Sustainability is an integrated part of our functions

At Huhtamaki, sustainability means environmental protection, social equity, and economic prosperity. We believe packaging can do all these:

• It reduces resource usage and product wastage
• It lowers health risks
• It improves economic efficiency

By combining the packaging knowledge and the renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable material base that Huhtamaki has we will be able to meet customer demand for environmentally optimal packaging.

Customers are showing an increasing interest in offering environmentally responsible options. Huhtamaki's life cycle analysis tools help to assess and communicate the sustainability performance of various packaging options to our customers.
 

Improving environmental performance

Enhancing operational efficiency is the most effective way to improve environmental performance. Huhtamaki focuses on improving energy and material efficiency through direct investments and business excellence projects.

• The amount of energy used per production output has been reduced
• Paperboard cuttings and other by-product waste have been reduced translating into a more efficient conversion of raw material to product

Sustainability dimensions are addressed as a natural part of all Huhtamaki's six sigma projects. For instance, at the film manufacturing unit in Forchheim, Germany, a project to reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions also resulted in the recovery and reuse of solvents. This had both economic and environmental benefits.

Even if many projects target cost reduction, this usually goes hand in hand with improved sustainability. Improving energy efficiency is a focus area, and annual relative energy savings of 4–5% at target manufacturing units have already been reached.