This year, for the first time, UK PET packaging solution provider Petainer has furthered its commitment to environmental transparency by reporting its environmental impact through CDP, an international non-profit organisation that helps companies and cities disclose their environmental impact.
The company did so by completing CDP’s Carbon Disclosure Project questionnaire, in which it shared the results of the first 3 years of its carbon emissions reduction program, with data reported from as far back as 2018.
Petainer reported a 40% gross reduction in total CO2 emissions in 2022 vs 2018 and a 25% reduction of total emissions in CO2 per kg of resin purchased, the company said. Petainer have additional projects in the pipeline which will help to continue in the quest to further reduce the overall carbon footprint of the company, said CEO Hugh Ross.
The reduction was achieved by strategies to reduce emissions across scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. Decarbonisation of its operations has been a goal since 2018. To that end, Petainer has shifted to renewable energy in its major plants, reducing scope 2 emissions by 92%. Ahead of the EU directive legislating for 25% recycled material in plastic products, Petainer has been supporting customers to reach up to 100% recycled PET (rPET). And 19% of all PET resin used across Petainer sites in 2020 was recycled PET, rising to 36% in 2021.
“Sustainability is at the core of what we do at Petainer. The products we produce reach the hands of millions of consumers every year. It is therefore important for us to support our customers in making each product in the most sustainable manner possible,” said Ross. “Ease of recycling when a product has been used is equally important.”
Disclosing data around environmental impact is now a business norm, according to CDP. Generating awareness of the environmental impact of a company is essential in order to manage that impact. Disclosure helps investors, companies, cities and governments to make better choices. In 2021, over 13,000 companies worth over 64% of global market capitalization disclosed their environmental data through CDP, an increase of 37% since 2020. More than 590 investors with US$110 trillion in assets and 200 purchasing organisations representing US$4 trillion spend have requested environmental data from companies through CDP.
“Climate change poses a present and future risk to companies and their supply chains,” said Sonya Bhonsle, Global Head of Value Chains at CDP,
“Only by measuring environmental risks and opportunities can companies manage them now, prepare for the future and remain competitive – especially as large mainstream investors and policymakers increasingly push for greater transparency through disclosure.”
CDP celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2020 and now have regional offices and local partners spanning 50 countries. There are now companies, cities, states and regions from over 90 countries disclosing through CDP on an annual basis.