As a large shipper, Graphic Packaging International supports the transition to low-carbon emissions transportation. That’s why we’re now a SmartWay Shipper Partner.

SmartWay includes tools and approaches to track and reduce emissions and fuel used to move goods. With the SmartWay framework, we’ll assess environmental and energy efficiency as our consumer packaging products move through the supply chain. SmartWay-certified carriers enable us to reduce emissions by an average of 6% and pay less for fuel on our North American transportation.

“Being a SmartWay Shipper Partner shows our customers we are committed to supporting their sustainability goals,” said Jeff Zundel, director of strategy, logistics, for Graphic Packaging. “Partnering with carriers committed to sustainability supports our broader decarbonization strategy and increases Graphic Packaging’s brand equity.”

Decarbonizing Shipping and Transportation

Graphic Packaging is working towards achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. So, we’re looking across our operations, as well as our value chain, to find innovative solutions for our commitment to climate action.

Our decarbonization plan includes validated science-based targets for Scope 3 emissions. These types of GHG emissions are not directly generated by our company, but by vendors and suppliers like shipping and transportation.

“Scope 3 emissions, also referred to as value chain emissions, often represent the majority of an organization’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.”

We plan to reduce Scope 3 emissions 30% by 2032 by focusing on the most significant contributions to our value chain emissions. Transportation is one of the major contributors to our Scope 3 footprint, so we’re looking to our transportation suppliers to deliver significant reductions in their emissions to help us achieve our goal.

Our procurement teams, who manage contracts with our service providers, explore ways to optimize logistics to reduce transportation. For example, from our 2023 ESG Report: “Actions implemented in 2023 included a program to switch truck shipments to rail along several key routes in our U.S. operations, which resulted in 195 thousand fewer truck miles and avoided approximately 570 metric tons of CO₂ emissions.”

Now, the SmartWay program makes it easier for our procurement teams to identify sustainable transportation providers in North America. SmartWay Carrier Partners measure, benchmark and report their fuel efficiency and emissions. Then, SmartWay Shipper Partners, like Graphic Packaging, use this data to assess transportation efficiency and improve environmental performance across their supply chain.

“We continue to advance programs like SmartWay that move us closer to our decarbonization goals,” said Zundel. “Graphic Packaging is an industry leader in identifying innovative ways to reduce our environmental footprint — from using lower-carbon intensive transportation methods like rail and intermodal, to the deployment of new alternative fuel technologies, such as electric and renewable natural gas-powered trucks.”

Collective Accountability

In 2003, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed SmartWay with industry stakeholders, environmental groups, American Trucking Associations and the Business for Social Responsibility. Now, over 4,000 organizations are SmartWay partners, from shippers and logistics companies to truck, rail and barge carriers.

“Since 2004, SmartWay has helped its partners save 397 million barrels of oil- equivalent to eliminating annual electricity use in over 26 million homes.”

SmartWay is not only an innovative sustainability program but also an influential model for action and accountability. By sharing insights and best practices within the supply chain, we help promote a collective effort to prioritize sustainable transportation. As a SmartWay ally, we aim to set an industry precedent for operational efficiency that minimizes our carbon footprint.