As a large shipper, Graphic Packaging International supports the transition to low-carbon emissions transportation, which is why the company is now a SmartWay Shipper Partner. SmartWay includes tools and approaches to track and reduce emissions and fuel used to move goods. With the SmartWay framework, packaging companies can assess environmental and energy efficiency as its consumer packaging products move through the supply chain.
SmartWay-certified carriers enable them to reduce emissions by an average of six percent and pay less for fuel on our North American transportation.
“Being a SmartWay Shipper Partner shows our customers we are committed to supporting their sustainability goals,” said Jeff Zundel, director of strategy, logistics, for Graphic Packaging. “Partnering with carriers committed to sustainability supports our broader decarbonization strategy and increases Graphic Packaging’s brand equity.”
Graphic Packaging is working towards achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. It’s looking across its operations, as well as its value chain, to find innovative solutions for its commitment to climate action. Its decarbonization plan includes validated science-based targets for Scope 3 emissions. These types of GHG emissions are not directly generated by its company, but by vendors and suppliers like shipping and transportation.
“Scope 3 emissions, also referred to as value chain emissions, often represent the majority of an organization’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,” said Zundel. “We plan to reduce Scope 3 emissions 30 percent by
2032 by focusing on the most significant contributions to our value chain emissions. Transportation is one of the major
contributors to our Scope 3 footprint, so we’re looking to our transportation suppliers to deliver significant reductions
in their emissions to help us achieve our goal.
“Our procurement teams, who manage contracts with our service providers, explore ways to optimize logistics
to reduce transportation. For example, from our 2023 ESG Report: Actions implemented in 2023 included a program
to switch truck shipments to rail along several key routes in our U.S. operations, which resulted in 195 thousand fewer
truck miles and avoided approximately 570 metric tons of CO2 emissions.
“Actions implemented in 2023 included a program to switch truck shipments to rail along several key routes in our U.S. operations, which resulted in 195 thousand fewer truck miles and avoided approximately 570 metric tons of CO2 emissions.
“Now, the SmartWay program makes it easier for our procurement teams to identify sustainable transportation providers in North America. SmartWay Carrier Partners measure, benchmark and report their fuel efficiency and emissions. Then, SmartWay Shipper Partners, like Graphic Packaging, use this data to assess transportation efficiency and improve environmental performance across their supply chain.
“We continue to advance programs like SmartWay that move us closer to our decarbonization goals,” said Zundel.
“Graphic Packaging is an industry leader in identifying innovative ways to reduce our environmental footprint —
from using lower-carbon intensive transportation methods like rail and intermodal, to the deployment of new alternative fuel technologies, such as electric and renewable natural gas-powered trucks.”
In 2003, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed SmartWay with industry stakeholders, environmental
groups, American Trucking Associations and the Business for Social Responsibility. Now, over 4,000 organizations are SmartWay partners, from shippers and logistics companies to truck, rail and barge carriers. Since 2004, SmartWay has helped its partners save 397 million barrels of oil- equivalent to eliminating annual electricity use in over 26 million homes.
SmartWay is not only an innovative sustainability program but also an influential model for action and accountability. By sharing insights and best practices within the supply chain, Graphic Packaging will help promote a collective effort to prioritize sustainable transportation. As a SmartWay ally, it aims to set an industry precedent for operational
efficiency that minimizes its carbon footprint.
Graphic Packaging International is a Fortune 500 corporation based in Atlanta, Georgia. It designs and manufactures packaging solutions that include paperboard and folding cartons for a wide range of popular consumer goods, particularly beverages and packaged food.
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