SUSTAINABILITY
At Sabert, our commitment to the environment is a fundamental part of our business philosophy.
Our commitment to sustainability spans far beyond recyclable or compostable product lines. It impacts our entire business model, from new product development to ongoing modification and product improvements.
We pride ourselves on a deep rooted commitment to environmental values and responsibilities, which we bring to life each day through continued efforts to reduce our corporate environmental impact. From our facilities to our packaging – sustainability and quality are never compromised.
Not only do we want to make food look great, but we want to keep it safe and sustainable too.
We are continually looking for ways to deepen our sustainability efforts and partner with our customers to make a meaningful and lasting environmental impact. Details about our initiatives are outlined in our 2021 Sustainability Report.
Download Our 2021 Sustainability Report
View Our Interactive 2021 Sustainability Report
OUR SUSTAINABILITY PILLARS
IN 2021 SABERT:
91% of waste recycled.
16 million pounds of plastics recycled at Nuvida Recycling Facility
Recycled roughly the equivalent of 380,952,380 plastic bottles.
WASTE REDUCTION
Our commitment to minimize waste and end-use landfill impact throughout our operations.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Continued an employee-led waste reduction, reuse and recycling across facilities
- Continued our comprehensive program to further improve machine reliability aimed at reducing waste generation
- Implemented measures to prevent material leaks throughout the process thereby reducing wasted raw materials
- Completed installation of shredder grinders at all plastics facilities to ensure all resin scrap is internally reused and extruded again
- Continued segregating waste at all plants to prevent contamination thereby improving reuse and recyclability of waste streams
ENERGY CONSERVATION
We are committed to finding cleaner and more efficient ways to use energy, water and other precious resources across all of our operations..
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
ENERGY: OPERATIONS
- Invested in new printing equipment in our Richmond facility to ensure state-of-the-art, highly efficient production and will also bring environmentally friendly, water-based inks to our printing facilities
- Replaced chiller units in our production facilities (Indiana, Kentucky, California) that will reduce our energy consumption with new, efficient units
- Sabert has four facilities globally generating electricity from solar panels. In total in 2021, all of our solar panels generated a total of 3GWh of electricity
ENERGY: WAREHOUSING & LOGISTICS
- Sabert is a US EPA SmartWay Transportation Partner. In 2021, 51% of ton-miles of freight shipped at Sabert North America were transported with SmartWay carriers, a reduction of 27% from 2020, which was a function of the tight logistics market in 2021
- Invested in a lighting retrofit for our Richmond facility, replacing dated lighting systems with new, energy-efficient systems to reduce our energy consumption. We expect to realize a savings greater than 50% in 2022
WATER: OPERATIONS
- Prevented water loss through daily system inspections for leaks
- Reduced water consumption through closed loop water systems on all production lines
EDUCATION & ADVOCACY
We are committed to working with our customers, employees and partners to raise awareness and understanding that helps change mindsets and promote positive packaging post-use behaviors.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT
- Conducted 28 meetings with our customers to share our sustainability program and efforts, understand our customer’s sustainability goals and engage in two-way dialogue on how we can work together to make single-use packaging more sustainable
- While our biannual customer education event, Packaging University, was postponed, we held educational, virtual sessions for our customers where we shared the latest information on packaging issues and trends
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
- Hosted “safety talks” 1-4 times each month to share new information about COVID-19 statistics, vaccines, social distancing, hygiene, and other topics
- Held workshops on mindfulness and wellbeing, focusing on the SHED model: Sleep, Hydration, Exercise, Diet
- Various trainings were provided to the entire sales, marketing and product development teams focused on reinforcing skills and competencies, as well as best practices for virtual engagement
- A series of sustainability webinars were conducted to educate the workforce and raise awareness on current sustainability trends and issues
- A virtual Packaging University event was also offered to our new sales team members
- Plant leaders participated in U-Lead, our Sabert management development initiative, attending live and virtual interactive workshops throughout the year
- Launched the Emerging Leaders program that identifies high-potential employees poised for development into future plant managers in the next 3-5 years
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
- In New Jersey, employees collected 5,909 items for donation to St. Mary’s, helping to feed and care for hundreds of local families
- In Indiana, our teams held the 3rd Annual Food Drive to help the Community Harvest Food Bank
- In Kentucky, we put some of our packaging to good use, supporting local meal delivery for Thanksgiving
- Sabert also continued our efforts to support future leaders, offering 14 scholarships totaling $37,500 for college students in our communities
SMART SOURCING
We are committed to ensuring every one of our valued partners, vendors and suppliers follow sustainable practices to ensure that we source responsibly.
KEY INITIATIVES
- Sabert’s new state-of-the-art facility in Greenville, Texas began operations in 2021, manufacturing bio-based, compostable, pulp food packaging. The plant’s central location aids in reduced freight and GHG emissions, along with speed to market. With this facility, we will shorten pulp new product development time and create opportunities for local sourcing of feedstock to this new facility.
- In 2021, our recycled content in our plastics products rebounded to 14% after a tumultuous 2020. Of the 14% recycled content, 42% was post-consumer recycled resin.
- Strategic investments allowed all of the PET products at our Belgium facility to be made from 100% post-consumer recycled PET
- 23% of the fiber used within our paper supply chain is certified through globally recognized chain of custody programs
- Our pulp feedstocks are certified for responsible sourcing through globally recognized programs for these materials
- 80% of the raw materials in the US were sourced domestically. 100% of the raw materials in China were sourced domestically. 100% of raw materials in Belgium were sourced within 400 miles from our plant.
RESEARCH & REINVENTION
We are committed to investing in innovation to help reimagine more sustainable products, improve processes and encourage fresh thinking.
KEY INITIATIVES
- We are committed to incorporating high levels of recycled content, making effectively recyclable packaging and optimizing products to reduce the waste of natural resources across their life cycle
- Sabert’s team of experts in material science, product design, engineering, and manufacturing collaborate and influence our delivery of new, sustainable, innovative solutions to the marketplace
- Globally, our teams launched a total of 131 products, of which 84 (64%) are either recyclable, compostable or are made with recycled or renewable content
- With a long-term focus on material and process development, our CFI teams are a critical link in our ability to pave a path to innovation in the products we bring to market, while simultaneously moving the industry forward
- Our New Product Development team prioritizes uncovering manufacturing efficiencies and more sustainable solutions every day
SABERT’S RECYCLING FACILITY: NUVIDA
Sabert has in-house recycling capabilities through our plant, Nuvida, one of the world's largest processors and suppliers of food-grade recycled plastic. Nuvida is integral in our waste reduction and smart sourcing pillars, helping us to incorporate recycled plastic otherwise destined for landfill into our product lines.
Find out more in the video below!
Pulps
Biodegradable
No Bleaching
BRC Certified
Renewable Resource
Food Contact Safe/FDA Compliant
No Long Chain PFAS
FDA-Approved Short Chain PFAS
Industrial Compostable
Home Compostable
Resin
Allergen Free
BPA Free
BRC Certified
Closed Loop/Industrial Recycled
Food Contact Safe/FDA Compliant
No Perfluorochemicals
Phthalate Free
Prop 65
Made in the US* (Excludes PS)
