Sustainability
“Being a leader in our industry gives us a responsibility to address environmental challenges”
Advancing Circular Glass Packaging
The circular economy keeps products and materials in circulation through processes like maintenance, reuse, remanufacture, and recycling. This crucial system is underpinned by three core principles:
Eliminate waste and pollution
Circulate products and materials
Regenerate nature
This transformative approach is one that we are pursuing here at Verallia to limit our use of finite natural resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions emitted from our process, in the hope to develop circular glass packaging.
The principle is being promoted at a European level and fully embraced by each regional division. One illustration of our pursuit of a circular economy is the adoption of the Anti-Waste and Circular Economy Law (Loi AGEC) in France. Verallia Group has made this a major focus of its sustainability and climate change policy, along with the decarbonisation of its industrial sites.
Actions to Enhance the Circularity of Glass Packaging
Maximise the use of cullet in our products
Glass recycling is a fundamental area for action. We have been prioritising the use of cullet (recycled glass) in new glass bottle production. Between 2020 and 2021, we increased the volume of external cullet integrated into new glass container production by 11% and this amounted to almost 81,000 tonnes of Co2 avoided.
Help raise awareness and expand glass recycling
As a business, we constantly advocate the recycling of glass containers from the wider community and ensure all bottles that do not pass quality control in our factories are fed back into the system, further prompting circular glass packaging. In addition, we collaborate with British Glass to promote the importance of glass recycling and campaigned for curbside glass recycling to Leeds Council to boost accessibility and adherence, which will be introduced in 2023.
Develop eco-design for sustainable products
Aside from our internal actions, we prioritise our client’s sustainability through the development of sustainable glass bottles. We have designed and manufactured versatile packaging that prioritises sustainable credentials such as a lighter weight and increased cullet use. Beyond this, we have curated an eco-first, off-the-shelf glass bottle range named ECOVA that boasts industry-leading quantities of recycled glass content.
Optimise water use and reduce our waste
We are constantly seeking opportunities to rethink and optimise our processes to limit our environmental impact. We plan to achieve water usage of 0.4m3/tpg at our glass plants and recycle 75% of waste by 2025.
Decarbonisation Journey
Glass was built for the circular economy.
Its infinite recyclability stands out as a material for the future.
Whilst implementing reused glass content into new bottle development has substantial environmental benefits, it does still require melting down to produce new glass containers. Today, this operation is the main cause of CO2 emissions from our Group’s activities.
Determined to act to make our activities increasingly streamlined and respectful of the environment, we have embarked on a policy of investing in the technology, resources, and industrial equipment used in our plants. We are giving ourselves the means to achieve our ambitions and are positioning ourselves as pioneers in our sector.
To reach Net Zero by 2050, our goal is to reduce our CO2 emissions by 46% (1) by 2030 on Scope 1 & 2 in absolute value (compared to 2019). Since 2021, we have also been working on reducing our Scope 3 emissions to keep them below 40% of our total emissions, and we will work closely with our suppliers and clients to achieve this.
Finally, we contribute to the carbon balance of ecosystems by pursuing actions in favour of soil regeneration and biodiversity.
Actions to Decarbonise
Increase the proportion of low-carbon raw materials
Optimise the energy consumption of our industrial facilities
Develop and invest in low-carbon furnaces
Develop renewable or low-carbon forms of energy
Reduce our indirect emissions
ECOVA
Our Eco-Conscious Glass Packaging
Off-the-shelf packaging remains a popular choice in the spirit sector due to its lower cost point and the ability to keep in line with consumer trends, yet too often the packaging does not have robust sustainable credentials. Our ECOVA solution embodies sustainability with an industry–leading recycled glass content alongside being some of the lightest cork mouth bottles available in Europe, weighing just 500g.
Decarbonising Spirits Brands Footprints
Traditionally, heavily weighted glass bottles were used to signify luxurious sprits, but trends now indicate consumer behaviour is shifting to prioritise circular glass packaging that has a lower carbon footprint. Our bespoke bottle design capabilities enable us to curate unique bottles that are both aesthetically pleasing and environmentally conscious. Our glass artistry brings your sustainable vision to life.
Explore our Sustainable Stories
Drifting through sustainability dreams
Two Drifters Distillery is only two and a half years old and is already making waves. They produce British made rum in their Exeter based distillery built on the dream of building a truly sustainable business whilst becoming the biggest rum distillery in the UK. The company have become the first rum distillery with a carbon negative footprint.
Emulating the Scottish Highlands for Ardnamurchan
Steeped in history, Adelphi is a highly acclaimed bottler of rare single cask and limited-edition single malt whisky, fusion whisky, and spirits. But their Ardnamurchan Distillery, located in the most westerly peninsula of the British mainland, is the star of the show when it comes to producing world-class single malt whiskies.
A new vessel for Isle of Barra
Standing out in the Atlantic on the far western edge of Scotland, you’ll find the Isle of Barra Distillery. The family-owned distillery was born from a desire to return to the family’s roots and create Scotland’s most westerly distillery. The team’s love for their home on the Island of Barra can be seen clearly in their support of protecting local species such as the endangered Corncrake bird. So, it was important that their love for both their home island and the sea are represented in their glass packaging.
