SIG Combibloc first manufacturer to set historic industry FSC milestone

Thanks to a global network of cardboard suppliers who are certified according to the criteria of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), from August 2016 100% of SIG Combibloc carton packs for food and beverages can be labelled with the logo of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Kim Carstensen and Rolf Stangl

This means SIG Combibloc can guarantee that, starting from August 2016, sufficient quantities of wood from FSC-certified, responsibly managed forests have been bought for the manufacture of the unprocessed cardboard, so that every customer across the world can bring to market SIG carton packs with the FSC label, now and in future.

Creating the right conditions

Commenting on the news, Rolf Stangl, CEO of SIG Combibloc, said: “As one of the leading manufacturers of carton packs for foods and beverages, safeguarding the planet’s forests is a key corporate goal for us. Hand in hand with that goes our commitment to ensuring that the cardboard we use for our carton packs comes 100% from certified sources. We believe the FSC certification system is currently the most credible and the most widely accepted system for sustainable forest management. Globally, FSC-certified forests are still only available in a limited quantity. Through our well-developed network of cardboard suppliers, all of whom have certified cardboard production plants, we’re able to ensure that we have access to sufficient quantities of FSC unprocessed cardboard. As the first manufacturer of food and beverage packaging in the world to do so, we have therefore created the conditions to ensure all carton packs we produce can carry the FSC logo.”

In SIG Combibloc’s Corporate Compass, the responsible procurement of all materials, products and services used at SIG Combibloc is an important cornerstone. With its commitment to label 100% of all SIG carton packs with the FSC logo, SIG Combibloc is consistently continuing its past success in the responsible procurement and processing of materials.

For instance, SIG Combibloc was the leading manufacturer to have all its production sites world-wide certified in accordance with the FSC’s criteria for a continuous product chain of custody (CoC). The FSC CoC certificate provides documentary evidence of the high environmental standards to which SIG Combibloc works. Similarly, obtaining this certification enabled SIG Combibloc to be one of the first manufacturers to offer food packaging that was permitted to carry the ‘FSC Mix’ label.

Kim Carstensen, Director General at FSC International, commented: “Food and beverage manufacturers can make important contributions to saving the environment and safeguarding social interests in the forest by working with FSC, and also secure a crucial competitive advantage for themselves.”

Recognition from the WWF

Recognition for the commitment of SIG Combibloc has come from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The international environmental organisation actively supports the work of the FSC, and advises consumers to look out for the FSC official logo when buying paper and wood products.

Johannes Zahnen, Officer Forest Policy at WWF Deutschland, said: “SIG Combibloc is close to achieving its ambitious goal of producing and selling exclusively FSC-labelled carton packs. We appreciate the dedication and leadership of SIG Combibloc with regard to responsible forest management. The WWF is confident that FSC can make a significant contribution to forest conservation and to better forest management. Apart from protected areas only responsible forest management can prevent the complete destruction of our forests. ‘Preservation through responsible use’ – this motto will ensure the continued survival of the forest, its functionality and its biodiversity. By opting for SIG carton packs with the FSC label, food and beverage manufacturers are emphasising their environmentally and socially responsible thinking and actions, and enabling consumers to choose an environmentally beneficial product, as well.”

New design policy for carton packs

Each food and beverage manufacturer can make its own decision on displaying the FSC label visibly on the carton pack, and thus clearly positioning itself as an environmentally responsible company. To give manufacturers enough scope to integrate the FSC label into the packaging design, in consultation with the FSC, SIG Combibloc has developed a new design policy for carton packs. The FSC label can now be placed on one of the four fully printable display surfaces of the carton packs, but also on the so-called lateral ‘ears’ of the cartons, or on the carton base. This solution is an effective option, for instance, for small-size carton packs with limited space. For manufacturers who want to make the benefits of FSC-labelled packaging clear and at the same time present these benefits on the carton in a way that appeals to consumers on an emotional level, the FSC has also developed a new logo with the slogan ‘Forests for all forever’.