Berlin Packaging, the world's largest Hybrid Packaging Supplier® specialising in the supply of glass, plastic and metal packaging and closures, continues its journey towards sustainable packaging by presenting its 2023 Sustainability Report, a direct expression of the progress made by the company together with customers and partners to innovate the market and continue to operate in an even more ethical and responsible manner.
Berlin Packaging is committed to integrating sustainability into all business processes, translating ESG commitments into tangible actions outlined in the report. It provides important updates on the ambitious objectives for reducing the carbon footprint, on the progress made in the sustainability path and that involve both employees and the communities in which the company operates on a daily basis.
"Sustainability is not only a moral and social imperative: it is an open door to redefine what is possible," says Bill Hayes, CEO and President of Berlin Packaging-Global. "As we navigate an ever-evolving global landscape, one truth stands clear: sustainability and business growth are not at odds. Sustainability is key to succeeding in our society today and in the future".
The commitment of Berlin Packaging: main results
The report illustrates the progress made by Berlin Packaging in several areas, including expansion of energy and carbon emissions targets, profiles of Sustainability Changemakers within the organization and a series of products that highlight collaborations with brands, supporting them in achieving their sustainability goals.
Globally, particularly significant results have been achieved in the following areas:
- Innovation and Circularity: with the significant reduction of virgin material in the packaging sold to customers, replaced with over 1,700 tons of post-consumer recycled plastic ("PCR") and 10,700 tons of PCR glass;
- Energy efficiency and Decarbonization: 4,645 MWh of renewable energy credits have been purchased, which correspond to the electricity use by the company in the Americas region;
- Waste reduction: A pilot initiative launched at the Napa Valley warehouse has achieved a differentiation rate of more than 90%.
Design as a driver of sustainability: EMEA solutions
Over 30 brands have relied on Berlin Packaging to design and create sustainable packaging. Company’s successful approach takes advantage of the expertise of Studio One Eleven, its innovation engine that combines the best qualities of a design agency with the discipline of a manufacturer to bring innovative products to life. This way, Berlin Packaging remains focused on the continuous development of new collections with sustainability characteristics and on consulting on sustainable product design offered to its customers.
The main axes based on which the company has moved in the last year reflect market trends and concern several aspects: a lower use of raw material, informed choice of materials based on the project and development of innovative models of reusable and refillable packaging.
A concrete example of less use of glass is the launch of Argotier, the French brand of ready-to-drink organic cocktails that wanted to enhance the brand image with packaging that is aligned with its sustainability values. Thus, the company has chosen Helium Mixology, the Berlin Packaging bottle certified by ClimatePartner, appreciating its lightness and the exclusive light green colour, which is obtained thanks to the high level of recycled glass content.
The use of lightweight, recycled and recyclable materials was successfully tested last year with NEXT, the innovative aluminum bottle for sparkling wine with a cork and a wire hood. It was an important challenge at a technical level that resulted in an innovative and sustainable bottle.
2023 also gave rise to numerous reusable and refillable solutions, especially in beauty: Infusion Refill Fragrance has been designed to offer consumers an opportunity to refill bottles with their favorite fragrance up to 25 times while optimizing packaging recyclability, which is modular; Airglass Refill & Go is a collection of refillable and recyclable products, developed for skincare that uses airless technology to minimize product waste, protecting it from external contaminants and preserving ingredients effectiveness. Airglass Refill & Go is also fully customizable based on brands' needs. Finally, Sashi, flexible monomaterial packaging, characterized by a light and compact design, which optimizes the use of materials and reduces transport costs and emissions and allows brands to offer refills for their products in an easy and sustainable way.
"Our strength stays in going far beyond packaging supply: from design to supply chain support to secondary packaging and to decoration. Thanks to all this, we have a unique opportunity and a great responsibility to put sustainability at the center of what we do," says Paolo Recrosio, CEO of Berlin Packaging EMEA. "Together with partners and customers, we are constantly committed to continuing the path that in recent years has seen us pioneering in cutting-edge solutions. It is an approach that is also reflected in our company dynamics and that sees us at the forefront of sustainability initiatives development ".
EMEA initiatives: From partnering with RecyClass to promoting best practices
Berlin Packaging actively collaborates with companies that promote sustainability, contributing to the acceleration of circular economy. This year, the company signed a partnership with RecyClass, a non-profit and cross-sector initiative dedicated to promoting circular future, to help define the criteria for evaluating plastic packaging recyclability in Europe, promoting better communication and cooperation between sectors.
Attention to sustainability also passes through a series of further initiatives that Berlin Packaging has carried out over the last year:
- "Shaping the future of sustainable packaging" round table, in which the company promoted an important discussion with its European stakeholders in the packaging world at Luxe Pack Monaco 2023;
- "Design and Sustainability" event held in the Netherlands to raise awareness among customers and suppliers on best practices of sustainable packaging;
- partnership with Convertini, a Milanese company that recovers industrial waste, with which it has organized sustainability workshops for junior secondary school children, to explore the role of recycling and circularity in daily life;
- sustainable packaging competition for young students in Milan, which offered them an opportunity to spend a day working together with Studio One Eleven designers at House of the Possible, the company's EMEA headquarters.
Protect the environment by planting new trees, also in the Old Continent
To amplify the global impact, Berlin Packaging has partnered with two organizations to promote reforestation, climate action and biodiversity conservation. As a partner of the United Packaging Forest initiative, Berlin Packaging has supported Trees for All's mission to protect forests by planting trees in natural landscapes, starting in the Netherlands.
In addition, Berlin Packaging partners with Treedom, a B Corp certified company that supports global agroforestry projects, to contribute to the planting of 700 trees worldwide. In this regard, Berlin Packaging has launched a campaign to involve 27,500 customers, sharing a personalized digital card that highlights the growth and benefits of planted trees.
Employee involvement and attention to the performance of Berlin Packaging buildings
To integrate and promote sustainability, Berlin Packaging can count on a global team dedicated to sustainability active in different channels such as training sessions, participation in fairs and meetings with suppliers and customers. In 2023, more than 370 stakeholders were involved in more than 700 hours of training and engagement on sustainability issues.
Last year the company joined the United Nations Global Compact Climate Ambition Accelerator by appointing two of the members of the Global Sustainability Team as representatives of the Climate Ambition Accelerator to study global best practices that can be implemented by the company.
In addition, the EMEA headquarters in Milan, House of the Possible, obtained LEED Gold certification, while warehouses in Seville, Spain, and Wijchen, in the Netherlands, are BREEAM certified.