Our sustainability highlights 2023
Innovating for circularity
Altogether 46 co-creation workshops were held in 2023 at Metsä Board’s state-of-the-art Excellence Centre, to help inno- vate new packaging solutions with customers and partners. As an example, our 360 Services team combined forces with the Nordic cosmetics brand Lumene and the folding carton converter VG Kadra Pak, member of the Van Genechten Packaging Group, to create a lightweight and easily recyclable advent calendar. Share of certified wood fibre at Metsä Board 91% Share of fossil free energy at Metsä Board 90%
From new packaging design innovations open to all, to fine-tuning sustainable solutions together with our customers. From calculating the environmental impact reduction possibilities of packaging, to improving the energy efficiency of our own mills. 2023 was full of great steps toward a more circular future.
Here are a few examples of our sustainability highlights:
The capacity expansion project at our Husum mill was completed in November, making the folding boxboard machine BM1 the largest and most modern in Europe. It also has excellent sustainability credentials, currently run with approximately 98% of renewable energy and aiming at 100%. Husum board mill got an upgrade, improving efficiency
lower carbon footprint Up to 50%
We achieved excellent scores in several ESG ratings, including CDP A List in Climate change and Water security and A- in Forests; the highest Platinum level and high scores in each of the four themes assessed by Ecovadis; and an A- rating in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Circulytics® cir- cular economy assessment. These and other ratings provide important information to our stakeholders of Metsä Board’s sustainability ambition and help us to further improve our operations (page 10). Recognitions for systematic work for sustainability
Reducing carbon footprint in pharmaceutical packaging
We conducted several lifecycle calculations of the climate impact of different paperboard grades. For example, based on the assessments, switching from conventionally used grades to fresh fibre paperboard can cut the carbon footprint of a phar-
maceutical packaging by up to 60%. With our products and services we support our customers in their sustainability actions (pages 24–25).
An ultralight innovation for pizza deliveries
The development programme at our Kemi board mill was completed in the autumn 2023 in parallel with the startup of Metsä Fibre’s new bioproduct mill. In addition to increasing the board mill’s capacity, the upgrade will reduce the mill’s energy consumption by 5% and water use by around 40% per tonne produced. Kemi mill reduces its energy and water use
We collaborated with the best professionals in the industry to design a pizza box that is, possibly, the lightest in the world. Compared to traditional solutions, this corrugated e-flute box, designed to require less material and less ink, is up to 38% lighter and has a carbon footprint up to 50% lower than pizza boxes made with conventional paperboards. The concept was awarded in 2024 WorldStar packaging competition.
Up to 60% lower carbon footprint
A LIST 2023 CLIMATE WATER
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METSÄ BOARD SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW 2023
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