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Reductions to Come from Company's 121 manufacturing Facilities in U.S. and Canada Sonoco Issues 2008-2009 Sustainability ReportHARTSVILLE, S.C., Aug 03, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Sonoco (NYSE: SON), one of the largest global diversified packaging
companies, today said that it is targeting to voluntarily reduce
greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 15 percent from the Company's
manufacturing plants in the United States and Canada over the next five
years.
Sonoco President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Harris E.
Deloach, Jr., announced the voluntary emission reduction goal in a
letter to stakeholders issued in the Company's 2008-2009 Sustainability
Report which was issued today. The report is available on the Company's
Web site at www.sonoco.com/sustainability
and on Twitter at twitter.com/sonoco_products.
"You've probably heard the saying, 'What gets measured gets done.' We
have established a series of metrics which are focused on measuring our
progress toward a series of environmental, social and economic goals,"
said DeLoach. "Building on the substantial work already undertaken, we
have set new environmental targets aimed at voluntarily reducing our
environmental footprint by cutting GHG emissions from our manufacturing
facilities. We also remain focused on further voluntary reductions in
overall energy use along with other air emissions, water usage and
landfill use."
Establishing 2008 as its baseline year, Sonoco expects to voluntarily
reduce its combined direct and indirect GHG emissions from its 121 U.S.
and Canadian manufacturing plants by 15 percent by the end of 2013. To
meet this emission reduction goal, the Company expects to reduce energy
usage at its uncoated recycled paperboard mills by maximizing energy
efficiency efforts and by changing process steam production at some of
its mills to renewable sources and other less carbon-intensive fuels.
"While our goals currently target our North American operations, where
approximately 72 percent of our revenues are derived, we have
established measurement tools for our international manufacturing
operations and have begun compiling GHG emissions data in 2009 to
establish a baseline from which we can develop other voluntary emission
reduction goals in coming years," said DeLoach.
Sonoco's 18-page 2009 sustainability report is entitled "Eleven Decades
of Sustainable Leadership" and reviews actions the Company is taking in
the areas of environmental stewardship, community service and economic
performance. In addition, the report focuses on a number of sustainable
packaging products and service offered by the Company's diverse consumer
and industrial packaging businesses.
About Sonoco
Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a $4.1 billion global manufacturer of
industrial and consumer products and provider of packaging services,
with more than 300 operations in 35 countries, serving customers in some
85 nations. For more information on the Company, visit our Web site at http://www.sonoco.com/.
SOURCE: Sonoco
Sonoco
Roger Schrum, 843-339-6018
roger.schrum@sonoco.com
Twitter: twitter.com/rschrum