Premier Packaging has reached net-zero Scope 1 and 2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions for our operations through purchased measures such as carbon offsets and renewable energy credits. We are believed to be the first packaging company to reach this goal.
Premier has a goal of total net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
“We recognize that purchasing carbon offsets is not a perfect solution to reach carbon neutrality, but it is one thing we can do now to reduce our carbon footprint while we work to achieve true net-zero operations,” said Sustainability Manager Mackenzie Crigger. “This is very exciting.”
Carbon offsets are tradable “rights” or certificates linked to activities that reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Premier purchased the carbon offsets from a United Nations-backed project in India, the production of fertilizer through a carbon-neutral process by Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited. These offsets are used to counter Premier’s Scope 1 emissions—direct emissions owned or controlled by a company, such as burning fuel in a fleet of non-electric vehicles.
Renewable energy credits are produced when a renewable energy source, such as wind or solar, generates one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity and delivers it to the grid. By purchasing the credits, we are buying the “renewable” aspect of the electricity and can use it to counter our Scope 2 emissions—indirect emissions that come from the production of the energy we purchase and use.
Purchasing these assets is only part of Premier’s multi-faceted strategy to reaching net-zero carbon emissions.
“We are tracking emissions across our operations, buildings, and transportation and working to reduce them,” Mackenzie said. “This includes understanding how packaging design impacts our products’ carbon footprint and reducing energy consumption in our facilities. We’re working with lower-carbon suppliers when we can, exploring cleaner ways of moving and shipping goods—and much more.”
You can find out more about Premier’s sustainability efforts here.