SAICA Group Environmental Report 2011

ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT 2012-14
ahead of the pack
Environmental Report SAICA 2012-2014
Management:
Teresa Sancho Rocher
QSE Management SAICA Group
Coordination:
Natalia Alcubierre Bercero
Environmental Management SAICA Group
Alberto Tainta Irigoyen
Communication Officer
Information and contact:
SAICA Group
San Juan de la Peña, 144
50015, Zaragoza, Spain
Tel: +34 976 103 100
Tel: +34 976 103 110
Design: Marco de Comunicación
Contents: PwC
www.saica.com
Table
of contents
í
1 SAICA, a leading environmental partner 4
- Introduction by the Chairman
- Our code of conduct
- Our mission and values
- Strategy 2020
- Saica at a glance 2 We make our customers more sustainable
6
7
8
10
12
16
- Moving towards Zero Waste with our customers
18
- 100% recycled and responsibly-sourced paper
22
- Collaborative innovation to reduce
the environmental footprint of packaging
26
- Awards and recognition 30
3 SAICA, our progress in sustainability
32
- Efficiency in consumption of raw materials
34
- Improving our water footprint
36
- Clean energy and efficiency
- Reducing the carbon footprint
- Moving towards total recovery of waste - Energy recovery plants
4 SAICA, our commitments
38
40
42
44
46
- Our challenges in the Circular Economy:
working to close circles48
- Internal commitments
- Commitments to our customers
- Commitment to sustainable development
48
49
50
1.
r
saica:
a leading environmental
partner
For more than 70 years we have stood by our customers,
adapting to their needs and helping them achieve their
financial and environmental goals.
4
r
Environmental Report 2014
5
Letter from
the chairman
From the company’s beginnings in 1943,
SAICA’s business has been oriented
towards two main objectives. Firstly, commitment to the goals of our customers
and, secondly, the commitment to the
environment in which we carry out our
work. For this reason, the integration of
the circular economy into our business
model has been one of the key elements
that has helped us to achieve these goals.
In a global setting like the one in which
we live today, where natural resources
are becoming increasingly scarce, the
adoption of the circular economy has
become a necessity for the sustainability of our business model and those of
our customers. The implementation of
this system at SAICA has led us to make
significant progress in areas such as efficiency in the consumption of raw materials, an improved water footprint,
energy recovery, reduction of our carbon footprint, the opening of our new
Natur Cycle Plus plant and the recovery
of three millions tons of waste per year.
But the milestones that give us the most
pride are those we have achieved for our
customers. Achieving the goal of Zero
Waste, increasing the quality of production raw material and designed products,
improving logistics systems and guaranteeing the chain of custody for waste
are just a few examples of the positive
impact we have had on our customers’
corporate social responsibility and their
marketing, sales and human resource
objectives. All of SAICA’s divisions incorporate different measures to help our
customers achieve their goals. At SAICA
Natur, we contribute to the generation
of value from waste that previously could
not be recovered; turning waste into a
source of profitability and sustainability.
6
Also, studying our customers’ production processes has helped us improve our logistics chain as well as theirs,
reducing costs and CO2 emissions.
This effort has translated into improved CSR and reputation visibility.
SAICA Paper’s innovative vision has helped it to improve the quality of the raw
material used to manufacture our paper. By obtaining FSC®/PEFC™ chain of
custody certification, we can also guarantee the traceability of paper raw
material to their original sources. We
also help our customers reduce the
environmental impact of their packaging, as a smaller amount of product
is used in the manufacturing process.
Lightweight, high-performance papers
allow SAICA Pack to create eco-efficient packaging that complies with
the environmental commitments of
our customers. This also reduces both
production and logistics costs, and has
a positive impact on sales by turning
the packaging into a marketing tool.
At SAICA, we continue to develop a circular economy model based on vertical
integration, with the objective of helping
our customers achieve their goals. By implementing this model, we are looking
to reduce the use of natural resources,
increase the waste recovery ratio, improve the quality and eco-efficiency
of raw materials and find new ways to
recover waste. For our customers, we
want to continue innovating to develop environmental solutions that reduce
their environmental footprint, improve
their production lines and promote the
development of new services and product features; thus improving the sustainability of the entire logistics chain.
p
This has all been achieved while maintaining our commitment to transparency with our customers. Over the last few
years, we have gradually created a series
of practices that have made it possible for
us to carry out our activities sustainably.
The application of these practices in our
business as well as those of our customers,
as described in this Report, has made us
the ideal partner to help them comply
with their environmental obligations.
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Environmental Report 2014
Our code
of conduct
Maintaining high standards of ethical
and responsible behaviour, in addition to
complying with laws and regulations, are
essential aspects that ensure we fulfil our
expectations for long-term success and
guarantee the reputation of our business.
We believe in sustainable development,
based on legitimacy. Each of us, through
our actions and decisions, has a personal
responsibility for building SAICA’s reputation and living according to its values.
The purpose of SAICA’s code is to help
achieve this objective by establishing the
ethical principles that support our statement of values and the way in which we
carry out our business. Our Code defines
the principles and provides the guidelines
for applying them in everything we do.
All employees of the SAICA Group, its
subsidiaries and the joint ventures controlled by SAICA have to follow this Code.
MESSAGE TO ALL EMPLOYEES,
FROM RAMÓN ALEJANDRO,
SAICA GROUP CHAIRMAN
“One of the basic supporting principles of
our company since it was founded, which
is present and governs the professional
actions of our managers and executives,
is the legal and ethical behaviour to guarantee sustainable growth. Our Legal and
Business Ethical Code of Conduct, approved and supported by our Board of Directors, guides all our employees in making
legal and ethical decisions. It also shows
everyone we interact with, such as customers and suppliers, how seriously we
take our commitment to ethics and how
vital it is for SAICA to have a deep-rooted
philosophy and a culture of commitment
and ethical business relationships.
All our workers are required to read the
Code from start to finish. And, even more
importantly, they must follow it; infractions of the Code or illegal actions are not
tolerated and may result in disciplinary
action, whoever that person may be or
wherever they work at SAICA. We will not
tolerate improper commercial behaviour.
Following the Code and applying its principles in our daily business activities (and
asking questions when in doubt) ensure
we carry out our responsibilities with integrity, and our commitment shows others
that SAICA operates honestly, impartially
and ethically.
We are all responsible for our own actions.
