DS Smith has confirmed it has met three of its 2020 sustainability milestones, demonstrating its commitment to protecting the environment despite the challenging global setting. The goals, focused on driving CO2 reduction, supporting the communities in which it operates, and responsible paper sourcing are part of a broader, long-term sustainability strategy.
The company achieved an 11% reduction in emissions in 2019 compared to 2015 on a like-for-like basis. It has also now ensured all sites accounting for 90% of its energy consumption are ISO 50001 certified. The globally recognised standard enables a coordinated approach for monitoring progress against targets, while also ensuring energy efficiency and driving systematic behaviour change and awareness across the business. This achievement is part of a broader pledge to reduce CO2e emissions by 30% per tonne of production by 2030.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the company has built on its strong community programme by adding support beyond education and sustainability initiatives. From the UK to Serbia, 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 actions such as donating cardboard furniture to Spanish field hospitals and creating scrubs for public healthcare professionals in the UK.
DS Smith has also met its commitment to source 100% of its fibres responsibly, using only recycled or chain of custody certified papers. As it stands, 98% of the company’s packaging is currently reusable and/or recyclable, and it is working to reach 100% by 2025.
Miles Roberts, Group CEO at DS Smith said, “Our purpose of ‘Redefining Packaging for a Changing World’ has never felt more appropriate 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 business 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.”
