relative to the volume or product we put into the marketplace by 2025.
2025
Goal 2
We will ensure approximately 75% of our global rigid plastic packaging is capable of making the relevant on-package recyclable claim by 2025.
2025
Goal 3
We will ensure all our production facilities utilizing plastic pellets have systems to prevent environmental discharges. In addition, we will not utilize resin additives that result in microplastics.
2025
Goal 4
We are committed to work closely with our customers to help them achieve their post-consumer recycled content commitments.
2025
Goal 5
Sonoco will conduct water risk studies at our manufacturing facilities, which account for at least 90% of our water usage, by 2024.
2030
Scope 1 & Scope 2 Emission reduction
Sonoco will reduce its absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions at least 25% by 2030 (2020 baseline).
2030
Scope 2 & Scope 3 Emission reduction
Sonoco, in cooperation with its suppliers and customers, will reduce its Scope 3 emissions in line with the 2°C Absolute Contraction Approach resulting in 13.5% absolute Scope 3 emissions reduction by 2030 (2019 baseline).
2030
Energy Efficiency improved by 8%
Sonoco will continue energy efficiency improvement in its manufacturing plants and reduce normalized energy usage by at least 8% by 2030 (2020 baseline).
Paper Mills
Sonoco Paper Mills:
Skjern Papermill acquisition
Sonoco has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire S.P. Holding, Skjern A/S (“SKern”), a privately owned manufacturer of paper based in Skjern, Denmark
.The acquisition expands production capacity for customers and Sonoco converting operations throughout Europe and bordering regions. The estimated $88 million (675 million DKK) all-cash transaction has been unanimously approved by Sonoco’s Board of Directors and is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions.
Founded in 1965, Skjern is a leading producer of high-grade paperboard from 100% recycled paper for rigid paper containers, tubes and cores, and other applications. The company has robust sustainability programs in place for renewable energy and CO2 emission reduction and operations are powered by a biomass boiler, which reduces reliance on natural gas. In 2022, Skjern is expected to achieve annual sales of $50 million and the transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to both earnings per share and cash flow.
Consumer Packaging
Sonoco Consumer Packaging: GreenCan® acquisition
GREENCAN®’s recyclable paperboard package made of 92-98% paperboard, with a wide range of barrer properties. Available in various shapes and sizes – round, square, rectangular, oval, oblong or triangular.
Adding GREENCAN®’s innovation center, intellectual property and proprietary manufacturing capabilities will allow Sonoco to leverage and enhance our strong material science and engineering capabilities to develop more recyclable, mono-material paper packaging solutions that will have a wide range of food barrier properties for our customers in Europe. We also see using GREENCAN®’s unique, low-cost machine technology to expand our consumer products offering into growth markets.
Industrial Paper Products
Sonoco Alcore Industrial Paper Products: Bursa factory expansion for Sonopost® in Turkey
Sonoco Industrial division has expanded Sonopost® cornerpost manufacturing in Europe. A new protective packaging production facility has opened in Bursa, Turkey in November 2022, one year after Sonoco established the first Sonopost® operation in Sochaczew, Poland in 2021.
Sonopost® provides a sustainable way to protect white goods (e.g., washers, dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers etc.), HVAC systems and heat pumps from manufacturing and/or shipment damage. Sonopost® help reduce EPS/Plastic packaging and in aid in reduction of carbon footprint.
EUROPEAN INVESTMENTS IN SUSTAINABILITY
Across Sonoco in Europe, we’re making clear investments in sustainable manufacturing, products and processes, showcasing our constant efforts towards our 2025 and 2030 corporate sustainability goals.
Be it through sustainable acquisitions, or product innovation, across all our packaging divisions in Europe we believe that we can only drive change through tangible action. See below for our recent sustainable investments across Sonoco in Europe.
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