Berry Global Group Inc., one of the world's largest plastics processors, has set a series of goals aimed at minimizing the environmental impact of its operations.
The Evansville, Ind.-based company said April 20 that it will reduce absolute operational emissions by 25 percent and supply chain emissions by 8 percent by 2025, compared with a base year of 2019.
Berry said the goals are in alignment with the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C. Berry said it is the first North American-based plastics packaging company to have a 1.5 degree C target validated by the Science-Based Target Initiative (SBTi).
"Advancing the global vision of a net-zero economy means we have to manage our own operations effectively while simultaneously bringing innovative solutions to the market," said Tom Salmon, chairman and CEO, in a news release. "Beyond addressing emissions in our operations and our supply chain, we remain focused on helping our customers meet their sustainability goals through plastic products that have a lower carbon footprint than alternative substrates."
Berry said it has already reduced its market-based greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 19 percent, and is on track to achieve its goal of a 25 percent reduction in emissions intensity from a 2016 baseline year.
"This is an important milestone in our decarbonization journey, equipping Berry for the transition to a net-zero economy," Robert Flores, Berry's vice president of sustainability, added in the release. "We're embracing the challenge ahead by decreasing energy demand and purchasing clean energy, enhancing the sustainability of our products, and prioritizing environmentally conscious partnerships and infrastructure."
Berry has 47,000 employees across more than 295 locations. According to Plastics News data, the company ranks among the top 10 thermoformers, injection molders, film and sheet manufacturers and blow molders in North America.