DS Smith Hits Three Global Sustainability Milestones in 2020
DS Smith, the leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions, has today announced it has today hit three of its global sustainability milestones, first set in 2018. The goals, focused on supporting the communities in which it operates, embedding a global energy management system to drive CO2 reduction and using only sustainably sourced papers have been reached despite the challenging global environment.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the company has reinforced its credentials within the communities it operates, extending its programme of support beyond education and sustainability initiatives. From Kemsley to Krusevac, Tampere to Timisoara, 100% of its sites with more than 50 people across the world now have community programmes, an increase from 81% in 2018/19. This includes donating cardboard furniture to Spanish field hospitals and creating scrubs for public healthcare professionals in the UK.
Meanwhile, DS Smith has met its commitment to source 100% of its fibres responsibly in order to combat deforestation, using only recycled or chain of custody certified papers.
The company has also ensured 100 per cent of relevant sites have ISO 50001 certified sites, part of a broader pledge to reduce CO2e emissions by 30% per tonne of production by 2030. The CO2e target is set to be reached through investment in more energy efficient technologies and a switch to cleaner fuels, however the ISO 50001 certification is a crucial step towards reaching that goal by embedding energy efficiency considerations in to our standard operating procedures and driving systematic behaviour change and awareness across the business.
Miles Roberts, Group CEO at DS Smith said: “Our purpose of ‘Redefining packaging for a changing world’ has never felt more apt and as a leading supplier of sustainable packaging solutions, we can and must do more to tackle some of the great challenges our communities and environment are facing.
“These targets embed sustainability across our entire organisation and are focused on the areas where we believe we can have the greatest impact; using innovative packaging to make supply chains more efficient, reducing our environmental impact and being responsible for our people and the communities in which we operate. It is by delivering against these, and the ongoing review of our priorities and objectives, that we look to achieve our strategic goal to lead the way in sustainability.”