02.14.20
Crown Holdings, Inc. published its 2019 Sustainability Report detailing its environmental, social and governance achievements from fiscal years 2017 and 2018 and previewing focus areas for its next set of sustainability goals.
The report explores how Crown's global workforce and commitment to process and product innovation enabled the company to grow in ways that benefit customers and shareholders while minimizing impact on the environment.
"We are very proud of the strides we have made in the last two years to become an even more sustainable company," said John Rost, Ph.D., VP, Global Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs at Crown. "These achievements were made possible by the inspiring efforts of our global team as well as the fundamental benefits of our primary product – metal packaging. As a material, metal supports the circular economy, protects our customers' products by delivering outstanding shelf life and provides an unparalleled return on investment at every level."
Highlights from the 2019 report include:
Making Progress Against 2020 Sustainability Goals (as of Dec. 31, 2018)
The report explores how Crown's global workforce and commitment to process and product innovation enabled the company to grow in ways that benefit customers and shareholders while minimizing impact on the environment.
"We are very proud of the strides we have made in the last two years to become an even more sustainable company," said John Rost, Ph.D., VP, Global Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs at Crown. "These achievements were made possible by the inspiring efforts of our global team as well as the fundamental benefits of our primary product – metal packaging. As a material, metal supports the circular economy, protects our customers' products by delivering outstanding shelf life and provides an unparalleled return on investment at every level."
Highlights from the 2019 report include:
Making Progress Against 2020 Sustainability Goals (as of Dec. 31, 2018)
- Achieved 94% of its Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target, with a 9.43% decrease in GHGs per billion standard units (versus 2015 levels). Absolute emissions have decreased by 1.7% even as total production has increased by 8.4%;
- Decreased energy consumption by 6.23% in its metal packaging plants, surpassing its goal of a 5% reduction in usage per billion standard units (versus 2015 levels).
- Aluminum consumption is on a four-year downward trend, even as the company has increased production of beverage cans by almost 10% in that period;
- In 2018, several of Crown's European sites achieved zero waste to landfill and less than 10% of total waste generated across the Division's 61 locations was sent to landfills;
- The Florence, KY (U.S.) operation of the company's Transit Packaging Division produces plastic strap made from nearly 90% recycled material, significantly reducing dependency on new raw material consumption.
- 6.7% of Crown's global operations are currently using renewable electricity;
- 100% of Crown's U.K. facilities have been powered by a direct supply of renewable electricity since 2018;
- 100% of electricity in U.S. and Canadian beverage can plants will be matched with wind power generation as of July 1, 2020.
- Crown's Toluca, Mexico beverage can plant partnered with customers to donate 2.3 million cans of water in the aftermath of the 2017 earthquake in Mexico City;
- The company's Acayucan, Mexico beverage packaging plant initiated programs to educate women in the surrounding rural community about health and wellness and provided entrepreneurial-focused classes;
- Crown's Brazilian operations implemented several initiatives that contributed to the educational development of local public school students and provided safe, healthy extracurricular activities. Programs included workforce training, music lessons and Judo classes;
- The company's Transit Packaging facility in Bangalore, India supported 1,000 students with free midday meal assistance and invested in upgrading nine schools, including seven preschools;
- Each May, in conjunction with National Women's Health Week, Crown provides access to on-site mammograms at its corporate headquarters in Yardley, PA. To date, the unit has conducted over 800 screenings.
- Crown joined RE100 in 2019, pledging a total transition to 100% renewable electricity by 2050;
- The company committed to the Science-Based Targets Initiative, which requires it to set specific goals for reducing GHG emissions. These targets, to be announced in 2020, will align with global temperature limits set by the Paris Agreement of 2015;
- Crown recently announced plans to reduce water usage in its global operations by 20% from 2019 levels by the end of 2025. These efforts will decrease the company's water usage by over 500 million gallons annually.
