Using plastic responsibly: Südpack publishes new sustainability report

For Südpack Verpackungen GmbH & Co. KG, creating technically demanding film solutions for food, medical and technical products also involves taking responsibility. This applies to the quality of the packaged products as well as to the company's staff and not least to the environment. In its first sustainability report published in 2016, Südpack identified the key areas in which the company was taking action for more sustainability. The second edition of the report now documents the milestones that Südpack has reached since that first report - and the ambitious goals the company has set itself for 2020.

"Sustainability and plastic are not mutually exclusive!", says Südpack Managing Partner Johannes Remmele. "As a plastics processing company, we can make a significant contribution to a sustainable society by manufacturing sustainable products and using resources responsibly." Plastic packaging not only contributes to climate protection by keeping food from spoiling prematurely, it is also becoming more climate-friendly itself through the use of sustainable raw materials and a closed recycling loop.

There are many challenges along the way. "We need to fully leverage existing technologies and develop our own where they do not meet our high standards," Remmele says. This is why Südpack has been working for some time on the use of innovative plastics and on saving material to make existing films more resource-efficient. The company's first sustainability report in 2016 comprehensively outlined the areas in which Südpack is active. It now forms the basis of the new report in which Südpack provides an overview of milestones achieved, current projects and future goals. The report complies with GRI standards, the first global benchmark for sustainability reports, and was checked and verified by independent sources. The report exclusively covers the Ochsenhausen plant site, where the vast majority of Südpack films are developed and produced.

Focus on avoiding, reducing and reusing

Südpack has made significant progress compared to the previous reporting period - primarily in terms of raw material consumption, reducing and recycling waste products, and energy consumption. For instance, as the technology leader in multilayer films for many years, Südpack has been developing increasingly thinner films that use less raw material yet still ensure consistently high technical performance. This also has a positive impact on logistics and storage. More running meters fit on a roll without increasing the weight or volume. This means that less energy is used during transport and less effort is involved for the customer, for example, when it comes to roll changes.