Also, it is our duty to talk about and deal
with anything we see being done wrong
or that makes us feel uncomfortable. I am
personally committed to the creation of
a culture in which we can all speak without fear of reprisal. If there is anything
you don’t understand or any concerns
you may have, no matter how small, you
should ask your manager, Human Resources, the Legal Department, your Local
Coordinator or the Group’s Compliance
Manager.
SAICA has a set of very simple basic values. We apply those values to everything
we do, so that together we can all be
successful.”
Thank you,
Ramón Alejandro
Saica
is more than a
corporate group,
it is
a big family
Ramón Alejandro Balet
Saica Chairman
7
Our
mission
To provide solutions that are both
economically and environmentally
sustainable for the design and
manufacture of packaging, the
manufacture of high-performance
paper, integrated management and
waste recovery, without compromising
our commitment to the future or the
growth in value of the group’s assets.
At SAICA, we have been adapting to the
needs of our customers for more than
70 years, creating new products and
customised services in all our divisions.
This is part of our commitment to
achieving the financial and environmental
goals of our customers. At SAICA Natur,
we advise our customers on how to
best manage their waste, with a priority
on recycling and waste recovery at all
times, while following the “Zero Waste”
Goal whenever possible. At SAICA Paper,
we offer the finest 100% recycled paper,
with the same qualities as virgin fibre
paper, while, at SAICA Pack, we optimise
packaging and containers to make them
more lightweight and reduce their carbon
footprint.
w
We provide both economically
and environmentally sustainable solutions
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Environmental Report 2014
Our values
Sustainable,
profitable growth
Commitment
and teamwork
Innovation
we.
We care
As a family-run company, SAICA is committed to FUTURE generations through balanced, sustained and profitable growth
in a safe and environmentally-friendly
work setting, where:
Our EMPLOYEES are proud to work, recruiting from the local COMMUNITIES in
which we operate.
Our CUSTOMERS & SUPPLIERS find their
strongest environmental partner, establishing long-term relationships.
Our SHAREHOLDERS are satisfied with
profitability and make significant reinvestment for the present and future generations.
We value
EVERY PERSON within SAICA. We share
the same vision and are committed to
OUR CUSTOMERS. We analyse each case
individually, look into VALUE chains and
study each link. This means we quickly
understand our customers’ needs and
expectations, and provide them with the
best service and product quality through
a process of ongoing improvement, participation, transparent management and
recognition, while eliminating all processes that add no value.
This approach makes us able to adapt
quickly to the market’s demands, developing initiatives that improve our internal
efficiency and eliminating processes that
do not add value for our customers.
We challenge
At SAICA, we accept challenges by opening a dialogue with our different stakeholders, as the engine of innovation,
growth and efficiency. We promote research and development for new products and services that contribute to the
consolidation of future growth for these
products and services, looking beyond
the search for short-term gains. Collaborative innovation allows us to reinvent
ourselves every day by adapting to the
needs of OUR CUSTOMERS, offering them
customised solutions that fulfil their expectations.
9
E
2020
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Environmental Report 2014
Strategy 2020
After achieving the goals established in the Strategic Plan 2007-2014, we have directed all of our efforts at developing new strategies
to guide us through the next period from 2015-2024, in what we call the SAICA 2020 Plan.
This ambitious plan is structured around three main objectives :
01
02
Ensure our customers’ excellence and quality
in the provision of services and promote
differentiation through innovation.
Eliminate all processes that do not add value
and develop techniques for continuous
improvement.
Develop a
customer-oriented culture.
03
Become the leader
in efficiency.
Establish long-term relationships
and create sustainable wealth in
our surroundings.
Pursue our business interests while valuing
people and the community, without
endangering the safety of people or
environmental resources.
We are entering a phase that requires an interesting exercise in reflection to manage SAICA in 2020. We want to achieve excellence
in our operations through a customer-oriented culture, increasing quality and improving the service we offer our customers, while
strengthening our efforts in innovation to anticipate and adapt to their needs. Our integration within our customers’ supply chains
will be one of the keys to our success.
We also want to consolidate our position in Europe through a vertical integration model, by strengthening and expanding our
presence in the countries in which we are currently present, while evaluating the opportunities to enter new markets. We want to
become the ideal partner for companies that seek unified management, despite their wide geographic extension. All our efforts will
be aimed at achieving these goals over the course of this new phase we are beginning.
We want to continue growing in all aspects and strengthening the feeling of belonging to SAICA for all our employees, so they
continue to offer a quality service to our customers.
We create long-term
relationships
11
Saica at a glance
12
13
Saica’s contribution
to the circular economy
Since SAICA was founded in 1943, we
have been concerned with the impact of
our business on our surroundings; especially the environment and society. This is
demonstrated by the different initiatives
we have developed to improve internal
efficiency, as well as to provide increased value to our stakeholders. One of the
most important initiatives is our vertical
integration model, which was developed
with the goal of maximising the output
of natural resources, reducing the environmental impact of our business and
providing integrated solutions that add
value for our customers. We are currently
moving forward in the expansion of our
model, integrating the vision of the circular economy into the diversification of our
services and the opening of new markets.
For this reason, we feel we are completely aligned with the European Union 2020
strategy, and especially with the goal of
supporting the transition to a low-carbon,
responsible use of resources economy,
“Efficient use of resources in Europe”.
Saica Paper
Waste recovery cycle
14
The circular economy is an economic model included within the framework of sustainable development. Waste is no longer
handled outside the cycle but becomes
a raw material to be reintroduced, thus
closing the cycle. This cyclical vision requires the collaboration and involvement
of all parties to provide products that are
more easily recycled, improvements in
the collection and transport of waste, development of the secondary raw material
market and process innovation through
collaboration with other industries and
customers. A good example of the possibilities of the circular economy model is
our most recent project, the commissioning of our Natur Cycle Plus plant, which
recovers low density polyethylene (LDPE)
and generates recycled granules for the
manufacturing of new packaging. Other
examples are our energy recovery plants
in Spain and the United Kingdom, which
were put into operation in 2012. These
plants make it possible to recover most of
the waste from the paper production process, producing electrical energy for the
production process, with a corresponding
reduction in the use of less clean energies.
SAICA Natur collects and manages paper
and cardboard, plastic, metal and other
types of waste, as well as seeking the
best solution for their recovery and reuse.
