Smurfit Kappa, the packaging giant, had said it is making “significant progress” on its sustainability targets.
The FTSE 100-listed firm, one of the world’s biggest packaging companies, said it had achieved four of its mid-term targets.
This include a 35.8% reduction in waste sent to landfill, ahead of its 2025 target of 30% and reaching 95.5% of packaging sold with ‘Chain of Custody’ certification, ahead of its 2025 target of 95%.
Its investment in communities amounted to €25.6 million, topping its €24 million target.
Finally, it achieved its goal of 25% minimum female representation in management positions a year early.
The 2023 report highlighted the company’s progress through continued capital investment, ongoing operational improvements and collaboration with customers, suppliers and other key stakeholders.
In the report, Smurfit Kappa also highlighted that it was investing in renewable energy sources through solar panel insertions at factories and that it had become an early adopter of the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
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Group CEO Tony Smurfit said the firm had made “significant progress made towards our sustainability goals during 2023″.
Garrett Quinn, chief sustainability officer at Smurfit Kappa, said: “Our latest Sustainable Development Report highlights several landmark achievements that are delivering today across our sustainability commitments.
“Smurfit Kappa continues to take action now to deliver on a more sustainable future through areas such as: collaborative projects on decarbonisation; the early adoption of the TNFD; and the focus of all our employees on delivering a manufacturing process that is as sustainable as our product.”
In January this year, Smurfit Kappa was ranked as an environmental, social and governance (ESG) leader in the paper packaging industry for the third time in a row, by independent research and analytics firm Morningstar Sustainalytics.
In October last year, it issued a report that provides details on the allocation of proceeds from its green bond tranche worth nearly £900 million.
