How can a paper packaging company support climate change?

Smurfit Kappa Group, a paper-based packaging company, is prioritising energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions to tackle the issue of climate change.

Cooling down

In 2015, a legally binding treaty intended to tackle the climate crisis was signed by 106 Parties at the COP21 conference. The agreement, termed the Paris Accord, aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees in comparison to pre-industrial levels. This is a big ask, and a goal that the Smurfit Kappa Group is committed to, with their targets recently approved by the Science Based Targets initiative as in line with well below 2°C, and the Paris Agreement.

Re-energising

Smurfit Kappa is a leading European and Pan-American producer of paper-based packaging. Whilst operating in an industry reliant on energy use, the company aims to make their consumption of energy as efficient as possible. They achieve this through their circular operations, bioenergy strategy and commitment to continually improving. Smurfit Kappa also makes significant investments in projects to reduce their carbon emissions, including upgrading boilers, new power plants, biogas processors and solar panels. Smurfit Kappa is committed to the increasing use of renewable energy and transitioning to fuels such as biomass and natural gas. The Group also continues to create opportunities for new and innovative technologies.

Forward thinking

In terms of their sustainability targets, Smurfit Kappa was the first company in the paper-packaging industry to commit to reaching net zero emissions by 2050 in comparison to its baseline year of 2005. This means that by 2050, they want to achieve a balance between the amount of carbon dioxide they release into the atmosphere with the amount they remove from it. The company’s progress to date has seen them reduce carbon emissions by 37.3% since the end of 2020. Smurfit Kappa has had its emissions reduction targets approved by SBTi as consistent with levels required to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and well below 2°C. This third party validation adds to their strong performance according to rating providers such as MSCI, Sustainalytics and ISS ESG.

This story shows how Smurfit Kappa Group supports Goal 13: Climate Action, specifically Target 13.2: “Integrate climate change measures into policies and planning.”

About the company

With headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, Smurfit Kappa Group is re-imagining its energy usage to fulfil the climate change goals established in the Paris Accord. Smurfit Kappa is a FTSE 100 company, a leading provider of paper-based packaging solutions, and has approximately 48,000 employees in over 350 production sites across 36 countries.

Learn more about Smurfit Kappa Group