SAICA Paper uses paper waste to recycle
and cardboard to produce recycled paper
of different weights and uses, producing
electrical energy through the recovery
of its waste, with the goal of “Zero Waste”.
SAICA Pack uses recycled paper from
Saica Paper to manufacture corrugated cardboard packaging and containers; these are managed as recyclable waste after being used, thus
restarting the cycle and reintroducing
the waste as secondary raw materials.
In 2015, SAICA Natur incorporated a new
branch into the Group: Natur Cycle Plus,
which uses waste plastic for recycling.
This gives it a new useful life by transforming it into recycled granules which
are used in the manufacturing of plastic film for packaging, which is in turn
recycled; thus completing the cycle. By
taking advantage of internal synergies,
the group has been able to reduce its
environmental impact considerably. In
2014, 73.3% of paper for recycling used
by SAICA Paper was provided through
companies in the Group (SAICA Natur
and SAICA Pack); while more than 92% of
the production of SAICA Pack was with
paper manufactured by SAICA Paper..
We believe in
a Europe
that uses
its resources
efficiently
Environmental Report 2014
We close the circle
Paper recycling cycle
We
continue
to innovate
Waste cycle for
Low Density
Polyethylene (LDPE)
All products must complete
a lifecycle that allows them
to be recycled and to be
fed back into the process of
creating products.
The traditional economic
model of production, use
and waste is inefficient
and irresponsible.
15
2.
We make
our customers
more sustainable
At SAICA, we work to provide sustainable
products and services. We focus our efforts on
innovation, response capacity and management
excellence to provide solutions that are adapted
to the businesses and needs of our customers.
This comprehensive vision allows us to make
the best use of the synergies generated by our
business units; to find answers where others see
only difficulties.
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s
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Environmental Report 2014
17
z
Moving towards
Zero Waste
At SAICA Natur, we are completely in line with the European
Strategy for the prevention of waste generation and recycling.
This is based on minimising waste generation, eliminating the
need to send recyclable materials for disposal and promoting
the use of the raw materials obtained through waste recycling
(secondary raw materials).
Working closely with our customers, we have developed
advanced solutions for common needs in different business
areas; for example, waste collection and transport, waste
separation optimisation, working together on flows and the
development of management alternatives for waste to be
transformed into secondary raw materials. This is all done while
providing our customers with the necessary means to avoid
sending their waste for disposal, and allowing them to achieve
the goal of Zero Waste.
Our plant
has achieved
the category of
Zero Waste
INTELLIGENT WASTE MANAGEMENT
At SAICA Natur, we respond to the needs of our customers,
by adapting to the complexity and seasonal variations in their
business. Offering them a single supplier for all collection and
transport is undoubtedly one of the pillars of our success, as
demonstrated by the more than 3.47 million tons of waste
managed in 2014.
Recycling, waste recovery and reverse logistics
We help our customers to optimise the separation of waste at
source, by increasing the quality of the materials collected for a
high recovery rate, thus reducing the presence of non-recyclable
and improper materials.
In other words, no waste is sent for disposal: all the waste
generated during daily operations is recycled, reused or
transformed into energy. This is another step in our commitment
to the environment and sustainability.
One of the biggest challenges was finding a local waste
management company to make transport more efficient and
to recover waste paint sludge. A long list of companies and
suppliers have contributed to reducing our waste and achieving
a high recycling rate.
SAICA Natur’s contribution was a key factor:
after much effort by everyone, we achieved the “Zero Waste”
certification for our plant.
“
MariKay Scott
Global Executive Director of Environmental
Compliance and Sustainability.
General Motors.
18
Environmental Report 2014
3,47
more than
million tons
of waste
managed in 2014
We select the best routes for the collection and transport of
waste to the transfer centres, reducing the environmental impact
and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) caused by road transport.
Also, looking to optimise transportation, the good relationship
that SAICA Paper and SAICA Pack have with customers allowed
us to implement reverse logistics management. This is based on
collecting waste generated by our customers, taking advantage
of goods delivery routes and reducing the number of empty
lorries and road trips. We have innovated in waste recovery
processes by developing alternatives to recycling, processing
and obtaining secondary raw materials. In 2014, SAICA Natur
avoided sending 2.8 million tons of non-hazardous waste for
disposal and recovered 91% of the waste managed.
Zero Waste at the General Motors plant, Figueruelas
One example of success is the case of the General Motors plant
in Figueruelas, Zaragoza, which achieved its goal of Zero Waste,
thanks to the recovery of sludge waste from the paint division;
thus eliminating the need to send the waste for disposal..
Objective
Zero Waste
19
Natur Cycle
Plus
Case: Natur Cycle Plus
The commissioning of the first low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
recovery plant at the SAICA plant in El Burgo de Ebro (Spain) in
February 2015 represents another step towards our goals of Zero
Waste and progress towards the Circular Economy. Here material is recovered, treated and processed into recycled granules
for the manufacturing of flexible packaging and industrial packaging. The installation required an investment of almost €11 million, and will be supplied with LDPE collected from SAICA Natur
customers. It will produce approximately 15,000 tons per year
of recycled granules, with a carbon footprint 90% smaller than
virgin granules, representing an annual savings of more than
28,380 tons of CO2. Our product will be used to replace virgin
granules in the production of new plastic packaging, which will
mark a new milestone in SAICA’s progress towards the Circular
Economy, and significantly reduce the environmental impact of
LDPE manufacturing.
15,000
tons of
recycled granules
per year
Annual savings
of more than
28,380
tons of CO
2
20
In 2014
we reduced
waste sent
for disposal by
2,8
million tons
Environmental Report 2014
Our recycled granules
have a carbon footprint
90%
smaller
than
virgin granules
At Saica Natur,
we recover
91%
of waste generated
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Environmental Report 2014
r
100% recycled and
responsibly-sourced paper
For decades, we have been leaders in Europe in the recycled
and responsibly-sourced paper market, thanks to our exhaustive
quality control in recycling paper, our advanced industrial
processes and constant innovation and investment in technology
used in pulp preparation and paper manufacturing.
We invest in long-term, balanced commercial relationships
so we grow along with our customers. Our goal is operational
excellence, so we offer high-quality, recycled, responsible
products within the framework of service focused on the needs
of our customers. We concentrate on getting to know the needs
and operations of our customers to offer sustainable, integrated
solutions for the packaging business.
