Smurfit Westrock has published its 2025 Sustainability Report, outlining ambitious new Better Planet targets, the significant progress made across climate, circularity and communities, and the role of paper-based packaging in supporting a lower-carbon, circular economy. The report details how sustainability is embedded across Smurfit Westrock’s operations, and a key feature is the introduction of new, quantified Better Planet targets including the following:
• Reduce Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 28% by 2030, from a 2019 baseline, in line with the Paris Agreement
• Cut water intake at mills by 22% by 2030
• Reduce waste sent to landfill by 24% by 2030
• Invest over $40 million in social, environmental and community initiatives by 2030
The report also shows how Smurfit Westrock’s Better Planet Packaging initiative—which is focused on engaging stakeholders in packaging innovation, circularity and collaboration—is delivering value for customers and helping them achieve their goals. Through a mix of case studies and detailed reporting, the report brings Smurfit Westrock’s sustainability projects to life, such as four box plants in France achieving net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions. The report also details several major capital investments in water sustainability including a $30 million upgrade to the wastewater pre-treatment and recycling system at the Solvay mill in New York.
Highlights resulting in tangible biodiversity and community outcomes include work with the Forestry Stewardship Council™ (FSC) to further strengthen chain of custody standards and a collaboration with the World Wildlife Federation on their Wild Wisdom Biodiversity contest for thousands of school children in Colombia.
Tony Smurfit, Smurfit Westrock President and CEO, said: “We look for the business case in everything we do, and sustainability is no different. Across the markets in which we operate, stakeholders such as customers and investors continue to expect it, and we remain focused on reducing our environmental footprint. I believe that sustainable business is good business.” Garrett Quinn, Group Head of Sustainability, Branding and Communications at Smurfit Westrock, added: “This report clearly illustrates the actions we are taking across our business to help deliver a more sustainable future, underpinned by our customer focus, our global scale, and our capital investment.
“At Smurfit Westrock, sustainability is firmly embedded in how we operate. By setting clear, measurable targets and continuing to invest in circular, paper-based solutions, we are strengthening our ability to serve customers, manage risk and support the transition to a lower-carbon, circular economy.” Smurfit Westrock’s sustainability highlights and the full report are available to download below.