Certification of raw materials
Responsible extraction and use of our planet’s raw materials is key to maintain our planet’s resources. A number of legal requirements apply to for example sourcing of wood-based products, such as the EU Timber Regulation and the new EU Deforestation Regulation (which was agreed in December 2022). Elopak use certification systems to help assess risks and comply with these regulations.
Therefore, as part of a larger value chain, we aim to ensure our main raw materials are certified throughout the supply chain.
Approach
Certification systems help ensure responsible management of natural resources from source of origin to final products. These systems are often defined through multi-stakeholder consultations and voting, securing a democratic process. Certification across the value chain is secured by third-party audits.
Elopak’s main raw materials are paperboard and polymers. Some of our cartons also contain a thin layer of aluminum as an oxygen barrier. There are three central certification systems relevant to our products, as presented below.
We have a consistent approach to certifications, anchored in our policy on Responsible Sourcing of Paperboard, our Global Supplier Code of Conduct, and our Sustainability Program. The certifications are embedded in all relevant areas of the organization, including supply chain, production, design, marketing, and sales.
We work closely with our suppliers and other stakeholders such as NGOs, industry associations, and customers to ensure our approach and choice of certification schemes remain credible.
Not all certification systems are available in all markets. While we aim to offer certified materials in all cartons in all markets, we modify our approach to fit availability as well as customer requirements, while considering relevance and cost.
The Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC) is an independent, non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC sets high standards that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable way.
*The Forest Stewardship Council™(FSC™). FSC™ C081801. Look for FSC certified products – the mark of responsible forestry. www.fsc.org
The Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI) is a global non-profit standard-setting and certification organization. ASI brings together producers, users, and stakeholders in the aluminum value chain to collaboratively foster responsible production, sourcing, and stewardship of aluminum.
ISCC stands for “International Sustainability and Carbon Certification” and is a worldwide applicable and acknowledged certification system for any kind of bio-based feedstocks and renewables. ISCC PLUS is specific for food and feed products and technical/chemical applications (e.g., bioplastics) and applications in the bioenergy sector (e.g., solid biomass).
Visit www.iscc-system.org/
Performance
Targets
Ensure sustainable value chain behind all raw materials through product certification according to the most stringent and credible standards available by 2030.
KPIs | KPI reference | Status 2022 |
a) % certified purchased materials b) % certified sold products FSC certified | Self-defined Self-defined | a) 49% b) 60% |
Performance
Since Elopak became FSC certified in 2010, the annual sales of FSC-certified cartons have steadily increased. Since 2015, 100% of Elopak’s purchased paperboard has come from verified and controlled sources, in line with the standards from FSC. Not all customers require cartons with the FSC label. In 2022, we sold 60% FSC-labeled cartons (79% of the sales volume in Europe). While the number in Europe is increasing, global numbers decreased slightly as the new markets have less demand for FSC-labeled cartons.
All our FSC-labeled cartons are certified throughout every stage of the value chain, from forest yield to paperboard production to final product manufacturing.
100% of the bio-circular polymers Elopak supplies are certified according to ISCC PLUS.
In 2022, Elopak received our Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI) performance certificate.
Moving forward
Elopak aims to use certified products in all our cartons, prioritizing paperboard, the main material in our cartons. We ensure all our factories are certified according to the FSC standard and the certification of our plant in Saudi Arabia is planned for 2023. Our new plants in Morocco and India are already FSC certified. Our bio-circular offering remains important on the European market and we continuously evaluate the need to source certified aluminum.