PAPER MANUFACTURE FROM RECYCLED FIBRES AND
CERTIFIED RESPONSIBLE SOURCES
At SAICA Paper, 100% of the paper we manufacture is recyclable and biodegradable, in addition to being certified as FSC®/
PEFC™ Chain of Custody. Since the company was founded, we
have been working to reduce the impact of the value chain of
paper, by focusing on the use of recycled paper and ensuring our
paper is supplied through certified environmentally-responsible
sources.
Manufacture of lightweight recycled paper
SAICA Paper is a guarantee of supply. Our production resources
give us great flexibility in responding to the needs of our customers, who can choose from a wide range of paper from 75 g/m2
to 250 g/m2, including lightweight papers for the optimisation
of packaging, high-performance paper as an alternative to virgin
fibre, recycled white paper and double-use paper. In 2014, our
paper plants in the UK, France, and Spain manufactured more
than 2.47 million tons of recycled paper, representing an increase
of 9.6% over 2012.
All our different papers help reduce the environmental impact of
our customers’ product packaging. Lightweight paper packaging
is reliable, modern and weighs less, which represents an important competitive and environmental advantage: Less packaging
and less waste, without losing reliability or strength.
9,6%
more paper
recycled and produced,
compared by weight
to 2012
22
100%
recycled and
biodegradable paper
from 75g/m2
to 250g/m2
“
We are pioneers in the production of
lightweight paper for corrugated cardboard.
We want to help our customers comply with the increasingly
stringent environmental requirements
Víctor Ruberte
SAICA Paper Commercial & Marketing Director
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Environmental Report 2014
Chain
of Custody:
FSC®/PEFC™
Reducing
impacts in
the logistics chain
Thanks to our focus on the responsible origin of the raw materials for our paper, we have obtained FSC®/PEFC™ Chain of Custody certification in the Multi-site mode. This guarantees that the
raw material used for the paper we produce can be traced to
their original sources, which have in turn been certified for responsible management.
Because of its advantages over short and medium distances, road
transport is still the principal means of distribution. However, we
are aware at SAICA of the importance of the carbon footprint
in logistics and have been focusing our efforts on intermodal
transportation, by promoting the use of rail and sea. These have
advantages in terms of logistics and the environment, especially when transporting large volumes over long distances. As a
result, we reduced the emission of greenhouse gases by 20,800
tons in 2014, by reducing the road transport of our products
and raw materials by 76,000 km per day. We are also working
intensively on developing contractual relationships with our logistics suppliers, by introducing clauses for the periodic renewal
of fleets every 3-4 years, or a minimum composition in them of
70% lorries meeting the EURO V or EURO VI standard; thus achieving significant improvements in the safety and environmental
impact of the transport.
From 2015, our logistics operators will report their associated
emissions to us, so we can make progress in calculating and managing the environmental footprint of our products.
All of SAICA Paper’s products have “100% Certified PEFC™” and
“FSC® Recycled” certificates, while those of SAICA Pack have “FSC®
Mix” and “100% Certified PEFC™” certificates:
The FSC® Recycled certificates indicate the product was manufactured using only recycled fibre, with at least 85% post-consumption content (recovered after final use), with the remaining
15% being pre-consumption fibre (recovered during the manufacturing process).
The 100% PEFC™ Certificate indicates the product was manufactured with 100% recycled fibre.
.
Certified
responsible
origin
24
76,000Km
of highway
transport avoided
per day
20,800
tons of greenhouse
gases not emitted
in 2014
70%
of our trucks
are energy efficient
25
In 2014,
92%
of the paper
consumed in
SAICA Pack
was recycled
i
“
Your creativity and intelligent approach
to the design brief has impressed us.
The improvement in brand standout is huge!
Charlotte Green
Nestlé Brand Manager
26
Collaborative innovation in Pack
to reduce the environmental footprint of packaging
In an increasingly demanding society regarding environmental criteria, proposing
solutions for sustainable packaging is no
longer an option, but rather a requirement
everywhere in the world. Thus, in line with
the European Union policies and goals to
reduce and prevent packaging and containers, we at SAICA Pack are working to
develop new products and services to generate environmental benefits for society
as a whole. All of our efforts are aimed at
providing innovative and sustainable solutions that contribute to the success of
our customers, by proposing high-quality
products and innovative services to help
them reduce the environmental impact
of their products and services.
DESIGN OF ECO-EFFICIENT PACKAGING
A package must be able to hold products and allow them to be handled and
transported without deterioration. Also,
a package is a means of communication
between the supplier and the end consumer. For this reason, at SAICA we work
closely with our customers to provide
packaging solutions that satisfy their
expectations and those of their end
consumers, who require an increasing
commitment to the reduction of the environmental impact of their products and
packaging.
During 2014, at SAICA Pack we developed
new products and continued innovation
on existing products. These were immediately put onto the market in response to
the needs of our customers, using unique,
differentiating solutions, with production
totalling more than 2.55 billion m², 5.3%
more than in 2012.
A good example is our collaboration with
the iconic brand After Eight, produced
by Nestlé in the United Kingdom, which
requested packaging that would stand
out on the shelf and maximise brand recognition. Our design team developed a
package that maximised the branding on
all sides of the package, which could be
combined for numerous different packs,
with smooth edges framing the luxury
confectionery brand.
To consolidate our presence in the multinational market, the Turkish company
OMK became part of our plant network.
This is a family-run company dedicated
to the manufacture of corrugated cardboard, and its addition increases the presence of the Group in Eastern Europe to
support our key customers. Another addition to the Group was the Madrid-based
company Microlán, which manufactures
corrugated cardboard boxes; this consolidates our position as the leader in the
Spanish and Portuguese markets.
Reducing our carbon footprint
Our commitment to the manufacture of
recycled and responsibly sourced paper
has led us to significantly reducing the
environmental impact of our packaging.
In addition to having a research department focused on the development of
more sustainable substitutes for existing
products and the development of new
applications, we have also taken on the
challenge of manufacturing our packaging with the smallest carbon footprint
possible.
In 2014, 92% of the paper used for the
manufacture of corrugated cardboard
was recycled paper; an increase of 4%
on the previous year. Our product innovations are transferred to the entire value
chain; one example is the change from
using B-wave cardboard to P-wave, which
has increased the amount of product
delivered per pallet; thus reducing occupation by 21% as well as road transport
emissions.
