2023 Year in review by Elopak CEO, Thomas Körmendi

2023 has been a momentous year at Elopak, extending the many successes of previous years in implementing our sustainability-driven growth strategy. We launched pioneering collaborations, expanded into new markets, announced a new production plant in the US, and continued on our path to becoming a net-zero company by 2050.

2023 brought several significant milestones for Elopak. This year we marked 15 years of structured sustainability reporting, celebrating our commitment to the environment as well as transparency. In recognition of our dedication, in September we received an A+ score for our ESG reporting from Position Green, placing Elopak in the top 5% of companies best prepared for the introduction of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards. We achieved the EcoVadis Gold rating for our sustainability performance for 2022. A score that places us in the top 2% of all rated companies worldwide, reflecting our continued commitment to environmental, social, and ethical excellence in our business conduct.

We have continued to grow our presence in the non-food sector, expanding Luoro’s Paperdent range of alcohol-free mouthwash – the first to be packaged in a carton. Meanwhile Elopak’s D-PAK™ carton has broken onto the UK household goods scene, with refill packs of smol’s washing-up liquid and fabric conditioner now available in our low-carbon, recyclable cartons.

In May, we unveiled a new mini-documentary, produced for Elopak by BBC Storyworks as part of their ‘Food For Thought’ series. The film examines the role that beverage cartons can play in reducing our reliance on plastic and lowering emissions within the packaging industry.

It comes as we continue our journey towards becoming a net zero company by 2050, using goals approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This year I was pleased to see that we have recorded a 20% decrease in scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions from 2020, as well as a 7% reduction in value chain (scope 3) emissions.

In financial news, it has been a strong year for Elopak. In the third quarter results I was delighted to announce that we improved and developed our business further and delivered a very strong financial result. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees, as well as the strength of our partnerships with customers and suppliers.

Most excitingly for 2023, in December we announced the site of our new U.S. production plant in Little Rock Arkansas. With Elopak’s market share in the U.S. expanding rapidly for several years, this is a pivotal step in our plan for sustainability-driven growth. Production is expected to begin in the first half of 2025 and I cannot wait to visit the new plant just as soon as it’s built.

Before then I am also looking forward to The Economist’s Sustainability Week in March next year, where I will be presenting on how cartons can reduce plastic consumption and help decrease consumers’ carbon footprints. It looks to be an exciting few day of discussion and I anticipate learning a lot from my fellow panellists and speakers.

For now though, I would like to give an enormous thank you to our staff, customers, suppliers and partners for all their hard work and support in 2023. I look forward to a 2024 of collaboration, and sustainability-driven growth.

Happy holidays, and a happy New Year!