Three years of Biofore Site™: UPM Raflatac aims higher in sustainable manufacturing

Global label stock manufacturer UPM Raflatac has worked hard to quantify and build upon its sustainable manufacturing processes through its innovative Biofore Site™ program, which is now celebrating its third year. Implemented at the company’s 10 factories worldwide, the program has resulted in many improvements that help further cement UPM Raflatac’s position as it is leading in sustainable labeling.

The Biofore Site concept includes a scorecard with approximately 40 performance measures mapped to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which align with parent company UPM’s 2030 responsibility targets. The scorecard provides flexibility for UPM Raflatac’s factory teams to develop site-specific roadmaps for achieving their Biofore Site goals.

Filled out annually by each factory, the scorecards touch on standard sustainability measures like waste generation, energy consumption, and safety performance, and some not-so-conventional measures, like supplier sustainability performance, development opportunities for employees, engagement in community activities, and measures of diversity.

“Customers, brand owners and suppliers want the assurance that they are working with responsible actors throughout their supply chains, and the Biofore Site concept is our company’s way of holding ourselves accountable and improving sustainability performance in line with our 2030 targets,” says Robert Taylor, Sustainability Director at UPM Raflatac. “Biofore Site is unique in the pressure sensitive labeling industry and one great way of demonstrating why we are the partner of choice in labeling a smarter future.”

The factory teams completed their first scorecards in 2016 and will complete their 2020 scorecards at the end of the year. Since then, they have made substantial progress. Here are just a few of the major highlights:
*Four factories are currently landfill-free, and two others are nearly landfill-free.
*Four factories now operate with 100 percent renewably generated electricity. The Mills River factory in the U.S. was the first manufacturing site in the state of North Carolina to operate with 100 percent renewable electricity.
*All 10 factories maintain third-party certified ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems and ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems.
*Five factories so far are certified to the ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System.

Furthermore, UPM Raflatac teams have implemented dozens of local projects, ranging from LED lighting retrofits to heat exchanger and waste shredder installations, to on-site beekeeping and waterway clean-ups. The COVID-19 global pandemic has limited the ability to do larger volunteer community projects this year.

“Through these projects and ongoing dialogue with employees, we continue to develop a strong sustainability culture within our company,” says Laura Cummings, UPM Raflatac’s Director of Health, Safety, and Environment. “A primary goal of the Biofore Site program is to make sustainability tangible for our employees.”
https://www.upmraflatac.com/news-and-stories/news/2020/11/three-years-of-biofore-site-upm-raflatac-aims-higher-in-sustainable-manufacturing/

Related Posts

Messages such as “Go Green, Go Paperless” are misleading. Two Sides’ new information sheet explains why.

Common inaccuracies about print and paper are still a major issue for the industry. These misconceptions are further reinforced by financial organisations, utility companies and many other service providers, as they increasingly encourage their customers to switch to electronic bills and statements. But instead of focusing on the potential cost savings of digital, often the incentive to switch is based on unfounded environmental claims such as “Go Green – Go Paperless” and “Choose e-billing and help save a tree”. These messages are unsubstantiated, misleading and can have a lasting effect on consumer perceptions of paper. Many leading organisations, including banks, utility companies and telecommunications providers, urge their customers to go paperless with claims that paperless bills, statements and other electronic communications save trees, are “greener” and better for the environment. These statements are greenwashing. These statements are not specific, not supported by reliable scientific evidence or relevant life cycle analyses and are misleading. Without evidence to support the claim being made such communication is Greenwashing and contravenes advertising regulations in most European countries.

PEFC Austria raises awareness for sustainable forestry

Under the theme ”Das g’fallt dem Wald” (“The forest likes that“), PEFC Austria concluded their successful multimedia campaign, raising awareness for the role of sustainable forestry in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the contribution that each of us can make. The message was clear: the PEFC label assures consumers that wood-based products come from sustainably managed forests. Choosing products carrying the label means contributing to healthy forests and active climate protection. One of the highlights of the campaign was PEFC Austria’s participation in the "INITIATIVE2030 - live the goals" project. The voluntary, non-profit information initiative publicises and disseminates the core contents of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Record Steel Recycling Rates in Europe

The environmental degradation that has taken placed over the past several decades could have serious consequences for the future of the planet if action is not taken swiftly. According to the UN, if the global population reaches 9.6 billion by 2050, the equivalent of almost three planets could be required to provide the natural resources needed to sustain current lifestyles.[1] Moving away from the traditional “take, make, dispose” approach to production and working towards a Circular model, which replaces waste with the continual use of resources, is the way forward. Steel packaging continues to help drive the progress toward the Circular Economy in Europe. In 2019, the format achieved a record 84% recycling rate. The figure represents a 1.5% increase from 2018 and is the ninth consecutive year in which the overall recycling rate has risen. According to APEAL, the Association of European Producers of Steel Packaging, notable rises in countries such as Italy and Poland can be attributed to increased separate collection and greater public awareness of the benefits of steel recycling.
Back To Top
×Close search
Search