 
Writer: Sandra Santos, CEO, BA Glass
Sustainability is a high precedence for corporations in at this time’s enterprise panorama. In our pursuit to be as clear as glass, BA Glass has a well-established sustainability technique that has been a part of its organisational tradition for over 20 years. A sustainability technique that’s based mostly on six key pillars – individuals, social accountability, shareholders, atmosphere, shoppers and clients – which strengthen and inspire us each day, to do extra and to by no means cease attempting new issues, driving us to set and meet bold targets.
Our sustainability journey begins with the very essence of what we produce: glass. As glass container producers, we embrace the time-honoured human custom of glass, pushed by its distinctive properties: non-polluting, non-deforesting, inert, non-contaminating, reusable, and infinitely recyclable. This bold technique has guided us to be the one glass packaging firm to achieve the best rating – an A – within the Carbon Disclosure Challenge (CDP), becoming a member of a gaggle of solely 299 corporations on this planet. CDP is a not-for-profit organisation that runs the worldwide disclosure system throughout worth chains to handle their environmental impacts.
In 2020, we set an bold goal of lowering CO2 emissions by 50 p.c (scope one and two) till 2035 and obtained its official approval from the Science Based mostly Targets initiative (SBTi), a outstanding organisation that promotes the institution of bold science-based emission discount targets, in accordance with the Paris Settlement. In simply two years, we decreased by 20 p.c the CO2 emissions per ton of glass produced, in direct and oblique emissions, scope one and two. With a transparent imaginative and prescient for lowering our carbon footprint, now we have embraced quite a few actions and initiatives, particularly the transition from fossil fuels to scrub vitality sources. This vitality shift was notably accelerated by the set up of 80,000 m2 of photo voltaic panels, leading to a major discount of greater than 4,100 tons of CO2 emissions yearly.
The mixing of cullet (recycled glass) into our manufacturing course of represents a major a part of our ongoing efforts to minimise our environmental influence. Due to its traits, glass is one hundred pc recyclable, endlessly. It may be integrated into the manufacturing of recent glass containers with none lack of its authentic qualities. This not solely reduces the necessity for extra uncooked supplies, but additionally results in substantial reductions in CO2 emissions. We embraced quite a few initiatives to extend the glass assortment in all of the nations wherein now we have manufacturing services, aiming to achieve a 90 p.c assortment charge, a robust initiative underneath the Shut the Glass Loop, pushed by the European Glass Affiliation the place BA has two board seats. Apart from recycled glass, one other essential facet of our technique is the discount in weight of bottles and jars, which immediately impacts our carbon footprint. In 2022, our revolutionary light-weight designs led to a powerful discount of two,500 tons of CO2 emissions (scope one and two), considerably minimising our environmental influence. Two years in the past, we launched PURE, our sustainable model.
PURE was created with the intention of constructing glass extra environmentally pleasant via aware design, the place nature comes first in each a part of the creation course of. Because of this, we’re difficult clients and model homeowners to overview their choices on packaging design, embracing extra sustainable choices. Though our emissions in scope one and two are larger than in scope three, we’re additionally devoting sources to cut back oblique emissions. Many initiatives with transport corporations are being developed, and we’re very optimistic regarding the important CO2 reductions forward. We’re partnering with our suppliers on this frequent journey, debating their carbon discount motion plans and stay prepared to actively take part of their initiatives. All these accomplishments, on our journey to be extra sustainable, have been potential because of the help of our shareholders.
During the last three years, they’ve allotted €22m particularly for the event of applied sciences aimed toward lowering emissions and minimising environmental influence. An instance is the event of the ECO Furnace, an revolutionary new expertise that can permit us to cut back using fuel by inexperienced energies. This substantial funding in R&D initiatives underscores their dedication to driving optimistic change and securing a sustainable future. In addition to the environmental considerations, BA’s sustainability journey goes past environmental accountability. We intention to foster a optimistic influence on our workers and the communities the place we function. Our high precedence is to empower our individuals by going past what we produce, creating profession alternatives and selling the event of their abilities, via coaching programmes and enriching experiences that allow people to tackle new challenges and develop their pondering. Furthermore, we’re all the time looking for to create a optimistic influence inside our communities. Our ‘Glass Seeds’ undertaking goals to advertise equal alternatives and meritocracy in our native communities via academic help.
For BA, sustainability goes far past the manufacturing of glass packaging. It’s about having a inexperienced and sustainable mindset in each motion we undertake. By way of our long-term dedication and with an bold roadmap, we imagine that we aren’t simply envisioning a extra sustainable future, we’re actively shaping it, aiming to be as resilient and eco-friendly as the fabric we produce – glass!