DUBLIN, Ireland ,
Sept. 21, 2011
(Press Release) -
Smurfit Kappa Recycling, and its parent organisation Smurfit Kappa Paper UK, have gained the highly acclaimed Carbon Trust Standard for their national paper recycling and manufacturing operations.
The Carbon Trust Standard is the world's first carbon award that requires an organisation to measure, manage and reduce its carbon footprint and make real reductions year-‐on-‐year. Unlike other award schemes, organisations are rewarded for actions they have taken to cut carbon across their own operations and improve the environment.
To gain Carbon Trust Standard, Smurfit Kappa Paper showed a 12.9% reduction of tCO2e/£mn (Tonnes of CO2 equivalent, the standard measurement for describing how much global warming a given type and amount greenhouse gas may cause). Over the two-‐year period of assessment, Smurfit Kappa Recycling reduced its consumption of electricity, gas and oil. The integration of the company's transport fleets has also significantly improved transport efficiencies. By sharing information the organisation has been able to maximise vehicle capacity and minimise trips with more multi-‐point collections and greater use of back hauling to recover material for recycling. Other improvements at the UK paper division included improvements to stock preparation and pulpers to reduce energy consumption and the installation of a water treatment plant at the Smurfit Kappa SSK paper mill in Nechells, Birmingham. The new water treatment plant generates Biogas to be used at the mill to create heat.
The award, coupled with Smurfit Kappa's commitment to engaging with the local communities it works alongside, identifies it as a leader in the field of corporate and social responsibility and one of the UK's key environmental innovators.
Simon Weston, Managing Director Smurfit Kappa Recycling explains: "The award of Carbon Trust Standard is a recognition of our efforts to improve our environmental impact when recovering our raw material."
Monika Maciejewska, Sustainability Manager, Smurfit Kappa Paper UK, comments; "The latest Carbon Trust Standard certification for the business is a further step in our Sustainability Model and improving the environment on a national and local scale. Our aim is to control and effectively manage the recovery and recycling of paper based packaging so that we can minimise its carbon footprint, whilst also achieving long-‐term business growth."
Harry Morrison, General Manager, the Carbon Trust Standard, said: "Achieving the Carbon Trust Standard shows that Smurfit Kappa is taking serious and credible steps to manage their carbon footprint. Based on a rigorous, independently assessed methodology, the Carbon Trust Standard allows organisations to talk with integrity to their stakeholders, consumers and investors about what they have been doing to reduce their carbon emissions. We congratulate Smurfit Kappa on its achievement."
Smurfit Kappa's gaining the Carbon Trust Standard follows a number of other sustainability landmarks achieved by the company including the award of Coca-‐Cola Enterprises' 2010 Supplier Award for ‘Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Supplier' and Unilever Partner to Win, 2011 supplier awards in the ‘Winning through Sustainability' category.
