Smurfit Kappa has once again secured its position as an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) industry leader.

For the third consecutive year, Morningstar Sustainalytics, a prominent research and analytics business, has recognised Smurfit Kappa as the top performer in the paper packaging sector.

The company achieved both Industry and Regional Top-Rated status, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable business practices.

With a score of 10.7, Smurfit Kappa maintains its 'Low Risk' classification, surpassing its peers in the paper packaging industry and ranking among the top companies evaluated by Sustainalytics in Europe.

This consistent improvement in its ESG risk rating reflects Smurfit Kappa's effective management of material ESG issues over time.

Morningstar Sustainalytics evaluated more than 14,000 companies worldwide across 42 industries, with Smurfit Kappa's ESG risk rating based on various criteria, including financial strength, circular business practices, and ethical conduct.

Garrett Quinn, CSO at Smurfit Kappa, expressed satisfaction with the recognition.

"We are pleased to receive continued strong ESG ratings from leading third-party providers, in this instance, from Morningstar Sustainalytics. The year-on-year improvement reflects our ongoing dedication to delivering best-in-class ESG performance for all our stakeholders.”

Environmental priorities and commitments

Smurfit Kappa says it places strategic emphasis on environmental priorities such as climate change, forest, water, and waste management.

Under the banner of 'Our Better Planet 2050 Commitments,' Smurfit Kappa has outlined ambitious targets across these key environmental areas:

• Climate change: Aiming for at least net-zero emissions by 2050, with a 55% reduction in fossil fuel emissions intensity by 2030. Achieving a 43.9% reduction in fossil fuel emissions intensity since 2005 demonstrates significant progress.
• Water: Targeting a 60% reduction in chemical oxygen demand intensity by 2025, with a notable 36.9% reduction achieved since 2005.
• Waste: Striving for a 30% reduction in waste landfill intensity by 2025, with a commendable 24% reduction achieved since 2013.
• Forest: Targeting more than 95% of packaging solutions sold as chain of custody-certified to customers by 2025, with a robust 94.3% achievement recorded in 2022.