During 2023, we continued driving toward Better Packaging. Better Life. solutions by expanding our operations, receiving noteworthy industry awards and producing impactful sustainability wins. Here are a few accomplishments we’re celebrating as we close out another milestone year:
Global Expansion
Our global presence includes 300+ operations and approximately 22,000 team members. This year, Sonoco added a few more:
- We acquired RTS Packaging, LLC and WestRock’s Chattanooga, Tennessee paper mill to expand our uncoated recycled paperboard capabilities.
- We acquired Inapel Embalagens Ltda. in São Paulo, Brazil to expand our flexible packaging portfolio.
- We opened our new paper can plant in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia to support the growing demand for sustainable can solutions to a regional population of nearly 700 million.
Industry Awards
We believe in doing the right thing, regardless if it’s rewarded. But we’re grateful to be recognized for walking the talk:
- Fortune listed Sonoco on the 2023 Fortune 500 list, the only company headquartered in South Carolina on the list.
- Newsweek© and Statista listed Sonoco as one of America’s Most Responsible Companies in 2023 for our dedication to being good corporate citizens.
- USA Today© and Statista listed Sonoco as a 2023 America’s Climate Leader for cutting our carbon footprint, because becoming a part of the climate solution matters to us.
- The Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) awarded the Sonoco Alloyd® EnviroSense® PaperBlister™ packaging for Pentel® R.S.V.P.® with the 2023 AmeriStar award for sustainability excellence. This plastic-free packaging reduces environmental impact, saves costs by retrofitting existing equipment and prevents old machinery from filling landfills.
- The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) awarded us the Sustainability Award for our partnership with GreenGasUSA to update our Hartsville wastewater treatment, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing renewable energy to South Carolina. Vice President of Environmental, Sustainability & Technical Services, Elizabeth Rhue shares: “This GreenGasUSA partnership allows us to take our efforts one step further by turning a waste gas into a valuable resource for the community while reducing our carbon footprint.”
Sustainability Wins
We work hard to produce sustainable solutions at our plants and in our partnerships. This year, we made impactful progress toward our sustainability commitments:
- We surpassed our 2025 packaging sustainability commitment of 75%, as 82% of our rigid plastic packaging can carry a relevant on-pack claim of recyclability.
- We conducted water risk studies at 100% of our paper mills using the World Resource Institute (WRI) aqueduct water risk tool.
- We partnered with Novitium Energy to install solar panels at our Jamesburg, NJ facility, conserving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- We received pre-qualification from How2Recycle® for our EnviroFlex® Paper ULT 1.0 and ADV 4.0 Cold Seal structures.
- We joined the European Paper Packaging Alliance (EPPA) to support and engage with EU packaging policy making.
- We expanded our annual Earth Day event globally with participation from all our Brazil plants.
Our commitment to responsible packaging is unwavering. We’ll keep investing in our team and operations, collaborating with customers and suppliers and driving growth for investors in the years to come. Here’s to another year of expansion, excellence and sustainability!
