Packaging
Sonoco Targets 15% Voluntary Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Monday 03. August 2009 - Reductions to Come from Companys 121 manufacturing Facilities in U.S. and Canada; Sonoco Issues 2008-2009 Sustainability Report
Sonoco (NYSE: SON), one of the largest global diversified packaging companies, today said that it is targeting to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 15 percent from the Companys manufacturing plants in the United States and Canada over the next five years.
Sonoco President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Harris E. Deloach, Jr., announced the voluntary emission reduction goal in a letter to stakeholders issued in the Companys 2008-2009 Sustainability Report which was issued today. The report is available on the Companys Web site at www.sonoco.com/sustainability and on Twitter at twitter.com/sonoco_products.
“Youve probably heard the saying, What gets measured gets done. We have established a series of metrics which are focused on measuring our progress toward a series of environmental, social and economic goals,” said DeLoach. “Building on the substantial work already undertaken, we have set new environmental targets aimed at voluntarily reducing our environmental footprint by cutting GHG emissions from our manufacturing facilities. We also remain focused on further voluntary reductions in overall energy use along with other air emissions, water usage and landfill use.”
Establishing 2008 as its baseline year, Sonoco expects to voluntarily reduce its combined direct and indirect GHG emissions from its 121 U.S. and Canadian manufacturing plants by 15 percent by the end of 2013. To meet this emission reduction goal, the Company expects to reduce energy usage at its uncoated recycled paperboard mills by maximizing energy efficiency efforts and by changing process steam production at some of its mills to renewable sources and other less carbon-intensive fuels.
“While our goals currently target our North American operations, where approximately 72 percent of our revenues are derived, we have established measurement tools for our international manufacturing operations and have begun compiling GHG emissions data in 2009 to establish a baseline from which we can develop other voluntary emission reduction goals in coming years,” said DeLoach.
Sonocos 18-page 2009 sustainability report is entitled “Eleven Decades of Sustainable Leadership” and reviews actions the Company is taking in the areas of environmental stewardship, community service and economic performance. In addition, the report focuses on a number of sustainable packaging products and service offered by the Companys diverse consumer and industrial packaging businesses.