Towards more sustainable operations

Sustainability issues and responsibility are of interest to companies, also in the packaging industry. PEFC Finland talked with Jaakkoo-Taara Oy CEO Thomas Brusila, production manager Seppo Salminen and quality manager Oskari Vuorio about the importance of responsibility at Jaakkoo-Taara. Jaakkoo-Taara is a company founded in 1935, mainly manufacturing packaging for the pharmaceutical and food industry, which employs more than 100 people in Turku.

Have you set sustainability goals and how are you going to achieve them?

"In 2020, we set the most important goal of environmental responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint by 60% by 2025, and it looks like we will reach our goal ahead of schedule. The use of fiber-based materials in packaging is supported by its renewability and recyclability, e.g. compared to plastic materials, which are mainly produced from non-renewable sources. This is why I personally feel that I am working for a more responsible and environmentally sustainable future," says Thomas Brusila.

"We strive to promote the use of fiber-based packaging solutions and to promote actions that reduce our company's carbon footprint in order to further improve the environmental impact of packaging. Well and responsibly packaged products reduce waste, which is the best option for the environment. It is important to us that all production raw materials have been acquired in accordance with the principles of sustainable development and that, for example, in the production of fiber raw materials, only wood raw material obtained from known sources or certified forests has been used."

How do you see the role of certification in the use of wood-based products?

"In our industry, all but the smallest companies have certified their operations in the Nordic countries," says Thomas Brusila. Jaakkoo-Taara has been PEFC certified since 2013.

"With PEFC certification and the use of PEFC material in our production, we say that we are a company that cares about the environment. We also consider PEFC a practical system for the company, and the availability of PEFC-certified material is good."

What are the customers' expectations?

"Responsibility is important to all our customers, especially in consumer products. Constant discussion and communication at all levels of the company helps us understand customer needs and find the packaging solutions that are best suited for our customers. Customers approach responsibility as a whole and expect packaging materials to come from responsible sources. Certification is a good way here, because the customer does not have the opportunity to check the entire chain from the forest to the finished package," says Seppo Salminen, who is responsible for procurement.

How do you see the packaging industry developing in the future?

"EU legislation on recyclability can significantly affect the use of fiber materials and plastic packaging in the future. However, I believe that the demand for fiber packaging made from renewable materials will continue to increase. There are successful examples of completely replacing plastic products with cardboard, where the amount of plastic has been reduced to a very small amount and used only as a coating on the inner surface. Reducing the amount of plastic and replacing it with fiber-based packaging and reducing the carbon footprint affect the entire packaging industry," says Oskari Vuorio.

What motivates you in promoting sustainability?

"We feel that as a company and as part of the production chain, we have an obligation to do our part in the efforts towards more environmentally sustainable operations", says Thomas Brusila