Governance
Guidance for Better Packaging Solutions
Governance
Our guiding principle that people build business by doing the right thing starts at the top. A system of checks and balances holds us accountable to our stakeholders and environmental commitments, while helping us solve today’s challenges for tomorrow’s real-world problems. These policies and procedures, developed as a team, align with our Better Packaging. Better Life.® solutions for paper and metal packaging innovations worldwide.
Board of Directors
A 12-member Board of Directors provides oversight and review for Sonoco business operations and strategic planning initiatives. This includes environmental, social and governance topics as well as our approach to enterprise risk management.
Employee and Public Responsibility
The Board has six committees providing oversight and direction for various business functions. For sustainability and social programs, our Employee and Public Responsibility Committee guides performance issues involving regulatory compliance and stakeholder commitments impacting employees, shareholders, customers and communities.
Meet the Sustainability Council
Our long-standing Sonoco Corporate Sustainability Council directs short- and long-term objectives for sustainability, comprised of senior leadership across key, functional business areas.
The Council meets quarterly and reports to the Responsibility Committee at least twice a year, with at least one report from an annual assessment detailing our material impacts, risks and opportunities.
Howard Coker, President and Cheif Executive Officer (Sponsor)
Scott Byrne, Vice President, Global Sustainability (Chair)
Rodger Fuller, Chief Operating Officer
James Harrell, President, Global Industrial Paper Packaging
Sean Cairns, President, Consumer Packaging, EMEA/APAC
Susan Albritton, U.S. Field Manager, Sonoco Recycling
Steve Charles, Director, Strategic Sourcing
Palace Stepps, Vice President, Industrial Paper Packaging North America
Marci Tuten, Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, and Cheif IP Counsel
Rebecca McCord, Associate Director, Strategic Sourcing
Ernest Haynes, President, Consumer Packaging, Americas
Elizabeth Kremer, Assistant Corporate Secretary
John Florence, Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary, Vice President and General Manager of Industrial Paper Packaging N. America
Energy Council
In addition to the Sustainability Council, our Energy Council, which we established in 2025, executes an important business strategy: our global emissions reduction efforts.
Comprised mostly of operational leads, the Energy Council seeks to improve internal resource coordination for select energy projects, like solar installations, as well as our overall efforts to meet our energy reduction targets and energy continuity planning.
Environmental Policy
Sonoco's Board, committee, councils and employees take ownership and responsibility of their collective efforts to protect the environment in accordance with all legal requirements and ethical codes of conduct, using scientific knowledge, technical innovation and sound environmental management practices.