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Work Smarter

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Working smarter is about operational excellence in energy management, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and sending zero waste to landfill.

Customers and society are demanding energy efficiency wherever possible, and in a year where our demands have been stable, we have used less energy to make our products. This has been particularly crucial in light of recent security of supply issues and attendant high costs.

Highlights in 2023

Zero waste to landfill

Except in certain circumstances where zero landfill is not permitted through local restrictions or legislation.

19%

Overall energy use has fallen 19% since 2019.

4

Four sites have on-site solar systems.

47%

47% reduction in operational greenhouse gas emissions since 2019.

Target I: Improve energy efficiency

By 2025, we will increase energy efficiency by 17% against a 2019 baseline.
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Highlights in 2023

The substantial changes in demand and production volumes tested our operational agility, introducing unprecedented complexity. Consequently, our energy efficiency declined, but our teams developed numerous innovations to mitigate the impact.

Future outlook

With a robust foundation and a skilled team, we are well-equipped to handle our energy efficiency efforts and will persist in pushing these initiatives forward specifically as production volumes return to growth.

Target II: Reduce carbon emissions

By 2025, we will reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50%, and by 2029, Scope 3 emissions by 20% per tonne of raw materials, against a 2019 baseline.
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Highlights in 2023

We are progressing well in reducing our Scope 1 and 2 emissions and have engaged with our supply chain with the aim of reducing our Scope 3 emissions.

Future outlook

We will continue to invest in renewable energy sources to further reduce our Scope 1 and 2 emissions and we will continue to decarbonise the value chain through our supplier engagement programme. 

Target III: Stop sending waste to landfill

By 2022, we will send zero waste to landfill or incineration without energy recovery.**
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Highlights in 2023

We’ve made significant progress and have now achieved zero waste to landfill in our sites, where legally possible.

Future outlook

We will work hard to protect and build on this achievement, and to reduce the total amount of waste produced in our operations, which we are looking at reducing by a further 5% by the end of 2024.

Work Smarter in action

‘Lean’ thinking makes a big difference

Over the course of 2023, more than 70 energy projects were implemented within our Food Packaging Division, all contributing to reducing CO2 emissions from our operations.

Compressed air, line planning, cooling systems, motors, drives and pumps, automation, heating systems, materials handling, LED lighting and air conditioning, to name but a few. Particularly noteworthy are the solar power installations at our Valencia and Pravia sites in Spain, and at our Santo Tirso site in Portugal.

In the end, we achieved annual energy cost savings of 2.9 million euros (8,500 MWh), reducing operational carbon emissions by 12% compared with 2022. This equates to 2,500 tonnes less CO2 than in 2022.

‘Lean’ thinking makes a big difference

Lean thinking makes a big difference

Securing lower-carbon raw materials

Securing lower-carbon raw materials

Securing lower-carbon raw materials

Many of our suppliers now offer raw materials that are produced with renewable energy, and which therefore have a smaller environmental impact. In 2023, we agreed a contract with one of our largest PVC resin suppliers which guaranteed us supply of a material that consumes 25% less carbon in its production. The material, called GreenVin®, constitutes around 18% of our total PVC consumption and is backed by renewable energy certificates. It is now supplied to our sites in Montabaur and Gendorf in Germany, and Gordonsville and Rural Retreat in the USA. Looking ahead, we will strive to buy more of these materials, while encouraging our other suppliers to make their production processes more efficient.

Working together to achieve zero waste to landfill

Given kp’s significant geographical span, many sites face unique challenges which made meeting our ‘zero waste to landfill’ goal particularly difficult. This year, however, we achieved zero waste to landfill at six more sites, meaning that we have now met our target in full.

The key to our success is ‘lean’ thinking in managing waste. Lean thinking is highly relevant to sustainability in manufacturing environments, as it promotes efficiency, waste reduction, and continuous improvement all of which are crucial for sustainable practices.

Following the achievement of zero waste to landfill, our focus now moves to further minimising waste overall. Reducing waste remains a perennial focus area for kp.

Working together to achieve zero waste to landfill

Working together to achieve zero waste to landfill