Tetra Pak commits to net zero emissions

Tetra Pak was founded on the idea that a package should save more than it costs, with sustainability always at the core of how the company operates as a business. Since 1999, the company has been collecting data on energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from across the organisation on an annual basis, with its GHG accounts audited by an independent third party since 2013.

Lars Holmquist, Executive Vice President Packaging Solutions and Commercial Operations at Tetra Pak, said: “We have consistently delivered on our climate goals, right from the first goal set in 2002, again in 2005 and we are on track to meet our 2020 goal. In 2017, we were the first company in the food and beverage industry to have its climate impact reduction targets approved by the SBT initiative. More recently, we joined the European Alliance for Green Recovery, the first pan-European call for mobilisation on post-crisis green investment solutions. Today, we’re once again leading the way by setting ambitious net zero emissions targets that will drive transformation right across our sector and the entire value chain. The planet’s greatest environmental challenge demands nothing less from us.”

Tetra Pak will focus on four key areas to reach net zero GHG emissions across its own operations by 2030 and to realise its 2050 ambition along the entire value chain: Lowering energy-related emissions; Partnering with suppliers and other stakeholders along the value chain to significantly reduce carbon footprint; Accelerating its low carbon circular packaging and equipment portfolio development; Developing sustainable recycling value chains.

In Vietnam, Tetra Pak is an enthusiastic contributor to the country sustainability and a low carbon circular economy. The Company’s manufacturing hub in Binh Duong is one of the first of its kind in Vietnam to apply the latest, most-demanding environmental standards set by the globally-recognised LEED Gold V4 certification. With various measures in place, the new factory could reduce its energy usage by up to 36 per cent and reuse over 17.6 million litres of water a year.

In addition, nearly 100% of Tetra Pak’s carton packages in Vietnam are made from Forest Stewardship Council certified cartons. The Company is also among the founders of Packaging Recycling Organization Vietnam (PRO Vietnam), working towards the ambition that all of packages from member companies will be recycled by 2030.

Currently, the Company is actively engaged with community organizations to establish and expand the chain of public drop-off stations so that consumers can bring their used cartons for collecting and recycling. Tetra Pak currently holds a network of roughly 30 drop-off stations in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and some other provinces.