UPM Raflatac achieves CarbonNeutral product certification for lineless labeling portfolio

11 May 2022 --- UPM Raflatac has achieved CarbonNeutral product certification for its entire Linerless product range. Natural Capital Partners issues the certification according to The CarbonNeutral Protocol, which provides a “robust and pragmatic blueprint” for carbon neutrality. 

Direct thermal (DT) linerless labeling products help customers reduce their packaging footprint and are in high demand in the packaging value chain. The company says linerless labels bring up to a 40% reduction in material usage compared to traditional labeling technologies. The DT linerless market has seen approximately 15% year-on-year growth in recent years, it adds.

“Our ambition is to go beyond fossils,” says Robert Taylor, sustainability director at UPM Raflatac. “In practice, this means that we are constantly innovating new ways to reduce the carbon emissions of our products. This [process[ is a must to meet our climate commitments but also for our business, as the market demand for [environmentally] sustainable labeling solutions is high and growing all the time.”

“The new CarbonNeutral product certification of our linerless range is a great addition to our CarbonNeutral product portfolio, which already includes the Rafnxt+ products. This [progress] is a big leap forward in providing our customers even more [environmentally] sustainable solutions and enabling them to take positive climate action.”The Linerless products’ GHG emissions are compensated through offsetting projects.

Carbon offsetting
The carbon footprint measure of UPM Raflatac’s linerless products has already been certified by the Carbon Trust. The new CarbonNeutral product certification is further proof of the company’s actions to define, measure and reduce the emissions originating from the linerless manufacturing process, raw materials, and transportation. Furthermore, the emissions that are still unavoidable today are now compensated.

The Linerless products’ cradle-to-customer greenhouse gas emissions are compensated in full through global projects verified to internationally recognized standards, such as the Gold Standard. This standard means that UPM Raflatac has compensated for the emissions that are unavoidable on behalf of their customers.

Customers can make a deduction of emissions relating to UPM Raflatac linerless products in their life cycle assessment calculations.

Natalie Taylor, director of client solutions at Natural Capital Partners, comments: “We work with leading organizations to deliver action on climate change and create a more [environmentally] sustainable world. Our joined-up approach helps organizations like UPM Raflatac address their environmental impacts by using carbon market solutions, which also support sustainable development. UPM Raflatac’s new CarbonNeutral product is a great next step on their climate action journey.”Customers can deduct emissions from the linerless products in their LCA calculations.

Net-zero future
UPM Raflatac’s actions with linerless labels are part of its efforts to lead the label industry into a net-zero carbon emission future. UPM is among the first forest industry companies committed to the UN Business Ambition for 1.5 °C to take tangible actions to mitigate climate change.

UPM has also joined The Climate Pledge, which commits the company to achieve net-zero annual carbon emissions by 2040 – a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement’s goal of 2050.

Last year, UPM Raflatac introduced a full range of paper labels made with 100% recycled fibers, designed for food, retail and logistics labeling.

The Finnish forest industry company recently settled a dispute with its paper mill employees over worker’s rights, ending what is said to be the longest strike in the country’s paper industry history. The shutdown had lasted for 112 days and caused untold damage to critical supply chains.

By Joshua Poole