RDM Group, a leading European cartonboard producer, has announced the launch of its latest annual Sustainability Booklet, which provides a transparent and detailed look at the company's significant progress toward its 2030 environmental goals, especially those linked to its Sustainability-Linked Bonds (SLBs).
Sustained progress towards circularity
The 2024 Sustainability Booklet details major advancements, demonstrating the success of the first five years of the Group's sustainability plan since the SLB was issued in 2020.
Key progress against the SLB targets includes:
- The percentage of the Group's waste sent for recovery reached an impressive 89.7%. This figure marks a 17% increase from 2020, positioning RDM Group very close to its ambitious 2030 target of 90.0%.
- Wastewater discharge intensity decreased by 17% to 9.20 m3/tonne.
- RDM Group's carbon intensity fell 9% to 0.449 tCO2e/tonne of production, demonstrating effective energy and process improvements.
These achievements are underpinned by a broader commitment to resource efficiency and a circular economy. Notably, RDM Group recycled over 1,100 kilotonnes of paper in 2024, which is a volume equivalent to the annual paper waste of 18 million people.
Furthermore, 96% of the Group's fibre-based materials are made from recycled paper, and 42% of its purchased electricity now originates from renewable sources.
Better when working together
The new Sustainability Booklet also highlights the materials innovation and partnerships that are accelerating RDM Group’s packaging circularity across sectors.
In 2024, RDM Group introduced an increased-stiffness Strong Board that allows customers to use less material for the same strength, ideal for frozen food applications due to its water-resistant properties. The company also upgraded its Serviliner, a 100% recycled-fibre board, with a new coating for superior print quality and visual appeal for products like cleaning supplies and electronics packaging.
In one of its cross-industry collaborations, RDM Group partnered with Arti Grafiche Reggiane and Italian brand GranTerre to create a local closed-loop system. This project recycled production scraps from snack box manufacturing, reintegrating the waste to form new cartonboard containing 25% reclaimed fibres for the next run of school snack boxes.
Speaking on the latest Sustainability Booklet, Michele Bianchi, CEO of RDM Group said: "Building a circular economy hinges on transparent contributions from every part of the value chain. Our latest reporting captures our firm's dedication to minimising environmental impact, championing the circular economy, and always working collaboratively. This publication demonstrates how sustainability isn't just a check box, but a driver embedded within RDM Group's strategic vision and daily operations."
The sustainability booklet is available at https://rdmgroup.com/news/sustainability-booklet-2024/