SÜDPACK, a European film manufacturer, has received validation from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for its ambitious greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction targets.  

The targets were submitted late last year, following a comprehensive analysis of its Corporate Carbon Footprint across all production sites and sales offices. 

The validation is a significant milestone in the company's journey towards achieving its net-zero aim by 2030.  

The company has committed to a substantial 76% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions, which encompass direct activities and energy requirements by the end of this decade. 

In addition, SÜDPACK has set a target to reduce its indirect emissions by 25% for scope 3 in the 'purchased goods and services' category.  

These targets are part of a broader strategy to develop and implement carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent reduction projects throughout the entire company. 

SÜDPACK's efforts to measure and reduce emissions began with the recording and evaluation of emissions data for 2021 and 2022, establishing 2021 as the base year for tracking progress.  

The company has acknowledged that scope 3 emissions, which include purchased goods and end-of-life disposal, constitute approximately 90% of its total emissions.  
It has already made significant strides in utilising renewable energy, with all German production sites operating on 100% green electricity. 

Part of this electricity is generated by SÜDPACK's own photovoltaic systems.  

Moreover, SÜDPACK is advancing its product portfolio towards more sustainable solutions, focusing on reducing material usage and developing recyclable monomaterials. 

SÜDPACK Strategic Marketing & Sustainability vice-president Valeska Haux said: “To evaluate the environmental impact of a film or packaging concept over its entire life cycle, we developed an LCA [life cycle assessment] tool in 2023 that also takes account of recycling options after the use phase.  

“Our commitment to mechanical material management as well as the future-oriented recycling technology from Carboliq is, in our view, more than just an effective contribution to CO₂ reduction. It is also an important impetus for a circular economy in the plastics and packaging industry as well as an essential building block in this necessary process of transformation.” 

The SBTi, a collaboration between the CDP, United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute, and World Wide Fund for Nature, has recognised that more than 5,000 companies globally have committed to effective climate protection at the corporate level. 

In December last year, packaging manufacturer LC Packaging received approval for its GHG emissions reduction targets from the SBTi.