Tetra Pak commits to taking action for nature

As part of the comprehensive framework outlining the company’s contribution to halting and reversing nature loss, Tetra Pak has established 25 targets across the value chain.

Lausanne, Switzerland (15 May 2024): Ahead of the United Nation’s International Day of Biodiversity on 22nd May, Tetra Pak has announced the launch of its ‘Approach to Nature’ – a comprehensive framework that defines the company’s contribution to halting and reversing nature loss and enhancing water security. The approach aligns with global targets, including those outlined in the Biodiversity Plan that calls for action to halt biodiversity loss and put nature on a path to recovery for the benefit of all life on earth.^[1]

A report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) shows that nature is deteriorating at rates unprecedented in human history, largely due to human activity.^[2] Global food systems are identified as the main drivers of nature loss,^[3] with wide-reaching impacts that threaten global economies, livelihoods and food security.^[4]

Recognising this complex interdependency and building on a thorough evaluation of nature-related impacts and dependencies, Tetra Pak’s ambitious new ‘Approach to Nature’ aims to manage the impacts of the company’s value chain on nature and to support the restoration of ecosystems.^[5] Additionally, it seeks to contribute to global water resilience by reducing negative impacts on local water resources and addressing shared water challenges in basins at risk.^[6] All of this across the geographies, the business, its suppliers, and its customers are operating in, building a strong foundation upon which Tetra Pak can further accelerate its actions for nature.

Amongst the 25 targets set by Tetra Pak:

• By 2025, 100% of Tetra Pak’s raw materials with the most significant land footprint^[7] will originate from certified or controlled sources.
• By 2025, 100% of Tetra Pak high water-impact suppliers^[8] will report on water use and quality.
• Eradicate waste-to-landfill from Tetra Pak production sites by 2030.
• Achieve a 50% reduction of water use in best practice processing lines by 2030 compared to 2019.                    

Gilles Tisserand, Vice President Climate & Biodiversity, Tetra Pak, comments:

With over half of the world’s GDP heavily reliant on nature,^[9] the stakes could not be higher. Our ‘Approach to Nature’ not only reflects our commitment to environmental stewardship but also builds on our longstanding action in this domain, cemented by our inclusion in the 2023 CDP Forests A List for the eighth consecutive year and the achievement of an A- in Water Security for our first year of reporting. As other companies join us on this journey, together we can help protect and restore nature for the generations to come.

In 2022, Tetra Pak was also a signatory of the Business for Nature coalition’s COP15 business statement, urging governments to adopt the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’s Target 15. Target 15 required large private companies and financial institutions to assess and disclose their risks, dependencies, and impacts on biodiversity, provide information to consumers to promote sustainable consumption and report on compliance.^[10]

Eva Zabey, CEO, Business for Nature, comments:

Tetra Pak’s ‘Approach to Nature’ marks an important milestone, emphasising how the corporate world must step up to support the ambitious targets of the Biodiversity Plan (formerly known as the Global Biodiversity Framework). We encourage all companies to set a nature strategy – a clear plan for how they will contribute towards a nature-positive future by 2030. However, businesses can’t achieve this alone; governments must create the right incentives to speed up corporate action to address nature loss.
 

Media contacts
Lucia Freschi 
Tetra Pak
Tel: +39 347 2632237
Lucia.freschi@tetrapak.com

This article first appeared on Tetra Pak’s website on 15 May 2024.

^{[1] The Biodiversity Plan, formerly known as the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, was adopted in December 2022. It outlines global ambitions and specific actions needed to stop and reverse biodiversity loss by 2050. It includes goals such as restoring 30% of ecosystems, reducing food waste by half and investing at least $200 billion annually in strategies that benefit biodiversity. For more information: https://www.cbd.int/gbf.}

^{[2] IPBES. (2019). Global Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity. p. 1109 In E. S. Brondízio, J. Settele, S. Díaz, & H. T. Ngo (Eds.), IPBES secretariat. IPBES secretariat, Bonn, Germany. Source: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3831673.}

^{[3] Benton, T.G., et al. (2021). Food system impacts on biodiversity loss: Three levers for food system transformation in support of nature. Chatham House. Source: https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/2021-02/2021-02-03-food-system-biodiversity-loss-benton-et-al_0.pdf}

^{[4] Herweijer, C., et al. “Nature risk rising: Why the crisis engulfing nature matters for business and the economy.” World Economic Forum and PwC. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_New_Nature_ Economy_Report_2020.pdf}

^{[5] One example is The Araucaria Conservation Programme In Brazil}

^{[6] Basins at risk are identified following the SBTN methodology, based on eight different indicators across water quantity, quality and wash. For each indicator, a score between 1 and 5 is attributed. Within these three categories, one indicator with a score of 3 or above indicates that the basin is at risk.}

^{[7] Tetra Pak raw materials with most significant land-use footprint are defined as paperboard, sugarcane-based polymer and aluminium. These commodities are also included in SBTN Conversion-driving commodities list.}

^{[8] High water-impact suppliers are defined as having high business relevance, water impact and exposure to water risks.}

^{[9] WEF, 2020}

^{[10] COP15: Nations Adopt Four Goals, 23 Targets for 2030 In Landmark UN Biodiversity Agreement | Convention on Biological Diversity (cbd.int)}