News Environment & Sustainability Packaging
Sonoco aims to reduce GHG emissions by 2030

Sonoco has committed to reduce its global greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.

The Paris Agreement aims to limit global temperatures to warming to well-below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. These emission reduction targets have recently been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Sonoco has committed to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent by 2030 from a 2020 base year. The company has also committed to reduce absolute scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 13.5 per cent from a 2019 base year by working with its customers and suppliers to develop innovative packaging solutions that reduce packaging waste and improve recyclability.

In addition, Sonoco is actively studying necessary operational changes, technology developments and market changes that would be required for the company to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

“Over the next decade, we will dedicate each of our 300 global operations to fully participate in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, purchasing power from certified green energy sources and continuously identifying opportunities to reduce energy usage,” says Howard Coker, Sonoco’s president and CEO, in a statement.

According to Elizabeth Rhue, staff vice-president of sustainability, Sonoco will drive commitments to its greenhouse gas reduction goals by incorporating sustainability and environmental metrics into business unit goals and management incentives.

In addition, the company will continue working with its customers and suppliers to further build out Sonoco’s EnviroSense line of more sustainable packaging.