OPTIMISATION OF PRODUCTION LINES
Using our experience, we support our
customers in the optimisation of their
production lines to increase the value of
their products. By reducing losses, proposing improvements to reduce breakdowns and adapting products to the
changing needs of customers, we optimise packaging management and convert it
into a tool for customer service. This not
only adds value, but reduces the time to
market of their products.
.
27
Friars Pride
& The Chesterford
Group
Case study: Friars Pride &
The Chesterford Group
We at SAICA Pack worked with one of
our customers to develop a new kind of
thermo-formed tray, made of corrugated
cardboard, as an alternative to the existing plastic and polystyrene trays, of PET
and EP, for the sale of the United Kingdom’s famous fish and chips. The new
tray allows adequate control of the portions to be served, high quality printing
to provide added value to the brand, a
competitive price, and are very stackable;
thus, reducing logistical costs for transportation and storage and handling on
the packaging line. When stacked, they
occupy a third of the space of traditional trays. The SAICA Form tray can also
be treated in various ways, depending
on the product features: anti-moisture,
anti-grease, bacteria-retardant or baked.
The trays are also 100% recyclable and
biodegradable, taking only 90 days to
decompose, which makes them much
more sustainable than existing trays.
28
The cardboard tray
has a carbon
footprint
70% smaller
than PET
&
The Chesterford Group is the largest independent distributor of fish and chips in
the United Kingdom. It is a family-run business that operates 34 fish-and-chip shops,
serving an average of 3 million meals per
year under 3 different commercial brands,
and with a series of clearly defined values
regarding sustainability, responsibility
and ethics in supply. The search for a replacement for the conventional tray posed an enormous challenge that could
only be undertaken with the collaboration between Friars Pride and SAICA Pack.
The substitution of 2.1 million traditional
trays with the SAICA trays was just the beginning of this successful collaboration,
which we estimate will replace 9 million
PET and EP trays over the next 3 years that
would have ultimately ended up in landfill sites. In 2014 alone, we have reduced
CO2 emissions by more than 1200 tons,
due to E-wave corrugated cardboard
trays having a carbon footprint 76% smaller than PET and 64% smaller than EP.
100%
recycled
and
biodegradable
trays
Environmental Report 2014
y
&
Finding
a sustainable
packaging solution
was absolutely
vital for us
James Lipscombe,
Managing Director.
The Chesterford Group.
“
29
We continue
to work
on environmental solutions
that reduce our own
environmental footprint
and that of our customers
Ramón Alejandro Balet
Président de Saica
30
“
Awards
and recognition
Over the years we have received a
variety of awards for our efforts from
colleagues in the industry as well as
from our customers.
In 2013 and 2014, the Natur Iberia teams
were chosen for two awards by Danone,
one of our main customers:
In 2013, we received the Sustainable
Development Iberia 2013 award, in the
Indirect Material and Services category,
in recognition of the work done by SAICA
Natur as one of Danone’s suppliers.
In 2014, we were finalists in the Danone
Supplier Awards which selects the best
supplier of the year. This award recognizes
the commercial and research work of our
team.
Likewise, SAICA Paper received the FM
Global award, given by the company
that insures the SAICA Group assets.
This company is a world leader in the
Prevention and Protection of Industrial
Asset Risks.
The FM Global award recognized our
protection standards for the Recovered
Paper Stock (RPS) of SAICA Paper in El
Burgo de Ebro, as a model worldwide.
This award makes us a leading company
with Best Practices in the industry in
regard to the Fire Protection of our
Recovered Paper Stock.
Some of the most important awards
received by SAICA Pack include:
An Oscar del’imballaggio in 2013
for the packaging developed for the
household appliance manufacturer, Elica.
Specifically, SAICA Pack Italy collaborated
with Elica on the development of
optimised packaging for exhaust fans, a
more ecological product that improves
the manufacturer’s logistical processes.
This was the only award given to a fibrebased product in the last edition of these
awards, which are given by the Instituto
Italiano Imballaggio.
The SAICA Pack Barcelona teams also
received two awards at this year’s
Liderpack awards. SAICA Pack’s T-fall
design received the Liderpack Award
in Spain, in the Household Appliances
category, and an honourable mention
in the same category for the Sitriam
Pressure Cooker design. SAICA Pack
Barcelona also received the Liderpack
Award in the category for Best Packaging
for a domestic product, as well as an
honourable mention in this category,
which recognizes the best packaging
work in Spain.
w
In 2014, SAICA Pack Toulouse was given
a Gold Flexostar and a Superflexostar at
the 27th Flexostar awards held in France.
This is the most prestigious award for
printing in the country, and recognises
companies that have collaborated in the
development of flexographic printing.
For the third consecutive year, SAICA
Pack United Kingdom won the Starpack
Annual Award. In 2014, it was awarded the
bronze in the Creativity and Sustainability
category, and a silver in the Secondary
and Tertiary Packaging category.
At the beginning of 2015, SAICA Pack
Viana received the Premium Certificate
for Sustainability, given by the Institute
for Sustainable Production (IPS) for
efforts by the entire plant team. This
certificate acknowledges the work done
in producing innovative, sustainable
solutions that promote the development
of our customers.
All our work areas
have received
awards.
We are proud
of our team
31
3.
saica:
our progress
in sustainability
We put all our efforts into devising and
implementing new techniques and processes
that help minimise the impact of our business
on the environment.
32
a
Environmental Report 2014
33
Environmental Report 2014
Efficiency
in the use
of raw materials
Proper management of raw materials in SAICA is essential to
guarantee compliance with the quality and environmental impact standards for our products and services. Despite the unique
and distinguishing character of each of our divisions, our main
raw material is undoubtedly the raison d’etre for the creation of
SAICA: paper, in all its different forms and qualities.
Project Fibre
Project Fibre seeks to maximise the use of recovered fibre from
improvements in the collection systems, which increase the quality and quantity of paper available for recycling and reduce the
environmental impact associated with paper collection; thus reducing imports and promoting local collection.
One of the fundamental pillars of the SAICA business is excellence in the management of raw material purchasing. The Group
has established a series of environmental criteria to be fulfilled
by suppliers, which include the obligation to submit ongoing
improvement plans for environmental vectors, as well as the
prioritisation of local purchasing and high-performance materials to minimise the environmental impact of our provisioning.
