Sustainable from the start
In part two of our six-part Green Leaders series, we take a look at how global brands, Ørsted and Ikea, are taking on the challenge of using sustainable materials and resources
In part one of our series, we established that going green works. Consumer trends toward shopping eco-friendly, and their willingness to pay a premium for it, has pushed more and more companies to put green initiatives at the very top of their business mission statement.
We’ll now explore how two such companies, Ikea and Ørsted, are applying those initiatives to how they source, use and reuse their materials, and how it can inspire changes in the methods and processes used by the food and beverage industry.
Ikea’s pledge
Long known for its ubiquitous presence in homes and offices across the globe, Ikea made its name off well-designed goods and furnishings at an approachable price. So it’s fitting that they’ve designed their new sustainability goals around the materials they use and reducing their environmental impact. Knowing that the resources and materials to make their products are not infinite, Ikea has pledged to use only recycled and renewable materials by 2030. And they’ve already made great strides to get there, with 60% of their current materials coming from renewable sources and 10% from recycled.
Ikea has focused on light-weight constructions to minimise material use, completely done away with single-use plastics in all their furnishings, restaurants and cafes, and are using combinations of renewable and recycled materials to build items such as mattresses. Additionally, they’ve pledged to not only use products like wood from sustainable sources but are researching and developing promising new textiles derived from wood cellulose as alternatives to oil-based fabrics like nylon.
Their pledge doesn’t stop at materials for furnishings. Sustainable practices extend to sourcing for their lines of food and beverages as well. Ikea’s coffees, chocolates, teas, and more utilise organic farming, origin tracing and smarter farming practices. They also ensure sustainable alternative options for the foods served in their cafés and bistros are available as well; for example, plant-based meatballs.
Ørsted’s long game
For Ørsted, being the largest wind-driven energy company in the world comes with challenges and responsibility. Windfarms often sit on or near fragile ecosystems, many in offshore maritime environments. Ensuring that construction of their farms has minimal adverse effects on the surrounding environment and wildlife is why Ørsted developed their offshore wind biodiversity policy to oversee every aspect of their process. All angles are explored; from selecting a location and studying potential environmental impacts to reducing the negative impacts they’ll bring to the seabed and marine mammals.
Taking all these aspects into account means the development of a windfarm can take anywhere from 3-10 years. Still, their careful, in-depth approach means a lifespan of up to 25 years of delivering emission-free energy. That strategy has led to Ørsted being named the most sustainable company in the world for 2020.
Unpackaging the lessons
Ikea and Ørsted’s commitment to better use of materials and resources offers valuable insights and inspiration for the food and beverage industry in ensuring more sustainable products. Ikea’s innovative solutions for managing their supply chain from the source, and only using recyclable and renewable materials shows that traditional means of developing products are not set in stone. Today, for example, we’re seeing a drive towards even more responsible products with packaging that’s aluminium free and uses plant-based polymers.
Ørsted’s focus on long-term strategy shows the value of designing and building systems to minimise potential negative impacts. These fully realised strategies play well into the increasingly adopted practices of a circular economy, namely reducing waste starting at the design stage and ensuring all materials are responsibly sourced at the point of origin, and choosing packaging that comes with FSC certification.
Sourcing with SIG
Want to know about SIG’s approach to materials and resources? Learn about our commitment to responsible sourcing. See how we partner with suppliers that support our net positive ambition. And how we source all our key materials from responsible and certified sources. So every customer and consumer can be confident that the goods they buy are produced in a way that respects the people involved and minimises risks to the environment.
In the third part of our series, we’ll continue our investigation into the world’s most sustainable companies. We’ll explore how holistic thinking has led Nike and Adidas to focus their efforts on a reduced environmental impact through a combination of managing supply chains, monitoring and tracking, and funding environmental and community projects. And we’ll see how these methods could apply to the food and beverage industry.
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- August 18, 2020