The challenge of biodiversity & nature

Biodiversity loss has a devastating impact on our ecosystem, which we all count on for clean air, fresh water, food, and resources. The rate of species extinction is accelerating – every day 137 wildlife species are lost, driven largely by the clearing of forests for agriculture1.

It is time to act. Protection and restoration of nature will be essential to halting and reversing biodiversity loss and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions2.3. That is why we need to work together to restore ecosystems while producing food.

two men in field

Supporting suppliers to preserve nature

We promote responsible sourcing practices across our suppliers around the world. Our initiative "Join us in protecting the planet" strives towards a 50% reduction in emissions from base material suppliers by 2030, compared to 2019 levels, and focuses on addressing the challenges of climate, biodiversity, and circularity.

As a signatory to the UN Global Compact, responsible sourcing is a strategic objective for us and our supply chain. By sharing best practices, setting ambitious targets, and continually reviewing progress, we encourage our suppliers to drive these behaviours in their value chains.

water article

Water-secure8 world

We take a value chain approach to reduce ;water-related impacts of our packaging and processing solutions on local water resources. We contribute to solving shared water challenges in basins at risk9.



As a member of the Alliance for Water Stewardship, we cooperate to adopt and promote a universal framework for the sustainable use of water. 

Learn more by downloading the infographic and exploring Quantis study results.

man planting trees

Land Restoration Programme

The Araucaria Conservation Programme is the carton industry’s first nature-based initiative focused on restoring degraded rural land of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. It uses native species, to restore up to 7,000 hectares by 2030 for the benefit of local communities, as well as flora and fauna in the region.

Certified & controlled sources

As part of our ambition towards fully renewable packaging, we are continuously exploring sustainable alternatives that shift us from high-carbon, fossil-based materials to low-carbon, renewable and responsibly sourced materials.

In our carton packages, all paperboard and plant-based polymers come from certified and other controlled sources – with our plant-based portfolio growing every year. To support responsible sourcing practices, we work with third-party certification standards such as Forest Stewardship CouncilTM4Bonsucro5ASI (Aluminium Stewardship Initiative) and ISCC PLUS. These third-party standards help us to conserve and restore biodiversity, mitigate and adapt to climate change, contribute to global water resilience, and restore nature6.

We are also collaborators within the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s CE100 network to drive up the use and reuse of renewable materials for a low carbon future to reduce pressure on natural ecosystems.

Packaging with renewability credentials

Trees and forest floor

Paperboard

A 1L Tetra Pak carton package is typically made of about 70% paperboard, which is a renewable resource when responsibly sourced, resulting in a lower carbon footprint than glass, plastic or metal packages.

Milk cartons in the grocery

Polymers

Plant-based materials are renewable, where responsibly sourced, and contribute to reducing the carbon footprint in our packages compared to fossil-based materials. Our long-term ambition is to make all our chilled and ambient packages from renewable and / or recycled alternatives to fossil-based plastics.

aluminium roll

Aluminium

Aluminium is included in aseptic cartons because it prevents oxidation and light damage, helping to keep perishable food safe without refrigeration for months. Although this layer is minute, we are continually innovating to make it as thin as possible, while investigating alternative renewable barrier materials.

Our focus areas

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1Mitchell, C. (2022). Deforestation: Clearing The Path For Wildlife Extinctions. Source: Worldanimalfoundation.org

2IPBES. (2019). The global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Source: Ipbes.net 

3IPCC. (2021). Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Source: Ipcc.ch

4Tetra Pak’s FSC license code is FSC™ C014047

5www.bonsucro.com

6https://www.tetrapak.com/sustainability/approach/stakeholder-engagement/our-partners

7Sustainable food systems mean growing, producing, processing, packaging, distributing and consuming food without negatively impacting the planet. Retrieved from OECD. (2019). Accelerating Climate Action. Source: OECD iLibrary

8UN Water defines water security as "the capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of and acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability" (https://www.unwater.org/publications/water-security-and-global-water-agenda)

9Basins at risk are identified following the SBTN methodology, based on eight different indicators across water quantity, quality and wash. For each indicator, a score between 1 and 5 is attributed. Within these three categories, one indicator with a score of 3 or above indicates that the basin is at risk (https://sciencebasedtargetsnetwork.org/resources/)