Metsä Board Sustainability Review 2023

Packaging solutions with environmental benefits

As a pioneer in premium lightweight paperboards, we have the ambition to continue developing better solutions. Our paperboards are produced resource efficiently and help our customers reduce use of plastic and lower the carbon footprint of packaging.

A lighter weight, together with a high share of fossil free energy used in production, has a key role in reducing the carbon footprint of packaging.

Metsä Board’s product range covers lightweight folding boxboards, food service boards and white kraftliners. Our folding boxboards are mainly used to package consumer products, such as food and pharmaceuticals, while our white kraftliners provide options for a variety of packaging needs in the retail sector, inclu- ding point-of-sale applications, and retail-ready and shelf-ready packaging. In addition, we produce chemical pulp and high-yield pulp (BCTMP), which are used in our own paperboard production, with some sold as market pulp.

We have conducted multiple studies to demonstrate the carbon footprint reduction potential of our paperboard materials. For example, in pharma packaging, switching from solid bleached board to Metsä Board folding boxboard can reduce the carbon footprint of packaging by over 40%, and a switch from white lined chipboard to Metsä Board folding boxboard can provide a 60% reduction or even more. The LCA report with comparative asser- tions has been verified by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. The full documents are available on our website. Helping our customers to reduce the use of plastic The development of bio-based barrier coating for end-uses in food packaging is another focal area in our product development. In the biobarrier programme, we are studying new, alternative solutions for reducing the use of plastic in packaging, and we are exploring the most promising products for piloting and commercialisation. Our dispersion coated barrier paperboard, MetsäBoard Prime FBB EB provides a medium barrier against grease and moisture and offers an alternative to PE coated paperboard and plastic packaging for end uses in food packaging, for example.

A smaller carbon footprint through lightweighting and fossil free energy

Lightweighting is one of our focal areas in product development. A lighter weight, together with a high share of fossil free energy used in production, has a key role in reducing the carbon footprint of packaging, as shown by carbon footprint calculations as part of our life-cycle assessments (LCA). We calculate the carbon footprint of all our paperboards by following specific product category rules for processed paper and paperboard, which are based on the requirements set out in the ISO 14025 and ISO 14040/14044 international standards.

To support plastic reduction and recycling, we also offer PE coated paperboard grades with reduced PE coating. We aim to replace all our fossil-based raw materials and pack- aging materials with fossil free alternatives by the end of 2030. In 2023, the share of fossil free raw materials and packaging materials (in dry tonnes) was already almost 99%. A raw material is considered fossil free if none of its main raw materials contains fossil-based oil. Replacing fossil-based binders used in our paperboard coatings with bio-based alternatives was a key focus of pilot and mill trials in 2023. Ensuring recyclability is of key importance All our paperboards are recyclable, depending on the local recycling systems. If packaging material is stained by food, then composting with biowaste is an option. All our paperboards, except for the PE coated grades, are certified as industrially compostable in accordance with the DIN EN 13432 and/or ASTM

D6400 standards and home compostable in accordance with the NF T 51–800 standard.

360 Services complement our product portfolio Through Metsä Board 360 Services, we offer our customers expertise and support beyond paperboard in topics such as packaging design and sustainability. We provide life-cycle assess- ments, data-based comparisons of the environmental impacts of different materials, and fit-for-purpose packaging solutions to help customers reduce the carbon footprint and use of plastic and improve the recyclability and material efficiency of the packages. The Excellence Centre in our Äänekoski site offers an active and state-of-the-art collaboration platform for the research, innova- tion and testing of packaging materials and solutions.

MetsäBoard Prime FBB EB has gained a solid and growing market presence. The grade enables reduction of plastic in packaging and facilitates recycling.

Read more about these topics in the Sustainability Statement 2023.

METSÄ BOARD SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW 2023