Climate Protection

Climate protection, as both a challenge and a growth opportunity, will shape our economic activities in the coming decades. A sustainable future and the promotion of human well-being are only possible if we respect planetary boundaries and preserve environmental stability. At SÜDPACK, we are committed to the Paris Climate Agreement and its goals. We have established the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in all phases of the value chain as our NET ZERO ambition – and thus as a central goal for our organization within the scope of our Sustainability Strategy.

We are fully aware of the environmental impact of our business activities across the entire value chain. The reality is that our products affect the environment across all three emission scopes. Our substantial corporate carbon footprint is primarily driven by Scope 3 emissions, especially those linked to the procurement of goods and services. Due to their energy-intensive production processes and reliance on fossil resources, our suppliers generate significant greenhouse gas emissions.

As part of the Science Based Targets initiative, we are committed to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions in line with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. For us, this means reducing our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 76% from the baseline year of 2021. Additionally, by 2030, we aim to reduce our Scope 3 emissions in the category of purchased goods and services by 25%.

For us, ecological responsibility also means contributing to resource conservation, climate protection, and energy security through intelligent, future-focused energy management. The production of plastic films is an energy-intensive process. Therefore, to increase our energy efficiency, we continuously invest in modern, energy-saving machines and production processes. Since 2022, our German sites have been powered by 100% green electricity. Our goal is to operate our business with 100% renewable energy across all sites by 2030. Currently, renewables account for 46% of our company group’s total energy consumption. Through our efforts in this area, we were able to reduce our total energy consumption by 14% between 2022 and 2023.

Our planet’s resources are limited, a reality that drives us to act responsibly to protect the environment and future generations. At SÜDPACK, we prioritize both the efficient use of resources and the recovery of valuable raw materials. Our investments in state-of-the-art machinery help us maximize material efficiency, enabling us to produce ultra-thin, recyclable films. In addition to optimizing material efficiency, we also reduce resource consumption by reintroducing regranulate into our production process. Since 2023, we have used a life cycle assessment tool to compare the environmental impact of various packaging solutions. This tool enables a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental impact of our packaging solutions across multiple impact categories, including greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 emissions), consumption of fossil resources (including embedded fossil energy in materials), and ecotoxicity (effects on living organisms).