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Cascades debuts sustainability plan for next decade

Cascades has launched its fourth Sustainability Action Plan, which identifies 15 targets for 2025 and 2030.

Four main pillars form the basis of the “Driving Positive Change” plan: Respectful of the Planet, Solutions Driven, Community Minded and People Focused.

The plan is also aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and with the recommendations of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Among the new goals are:

• Reducing Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions of paper manufacturing plants by 38.7 per cent by 2030 compared with 2019 (kg of CO2 eq./metric tonnes)
• Reducing Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 22 per cent by 2030 compared with 2019 (kg of CO2 eq./metric tonnes)
• Sourcing 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2030
• Reducing paper mill water effluents by 15 per cent by 2025

Cascades also plans to develop products in accordance with recognized eco-design principles such as:

• By 2030, 100 per cent of the packaging manufactured and sold by Cascades, regardless of the materials used, will be recyclable, compostable or reusable
• By 2025, 100 per cent of the fibres or paper used to manufacture Cascades products will be recycled or certified

From a social and community perspective, Cascades is targeting:

• 50 per cent reduction in the number of days lost due to work accidents (severity rate)
• 100 per cent of employees trained on unconscious biases related to equity, diversity and inclusion

Cascades, which was ranked the 17th most sustainable company in the world by the Global 100 organization, has already reduced the intensity of its greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent compared to 1990 and adjusted its water consumption and energy consumption. (According to Fisher International, in 2019 Cascades consumed 3.9 times less water and 2.4 times less energy than the North American pulp and paper industry average.)

“Nearly 60 years ago, long before environmental principles and social impacts were taken into account in business practices, our company became a pioneer in the circular economy by making products from recycled materials,” says Mario Plourde, president and chief executive officer of Cascades, in a statement.

“This new sustainability plan, in addition to being aligned with the priorities of our clients and partners, reaffirms our leadership amidst the growing challenges facing our society and our planet.”

Read the full plan here.