Between 2012 and 2014, SAICA Paper’s plants increased the
intake of paper for recycling by 6%. These improvements from
Project Fibre have resulted in a 22% reduction in non-paper
components and a 52% reduction of rejected raw materials. This
has led to a reduction in the loss of useful fibre in the paper manufacturing process and consequently improved the production
process efficiency and reduced its environmental impact.
In 2014, SAICA Paper consumed 2.75 million tons of paper for
recycling, with 73% provided by the Natur and Pack divisions;
i.e. a total of 2,012,244 tons supplied internally. In the United
Kingdom, SAICA Paper obtained 100% of its paper for recycling
from the SAICA Natur and Pack plants, thanks to the efficient management of demand and new acquisitions, thus reducing the
impact on the environment and demonstrating the viability of
the Circular Economy model.
One of the indirect efficiencies produced by Project Fibre is the
reduction in transport of total paper for recycling, due to a reduction in the number of rejected bales. These improvements
in the use of paper for recycling have reduced the number of
transport vehicles and saved 546,000 litres of fuel.
One of the company’s most important achievements is that of
Project Fibre, started in 2010, which has improved the recovery
of fibre and the detection of ‘contaminants’ (non-paper and
non-cardboard materials). The reduction of rejects from the paper machine by 9.6% with respect to 2013 means that 0.904 tons
of new paper can be produced for every ton of paper recovered.
34
m
CO2
emissions
reduced by
1,425
tons
546,000
litres of fuel
saved
each year
35
Improving
our
water
footprint
At SAICA we are aware that water is a
scarce resource. For this reason, we have
always been concerned with using it
efficiently and finding the best solutions
available to reduce the amount of water
we use and improve the quality of the
water we discharge by reducing its contaminant load. The Recipient Medium Impact Monitoring initiative resulted from
this: Twice a year, we perform studies and
analyses on the effects of the effluents
from the paper manufacturing plant at El
Burgo de Ebro (Spain) and Venizel (France). At least one of the annual studies is
conducted during the period with the
lowest flow, to evaluate the impact during the different seasons of the year and
in water stress situations.
The properties of the incoming raw materials and paper to be manufactured (type
and grammage) determine the evolution
of the utilisation ratios during our production processes. Our continuous improvement strategy for raw material quality and
innovation in our different papers are vital
to ensure the efficient use of water. The
higher the quality of paper to be recycled,
the lower the amount of water required
during the process.
Main Improvements
• Increase in water treatment
capacity for the plants:
in the effluent ratio compared to 2013,
which is currently at 4.3m3 per ton of
paper.
Process water treatment plant improvements at SAICA Paper, El Burgo de Ebro
In anticipation of the European regulatory
requirements for effluents, we at SAICA
are industry leaders in the quality and volume of effluents, and make continuous
efforts to optimise our effluent treatment
plants. Part of this ambitious plan was the
investment in 2014 of more than €3.8 million to upgrade the treatment plant at El
Burgo de Ebro (Spain); this made it possible to absorb the increase in white paper
production, which requires more intensive use of water.
• Flotation treatment for water from
sludge presses and gravity tables, for
the discharge of water and solids for
primary settling.
• Installation of a new control tank to
improves settling tank and digester
performance.
• Increase in treatment capacity
(organic load management) in
anaerobic and aerobic reactors:
• Installation of a new aeration tank,
with a volume of 1,717m3, to increase retention time and the aeration
process in secondary settling.
• Improved capacity for the
elimination of water contaminants,
through the treatment of the
suspended solids load, which
affects both the primary and
secondary sedimentation stages,
as well as the anaerobic and
aerobic reactors themselves:
• Installation of a new anaerobic
reactor.
• Installation of pipes to guarantee
minimum feed flows to the reactors.
Our Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) collect and treat the water effluents from
paper manufacturing. Last year, we reduced the organic content (measured as
chemical oxygen demand, COD) in our
plant effluents by 4.3 percent, which is
a combined total of 2,336 tons per year
for all our plants. Likewise, the production COD ratio decreased by 10.3 percent,
from 1.053kg COD per ton of paper in
2012 to 0.945 in 2014.
Our plants have also implemented improvements to reduce waste volume as
much as possible, while simultaneously
reducing water consumption, by investing in the reuse of process water before
and after treatment. Some of the biggest
improvements were achieved in SAICA 1,
Zaragoza (Spain), with a 13.8% reduction
36
SAICA has reduced COD values
(mg/L) by 24% to 190 mg/L thanks
to its efforts to improve effluent
conditions and management
commitment to the prevention of
pollution.
Drop by drop
We are efficient
37
Clean energy
and efficiency
Our goal day by day at SAICA is to improve the production
process, by focusing on energy efficiency to achieve savings in
primary energy use and a decrease in greenhouse gases. This is
transferred to our customers in the form of products supplied
sustainably and competitively, thus reducing our environmental
footprint. We are constantly moving towards a cleaner energy
model, promoting the use of Best Available Technologies (BAT)
in the sector and more efficient alternatives for the generation of
electricity and steam, including energy recovery from waste and
the use of renewable fuels. At the Venizel plant (France), all pipes
were insulated in 2014 to reduce heat loss from hot water and
steam; while 3 new more efficient natural gas boilers were installed in Thrapston (UK), Viana and Seville (Spain), to replace the
less efficient, older boilers. As a result of these collective efforts,
the final thermal installation operating with fuel oil was replaced
in the first quarter of 2015.
Electricity is the main energy source for our plants and is used
for SAICA Natur’s transport, separation and preparation systems,
SAICA Pack’s corrugation machines and SAICA Paper’s transport
and filtration systems.
The current electrical consumption of our plants is 4,132TJ per
year, with a reduction of 4.4% for Paper and 6% for Natur in the
consumption/production ratios with respect to 2012.
The cleanest and most accessible fossil fuel, due to its efficient
combustion and energy output, is natural gas; and this is main
fossil fuel used in our plants, with 20,705 TJ being used in 2014. It
is used to generate steam and electrical energy through our cogeneration plants, in addition to our conventional boilers which
are used to generate heat and steam. SAICA Paper has cogeneration plants, recognized as an MTD for the generation of electricity and steam in the Paper and Pulp Sector, in all of its plants in
Spain and the United Kingdom, which means we supply all our
own electricity needs.
