Cardboard secondary packaging – FrieslandCampina on the way to 100% sustainability

27 Nov 2012

FrieslandCampina has made huge strides towards 100% sustainable procurement of all cardboard packaging.

FrieslandCampina has made huge strides towards 100% sustainable procurement of all cardboard packaging. And from 2013, all cardboard secondary packaging (packaging items like boxes, wrap arounds and trays) used by Royal FrieslandCampina Consumer Products Europe, Ingredients and Cheese, Butter & MilkPowder on the Western European market will be 100% sustainable. Currently, 80% of the cardboard used for secondary packaging is FSC-certified. About 75% comes from recycled paper fibre and 25% from fresh fibre from responsibly managed forests. In total, the dairy company uses 75 million kilos of cardboard for around 550 million secondary packaging items. Since 2011, nearly all FrieslandCampina’s primary beverage packaging on the Western European market has been FSC-certified.

Sustainability is one of the building blocks of the route2020 corporate strategy, explains Kees Gielen, CFO of Royal FrieslandCampina. ‘When buying products, there’s a lot to be gained from buying sustainably. If our suppliers operate sustainably, it not only helps us but also our customers to achieve sustainability targets. The more sustainable we can be in our procurement, the more we can raise the level of sustainability among our business partners and the consumer,’ says Gielen.

‘The steps FrieslandCampina has taken in the area of FSC packaging puts the business right at the forefront of the Western European market,’ says Liesbeth Gort, Director of FSC Netherlands. ‘Sharing experiences and know-how during the International Supply Management Congress is not only valuable for FSC, but also for the growing group of consumer goods producers who wish to use FSC-certified packaging.’

Primary packaging
Since 2010, FrieslandCampina has been using sustainably produced cardboard for its primary packaging (Appelsientje and milk packs). When choosing material, the company looks at the entire footprint, including use of raw materials, CO2 emissions, transport and reuse of packaging. FrieslandCampina is aiming to achieve climate-neutral growth of its operations, both at its members' dairy farms and in the business. In doing so, it considers sustainability of the dairy farms as well as the processing and distribution chains.

Workshops at International Supply Management Congress 2012
The steps required to switch to FSC, including the challenges involved, will be presented during workshops at the forthcoming International Supply Management Congress taking place at RAI Amsterdam on 29 and 30 November. The aim is to inspire other companies and offer tools for similar initiatives.

Source: FrieslandCampina