HorizonNOW, the sustainability agenda announced by Siegwerk, one of the leading printing ink suppliers for packaging applications, will build on the company’s circular economy goals with targets set for 2025.
The company says that the name of the agenda combines ‘Horizon’, in reference to its New Horizons 2025+ business strategy, and ‘NOW’ to emphasise the need for immediate action to address the challenges of sustainable development. It adds that the strategy will involve all areas of its business.
Nicolas Wiedmann, chief executive officer at Siegwerk, comments: “The packaging industry is under increasing pressure to provide more environmentally sustainable options for the future.
“As the sponsor of the HorizonNOW initiative, Siegwerk’s ambition is to conduct business with the next generation in mind while driving the latest innovations in safe, circular, and digital packaging solutions.”
The HorizonNOW initiative involves seven measurable targets based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
According to Siegwerk, these goals include action across the value chain, such as carbon neutral Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions globally. Siegwerk further intends to establish product environmental footprint data for all of its products, while ensuring 100% of its suppliers are committed to UN Global Compact Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) requirements.
Siegwerk has also pledged to manage its portfolio so that 75% of all products and services sold enable reusable, renewable, or recyclable packaging. The company will aim to meet all of its targets by 2025.
The company adds that it intends to be a “trendsetter” to others in the industry by proactively improving its products and setting high standards of consumer and environmental safety.
In addition, Siegwerk has identified four “areas of impact” where it will focus its sustainability efforts: ‘Operations and Supply Chain’, ‘Product Safety and Responsibly’, ‘Circular Economy’, and ‘People and Communities’.
A new organisational structure at Siegwerk will include a new Sustainability Office, led by Alina Marm, head of global sustainability and circular economy. The company adds that a global sustainability manager will also be appointed, supported by a leader from each area of impact.
Siegwerk will also pursue certification by EcoVadis to externally monitor and verify the company’s performance.
Weidmann adds: “To achieve our goals, we still have more homework to do, and this will require working together in tandem with our customers and other important business partners.
“To deliver, Siegwerk must build a sustainable business that remains economically viable.
“This was always going to be challenging, but myself and the Executive Board strongly believe that HorizonNOW is the right strategic direction to take, and that we will be successful in achieving this aggressive objective.”
Earlier this year, Siegwerk announced that it had joined two other initiatives promoting circularity in packaging: 4evergreen, which aims to increase rates of fibre-based packaging, and CosPaTox, an EU project focused on establishing quality streams for non-food plastic post-consumer recyclates from mixed feedstock input streams.