38
Energy use in the paper industry is intensive. At SAICA, we consume the electricity and steam generated in our cogeneration
plants and waste recovery plants. Our paper production plants in
Spain and the United Kingdom have cogeneration plants powered by natural gas, with an energy output of more than 80%.
Electrical energy is generated in the gas and steam turbines and
the recovery boilers produce the steam required for the paper
drying process and other uses by the factory. In 2014, we produced 1,985GWh of electricity, equal to the annual consumption of
248,000 households.
Biogas, which is the sub-product of the ETP anaerobic digesters, is used as a renewable energy source; it substitutes part of
the natural gas required for the operation of the cogeneration
plants, as well as the recovery boilers. SAICA’s plant in El Burgo
de Ebro (Spain) generates about 2,250 Nm3/h of this gas on average, which represented fossil fuel savings of 162 GWh, or 3% of
the annual natural gas use in 2014.
é
We are
constantly
moving towards
a cleaner
energy model
39
Environmental Report 2014
Greenhouse gas emissions
by country
The GHG (Greenhouse Gas) Protocol Corporate Standard classifies
direct and indirect emissions of greenhouse gases for a company into
3 scopes. Scope 1 emissions (direct emissions: from sources owned by
or under the operational control of the company) must be calculated
and reported, while scope 2 emissions (indirect emissions: from sources
purchased and consumed by the company).
Reduction of
carbon footprint
At SAICA, we are firmly committed to reducing greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions, which are considered to be primarily responsible for climate change, and to complying with the limits for
other types of emissions produced by our business, in compliance with Directive 2010/75/EU for industrial emissions (integrated
pollution control and prevention). Most SAICA Group emissions
are of carbon dioxide (CO2) from energy generation and consumption. We undertake to continuously improve our facilities
year by year, and to increase energy use efficiency levels by using
cleaner technologies and fuels in both our production plants
and transport activities associated with our operations.
The emissions from boiler combustion processes and energy recovery plants are strictly controlled at all SAICA plants. We work
to improve the energy efficiency of our processes by implementing the best available technologies and controlling emissions
by using clean fuels and efficient combustion systems, such as
low NOx emission burners. In 2014, we reduced our CO2 emissions by 8.1% with respect to the previous year, a saving of
134,000 tons of CO2 from our carbon footprint, which was 1.5
million tons of CO2.
At SAICA Natur, emissions are generated by the use of electricity
by plants, in transport systems and the separation of waste at the
collection plants. In 2014, CO2 emissions totalled 4,177 tons; 72%
of which were in Spain and 21% in the United Kingdom.
At SAICA Paper, GHG emissions from our manufacturing lines
come from the use of fuels for cogeneration, waste recovery,
steam production boilers for drying the paper and from the purchase of electrical energy from the national grid. SAICA Paper
accounts for 92.2% of the Group’s calculated emissions, with a
total of 1.4 million tons of CO2.
Fewer emissions
Emissions reduced by over 10%
in Spain in 2014
40
At SAICA Pack, the main sources of emissions are the boiler systems for steam generation to dry corrugated cardboard and
electricity use for machinery. Emissions were reduced by 19% in
2014, to 113,956 tons of CO2, representing 7.5% of the Group’s
emissions.
C
Nationally, significant progress was made in Italy and France over
the last 2 years, with reductions of 20.3% and 6.7% in emissions
produced by fossil fuel use; while in Spain a reduction in emissions of over 10% was achieved last year.
CDP commitment
The CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) aims at establishing a stable relationship between shareholders and companies
regarding the implications of carbon emissions on the value of
the company and business operations. The CDP requests information on the management of the risks and opportunities that
climate change presents, as well as the data on greenhouse gas
emissions for the world’s largest companies. The commitment
of companies to report this information is leading large multinationals and their suppliers to use the CDP to achieve sustainable
management of the supply chain. Suppliers report information
to the CDP Supplies Chain Programme on how they manage the
significant risks that climate change and water represent for the
globalised supply chain model, capitalising on the opportunities
they present and providing valuable information to their customers. Our commitment to the environmental goals of our customers (e.g. Diageo, l’Oreal, Unilever and SAB Miller) and concern
about climate change is demonstrated by our participation and
continued improvement in the CDP questionnaire.
Commitment
to the future
CO2
41
ó
Moving towards
total waste
recovery
Disposal of waste is always the final option to be considered.
At SAICA, we have always worked to reduce the amount of waste
sent for disposal, with the ultimate goal of becoming a Zero Waste company (recovering all the waste we produce) by promoting
prevention, minimisation at the point of origin and the search for
viable management alternatives. At Paper and Pack in 2014, we
recovered 87.12% of the total waste produced, i.e. 866,243 tons
of non-hazardous waste.
The paper recycling process is environmentally-friendly. However, at the industrial level, a significant part of the raw materials
arriving at our plants is either not paper (e.g. metals, wood or
plastic) or is paper not suitable for recycling; so waste management is especially important for our operations.
We have introduced measures in recent years to increase the use
of materials in the manufacturing process and consequently reduce the amount of waste produced. Last year, non-hazardous
waste at SAICA Paper was reduced by 4.9% to 660,697 tons.
As part of our efforts to minimise waste production and promote waste recovery, for years we at SAICA have been researching
existing and developing technologies and management practices to identify alternatives to reduce the quantity of waste ultimately sent for disposal.
At SAICA Pack, a large amount of waste is produced from the
corrugated cardboard manufacturing process from recycled paper. This waste accounts for 94% of non-hazardous waste and is
entirely recovered by reintroducing it as a raw material in SAICA
Paper or via energy recovery.
87,12%
of the waste generated
by Paper and Pack
is recovered
42
We are green
Environmental Report 2014
We are committed
to waste recovery
452,032
v
tons of waste
not sent for disposal
44
v
Energy
recovery plants
Non-hazardous industrial waste from paper recycling is managed via our energy
recovery plants. Thus, in 2014, we avoided sending 452,032 tons of waste for
disposal. The waste is transformed into
fuel using drying, shredding and sorting
processes before being sent to a circulating fluid bed boiler. This produces steam
which is used to dry the waste itself during the recovery process, as well as to generate electrical energy: so-called “Waste
to Energy” plants.
The thermal energy released during recovery produces steam which is used to generate electrical energy via a turbine, or is
used in the production process itself. SAICA Natur provides 16% of the fuel consumed in waste to energy plants in the form
of Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF); approximately 64,241 tons of waste which would
otherwise have been sent for disposal.
