Mondi confirms its commitments in first New Plastics Economy Global Commitment report
Today marks the launch of the first New Plastics Economy Global Commitment report revealing targets and initial steps by Global Commitment signatories including Mondi. The leading global packaging and paper group has confirmed four ambitious commitments as part of its efforts to eliminate plastics waste and thereby contribute to a better world.
Details of how Mondi is tackling plastic waste have been set out side-by-side with other brands, businesses and governments for the first time in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s inaugural New Plastics Economy Global Commitment report.
Mondi first started collaborating with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in 2017, and joined the New Plastics Economy initiative in 2018 to work towards eliminating plastic pollution and creating 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable plastic packaging by 2025. Peter Oswald, Mondi’s Group CEO, said: “We believe all packaging must be ‘fit for purpose’: paper where possible, plastic when useful. Paper is the packaging material of choice as it is naturally compostable and a renewable resource, not just recyclable. Mondi, as the world’s leading producer of kraft paper and paper bags, has many innovative solutions to reduce plastic waste. Where the functionality of plastic is needed, we have flexible plastic solutions, which typically reduce the amount of plastic required by 70%. The public focus on the impact of plastic waste is a big opportunity for Mondi to lead the packaging industry with innovative paper and plastic packaging EcoSolutions that are sustainable by design.”
Mondi believes that working together with other businesses, partners and governments is key to finding a solution for plastic waste. It is essential to drive innovation and broad systemic change throughout the plastics value chain.
Mondi has committed to:
- Take action to eliminate problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging by 2025
- Take action to move from single-use towards reuse models where relevant by 2025
- 100% of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025
- 25% of plastic packaging being from recycled content by 2025 (where it does not compromise functionality or food health requirements)
Graeme Smith, Sustainability Manager, Mondi Consumer Packaging said: “Media reports on sustainability often send mixed and incomplete messages to consumers who are trying to educate themselves on the topic. This poses a challenge – but also serves as a powerful catalyst – in developing a stream of actionable innovation projects that meet shifting expectations and priorities.”
For many years Mondi has been making sustainable fibre-based and flexible plastic packaging for forward-thinking FMCG brands, and working in collaboration with sustainable materials suppliers and recyclers. The Group’s flexible packaging solutions can contribute towards global sustainable plastics, based on circular economy principles and designed to maximise functionality and recyclability, and thereby minimise waste throughout the life cycle.
Contact
Kerry Cooper, Senior Manager – External communication
Tel: +44 1932 82 6323
Email: kerry.cooper@mondigroup.com
About Mondi
Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, delighting its customers and consumers with innovative and sustainable packaging and paper solutions. Mondi is fully integrated across the packaging and paper value chain - from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and plastic films, to developing and manufacturing effective industrial and consumer packaging solutions. Sustainability is embedded in everything Mondi does. In 2018, Mondi had revenues of €7.48 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.76 billion.
Mondi has a dual listed company structure, with a primary listing on the JSE Limited for Mondi Limited under the ticker MND, and a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange for Mondi plc, under the ticker MNDI. Mondi is a FTSE 100 constituent, and has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2008 and the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index Series since 2007.
About the Ellen MacArthur Foundation
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation was launched in 2010 to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. The Foundation works across key areas including insight and analysis, business and government, learning, systemic initiatives, and communications. With its Knowledge Partners (Arup, IDEO, McKinsey & Company and SYSTEMIQ), the Foundation works to quantify the economic opportunity of a more circular model and to develop approaches for capturing its value. The Foundation collaborates with its Global Partners (Danone, Google, H&M, Intesa Sanpaolo, NIKE Inc., Philips, Renault, SCJohnson, Solvay, Unilever), Core Philanthropic Funders (SUN, MAVA, players of People’s Postcode Lottery (GB)), and its CE100 network (businesses, universities, emerging innovators, governments, cities, affiliate organisations) to build capacity, explore collaboration opportunities, and to develop circular business initiatives.
About the New Plastics Economy initiative
Over the past four years, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy initiative has rallied together governments, polymer manufacturers and 20% of the global plastic packaging suppliers behind a positive vision for a circular economy. In this past year, their new action plan, the Global Commitment has been developed and creates a coalition of leaders with the power to prevent plastic pollution. At its heart is a vision of a circular economy for plastic, where plastics never become waste.