NORWAY – Global supplier of carton packaging and filling equipment Elopak has published its 2022 Sustainability Report, outlining a 20% reduction in scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions since 2020, a step closer to the company’s target of a 42% reduction by 2030.

The 2022 report was compiled in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework, ensuring a transparent and accountable assessment of the past year.

It covers Elopak’s key material topics within the sustainability themes of people, planet, and profit to give a full evaluation of the company’s sustainability performance and map out future ambitions. Chief among these are plans to reduce emissions across the company’s value chain by 90% by 2050.

The report also outlines that the company’s value chain emissions (scope 3) have been reduced by 7% since 2020.

In 2022, Elopak set ambitious targets for reaching net zero emissions by 2050, approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Speaking on the launch of the report, Elopak’s Sustainability Director Marianne Groven said: “I am pleased that we are continuing to make great progress across several aspects ranging from employee engagement to our offering of bio-circular cartons.

“The approval of our net zero targets by the SBTi marks a significant milestone for 2022.”

Elopak has long championed product innovation as an effective tool in boosting sustainability. In 2022 Elopak rolled out the Pure-Pak® eSense: an aseptic carton made without an aluminium layer.

This results in a 50% lower carbon footprint compared to a conventional aseptic carton and helps simplify the recycling process.

In 2022, the company successfully boosted the sales of its most sustainable products, increasing the proportion of fully renewable cartons for fresh milk in Europe from 18% of sales in 2021 to 30%.

Elopak has sourced 100% of the fibers for its cartons from controlled sources in line with the standards set by the FSC™ since 2014.

Since listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange in 2021, Elopak has pursued a strategy of sustainability-driven growth, including geographic expansion to bring its sustainable packaging solutions to more markets and customers.

In 2022 this involved the acquisition of Naturepak Beverage Ltd in the Middle East; the opening of a subsidiary, GLS Elopak, in India; and a licensing agreement with Nippon Paper to distribute Pure-Pak® cartons in Oceania.

Throughout 2022, the company maintained its high level of commitment toward its employees, striving to promote a culture to leverage critical competencies, core values and behavior of the organization.

Despite the suffering brought by the war in Ukraine, Elopak was proud to stand by its employees in Fastiv and Kyiv and support the supply chain of essential products such as milk and baby formula within the country.

In July 2022, Elopak began the process of exiting the Russian market, finalizing a sale to local management in March 2023.

Commenting on the publication of the report, CEO Thomas Körmendi concluded: “Through a year marked by changing climates related to the geo-political situation, environmental concern and market fluctuations, I am very proud of the resilience Elopak has shown.

“We have remained as focused and dedicated as ever towards our ultimate goal of delivering sustainable packaging solutions that leave customers’ products unchanged and our world unharmed.”

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