Reusing this waste means the transport
and energy costs and CO2 emissions from
transporting it is also saved.
Energy Recovery Plant
(ERP) ash project
The Energy Recovery Plant (ERP) at El
Burgo de Ebro (Spain) which uses the
non-hazardous waste (e.g. fibre, paper,
plastics and process sludge) produced
from paper recycling has a power capacity of 50 MWe. In recent years, it has implemented the best available technologies
to improve the combustion process energy output and to minimise the final waste
destined for disposal. However, 73% of
this final waste, catalogued as non-hazardous, is fly and bottom ash.
Because we at SAICA are committed to
the goal of Zero Waste, we began initial
testing in 2014 for alternative management of this ash (38kT in 2014), which can
be used in the construction industry in
the different ways described below:
Stabilisation of roads
The ash can be used as an aggregate in
the construction of stabilised soil, soil-cement or recycling roadway layers. Stabilised soil is soil treated to provide strength
and stability for the roadway surface and
to strengthen rural roads, embankments
and peri-urban areas. It is made using
machinery mixing water, aggregate and
a type of binder in the proportions established by the project management. The
binders normally used are cement and
lime, so substituting them could mean
significant savings in energy consumption and atmospheric emissions.
Concrete production
Whether the properties of the ash lend
themselves to being used as an additive
in concrete, by completely or partially
substituting the cement, is currently being studied.
Waterproofing
In addition to its hardening properties,
ash also performs well as a waterproofing
agent.
Saica’s business is centred on the
sustainability of both the company itself
and its customers.
45
4.
saica:
our commitments
46
c
Environmental Report 2014
Our business revolves around
sustainable development
and promoting the circular economy.
At Saica, we are establishing the goals
to guide the future of the company, and
are firmly committed to achieving them
for the benefit of all
47
Environmental Report 2014
Our
commitments
OUR CHALLENGES IN THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY:
WORKING TO CLOSE THE CIRCLE
Our vision of sustainable development forces us to set ambitious
goals and commitments to measure our progress towards the
Circular Economy. By developing sustainable and innovative
products and solutions for our customers, we are taking steps
towards closing the circle, giving new life to old materials and
reducing the consumption of natural resources.
Monitoring to ensure the continuous improvement of our
environmental performance and the constant diversification
and expansion of our Group, we work to satisfy the waste
management demands and needs of our customers for
packaging manufacturing, and packaging products.
Internal commitments
Continuing to reduce our consumption of natural resources
Implementing technologies from the European Union Best Available Techniques Reference Documents (BREF), which apply to Large
Combustion and Pulp and Paper industries; monitoring consumption in our facilities through external audits; and focusing on operational excellence for the continued improvement of our consumption ratios.
Increasing the managed waste recovery rate
Working to achieve the goal of Zero Waste; continuing our contribution to the circular economy through new low-density polyethylene recycling plants; analysing the feasibility of new energy recovery plants and investigating new ways to recover and recycle
non-hazardous waste.
Continuing the progress in the environmental management certification of our plants
Working on upgrading the environmental management systems for the different business units and the implementation of the ISO
14001 standard in the still uncertified Natur and Pack centres and new acquisitions of the Group..
Investing in improving raw material quality to improve efficiency and processes
Consolidating the work and incoming raw materials analysis protocols to reduce contaminant levels, non-compliant raw materials
and non-paper components, leading to a loss of useful fibre for the manufacture of pulp and paper, with the consequent environmental impact this has.
Consolidating the organisation’s reporting
Integrating procedures to systematise the reporting of environmental and social information for the organisation’s practices; developing quantifiable goals at the Group level; and the annual publication of an Environmental Report to signal progress made during
the year, as a practice to increase transparency for our stakeholders.
48
Commitments to our customers
Finding new ways to recover waste to give it new life
Investing in R&D for the processes of recovery and recycling; producing secondary raw materials to increase the solutions available
for waste management, via plastic recovery plants or selling ash from energy recovery plants for use in infrastructure, for example.
Promoting innovation in environmental solutions
To support the progress and sustainability of our customers: continue developing integrated product and service solutions to help reduce the environmental footprint of our customers; implementing improvements on production lines; optimising existing solutions
and developing new features for products and services.
Maintaining our commitment to transparency
For our customers to see our progress on sustainability, through our commitment to reporting sustainability information via the
different platforms, such as EcoVadis, Ecodesk, SEDEX and CDP.
Continue working to improve sustainability in our logistics chain
Alongside our suppliers and logistics partners, continue implementing measures for the inclusion of environmental clauses; increasing average weights transported by road; extending the use of intermodal transport for our goods and raw materials; and innovating
in storage and packaging transport systems.
Contributing to the measurement and management of
the environmental footprint of our customers
Calculating the CO2 footprint associated with our waste management services through SAICA Natur; quantifying emissions from
customer facilities to waste management. The detailed information on the impacts associated with this transport will enable our
customers to farther reduce their environmental footprint while optimising the logistics of our services.
49
Commitment to sustainable development
Minimising the environmental impact of our business
By complying with a series of measures such as the “Zero Waste” Goal, reducing use of raw materials and increasing use of recycled
fibres, energy efficiency, sustainable growth and the efficient use of resources. All of these initiatives contribute to improving internal
efficiency, while adding value for our customers.
Continue developing our integrated business model
The circular economy proposes a change in the way waste is handled; by extending its lifetime due to new raw materials being reintroduced into the cycle. This will enable us to continue to maximise the use of natural resources, thus minimising the environmental
impact of our business and providing integrated solutions for our customers.
Collaborating with all parties involved in the circular economy
For a business based on this economic model to function, the involvement of all parties is necessary: to provide products that are
more easily recycled, improvements in the collection and transport of waste, development of the secondary raw materials market;
including innovating processes through collaboration with other sectors and customers.
Making the circular economy our distinguishing feature
SAICA Natur recovers and classifies different types of waste, so as not to send them for disposal. Paper and cardboard waste is sent to
SAICA Paper, where it is converted into high-performance paper for manufacturing corrugated cardboard. This paper is then used at
SAICA Pack, where it is converted into sustainable packaging that returns to the point of sale.
Promoting the use of secondary raw materials
Researching new production processes and investing in improving plants, to reduce the environmental impact the manufacture of
our products has.
We
continue
working towards
the circular
economy
50
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