SIG launches “industry-first” ASI-certified cartons, Unilever brand to debut

09 Jul 2019 --- Aseptic packaging specialist SIG has become “the first in the industry” to produce cartons with ASI-certified aluminum foil. A start-up brand from Unilever’s Future Platform – B-Better – is set to debut the ASI-certified cartons. Ace Fung, Global Product Manager at SIG, tells PackagingInsights that all of the supplier’s packaging that contains aluminum will begin using the AS-certified aluminum foil and that the cartons will be made available to customers globally.

The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) standard is designed to enhance traceability and responsibility in the aluminum supply chain. SIG is promoting responsible sourcing throughout the value chain by using aluminum from ASI-certified sources for the ultra-thin layer of foil in its packs.

ASI certification adds value for customers by further enhancing the sustainability credentials of their packaging in the eyes of consumers. Customers can now choose to include the ASI logo on their packs alongside the FSC logo for responsibly-sourced paper board which has been available on any SIG pack since 2016.

SIG received recognition in the EU as the supplier of the industry’s first aseptic carton packs manufactured with ASI-certified foil in April, together with the ASI Chain of Custody certification for its production site in Austria. The company has now extended its ASI Chain of Custody certification to all its carton sleeve production sites in Europe.

“SIG has long been committed to responsible sourcing, even for aluminum. What the ASI certification provides SIG and our customer is the reassurance that the aluminum sourced for the packaging is responsibly produced throughout the aluminum value-chain – both in an environmental and social sense. This milestone is an important step in improving how natural resources are extracted and transformed, and thus add further value to our packs,” says Fung.

“SIG’s ASI certification demonstrates that the aluminum in its packs comes from responsible sources,” adds Hélène Esser, Brand Manager Future Platforms and Co-founder B-Better. “Referring to ASI on our packs, we’re showing consumers that we are making a responsible choice on packaging.”

Fung explains that there can be many stakeholders within the value chain of aluminum production which, from an auditing perspective, can add more steps to the supply process.

“As a responsible company, we already sourced our aluminum from suppliers that meet our strict guidelines, thus simplifying and speeding up the process. The ASI certification supports SIG’s responsible procurement efforts and provides higher standards to the products we sell to our customers,” he notes.

SIG’s commitment to responsible sourcing is part of the company’s ambition to go “Way Beyond Good” by putting “more into the environment and society than it takes out.”

“It is exciting to see SIG promoting responsible sourcing of aluminum through to a consumer market for the first time, in partnership with B-Better,” comments Fiona Solomon, CEO of Aluminium Stewardship Initiative. “ASI's vision is to maximize the contribution of aluminum to a sustainable society and increase understanding of the importance of responsible supply chains benefits all stakeholders.”

Rolf Stangl, CEO of SIG has stressed that circular economies must go beyond minimizing environmental damage and find ways to actively give back to the planet. He believes critics still see packaging suppliers as facilitators of throwaway culture and explains how SIG is attempting to change mindsets by adopting a “net positive” approach to sustainability.

As a recent example of SIG’s sustainability work, the supplier announced in May that it has teamed up with SO+MA House Brazil to promote recycling in the city of Curitiba. The initiative enables local citizens to exchange waste packaging for reward points they can use to pay for food and other essentials. Over six tons of material has been collected since the pilot program began in December 2018.

By Joshua Poole

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