Packaging and recycling company DS Smith has published its new sustainability strategy called ‘Now and Next’.
In a two phase ‘Now and Next’ approach it will focus on the transition to a circular economy by partnering with customers, communities, governments and influencers to keep materials in use, design out waste and regenerate natural systems.
It will continue to focus on CO2 reduction, protecting biodiversity and reducing water consumption.
This new strategy sets out four pillars, which are:
- Closing the loop through better design – By 2023, it will manufacture 100% reusable or recyclable packaging and its aim is that by 2030, all packaging will be recycled or reused.
- Protecting natural resources by making the most of every fibre – By 2025, it will optimise fibre use for individual supply chains in 100% of its new packaging solutions and by 2030, it aims to optimise every fibre for all supply chains.
- Reducing waste and pollution through circular solutions – By 2025, it will take 1 billion pieces of problem plastics off store shelves, take 250,000 vehicles off the road and work with partners to find solutions for ‘hard to recycle’ packaging. Meanwhile, by 2030 it aims to use packaging and recycling to enable the circular economy by replacing problem plastics, reducing customer carbon and eliminating consumer packaging waste.
- Equipping people to lead the transition to a circular economy – By 2025 it will engage 100% of its employees on the circular economy and by 2030 it will engage 5 million people on the circular economy and circular lifestyles.
DS Smith group chief executive Miles Roberts said: “As we respond to the changing world in which we live and operate, it is critical that our drive to redefine packaging continues to place circularity at the heart of our business.
“Our new strategy allows us to move beyond just having a strong circular business model ourselves to delivering more circular solutions for our customers and the wider society – replacing problem plastics, taking carbon out of supply chains and providing innovative recycling solutions.”
DS Smith produced 17 billion boxes in 2019/2020 and is Europe’s largest cardboard and paper recycler, managing six million tonnes per year.
Find out more about its sustainability strategy here https://www.dssmith.com/us/packaging/about/csr/our-sustainability-strategy
