Food processing and packaging solutions provider Tetra Pak has joined the RE100 renewable-energy campaign, committing to increase its current use of renewable electricity from 20% to 100% across all global operations by 2030. The announcement was made at the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) forum​ early in June, in San Francisco, US.

“Signing up to RE100 reflects our ongoing commitment to minimising our climate impact and increasing our use of renewable resources.” Tetra Pak executive product management and commercial operations VP Charles Brand reports.

He adds: “The company has set an ambitious target to ensure carbon emissions across its value chain are capped at 2010 levels through to 2020, and the company is making steady progress in ensuring that, in 2015, emissions were down 15% from the 2010 baseline, despite a 16% increase in production.

Brand says: “Since setting the company’s climate goal, we have maximised our efforts to reduce energy consumption; committing to a renewable electricity target is a natural next step. “By joining RE100, Tetra Pak will benefit from expert guidance and peer-to-peer learning on renewable-electricity options in different markets.”

Clean technologies and policies promotion nonprofit organisation The Climate Group CEO Mark Kenber says: “The demand push from corporates is as important as supportive government policy. “Bold action by businesses, cities and governments sends a strong market signal and means we can hold global warming below 2 ° [above preindustrial levels]far more quickly.”

He adds that the CEM is shining the spotlight on RE100 as a model of best prac-tice in galvanising the switch to renewable energy, and the leadership of influential companies – such as Tetra Pak – demonstrates the business case for 100% renewables is as strong as ever.

RE100 is a global, collaborative business initiative led by The Climate Group in partnership with climate change prevention organisation CDP to drive demand for, and delivery of, renewable power.

Tetra Pak’s decision to join was announced just six months after the company joined the Paris Pledge for Action at the twenty-first Conference of the Parties.

Other Awards

Tetra Pak also won a WorldStar Award for its Tetra Evero Aseptic package​, the world’s first aseptic carton bottle for ambient milk. The international award from the World Packaging Organisation recognises excellence based on a number of attributes, including innovation, quality, design and environmental credentials.

“The award follows recent upgrades, including new oxygen barrier properties, which make the company’s Evero aseptic package suitable for a wider range of products,” says Tetra Pak carton bottle VP Lars Bengtsson, explaining that the company is pleased to see that customers are using the company’s aseptic carton to improve and differentiate their products, which is helping them gain success in an increasingly competitive market.

The innovation was recognised by the International Forum Packaging Design Awards in 2014. The aseptic packaging combines the environmental benefits of carton packaging with the ease of handling and pouring that a bottle provides. The packaging is available for ambient milk as well as dairy alternatives.

Since its introduction in 2011, the pack- age has been launched by leading dairy producers in a number of countries, such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, Russia and Brazil, Bengtsson concludes.