Parsippany, New Jersey-based Sun Chemical recently released its first sustainability report, which provides performance measurement for seven key sustainability metrics as a means to help customers and consumers understand the company’s environmental footprint.
The company’s first-of-its-kind report evaluates data collected since 2005 from approximately 170 Sun Chemical sites in over 25 countries. The report measures energy consumption and conservation at production and non-production sites, the energy carbon footprint at the production sites, process waste reduction, water consumption, material safety, and employee safety. The report is an important part of Sun Chemical’s updated sustainability policy that the company introduced this year.
Sun Chemical’s updated sustainability policy, which can be found at www.sunchemical.com/company/sustainability, stresses its responsibility to raise awareness of environmental issues within the graphic arts industry. Product stewardship, risk management and its commitment to take an analytical-based approach to its efforts also are important components of the policy.
This data-driven approach in the policy means Sun Chemical will be able to set improvement targets for its processes on energy and water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and solid waste emissions as well as develop products with a structured approach that includes risk management and eco-efficiency improvements as criteria.
“Sun Chemical’s sustainability policy is different from other company policies and positioning because it is supported by data that goes far beyond that which is normally reported,” said Felipe Mellado, Sun Chemical’s vice president and chief marketing Officer. “Our customers and the marketplace are looking for much more than the standard sustainability rhetoric. They want to know what their suppliers are doing to improve their sustainability performance. This sustainability report does just that with very specific metrics.”
In addition, Sun Chemical has implemented a project to analyze and manage the carbon footprint of its products. The project includes an assessment of eight different ink products manufactured at seven different facilities in the United States and Europe; it is expected to be released in 2010. ENVIRON International Corporation, a consultant with which Sun Chemical partners to offer its SunCare™ Environmental Services, is conducting the assessment.
The sustainability report is available to customers and can be requested online. Customers in Europe and the U.S. can also calculate the initial carbon footprint for their facility operations by visiting www.sunchemical.com/suncare.
“As the world’s foremost producer of inks, pigments and color technology, we continually push the limits of efficiency and strive to adopt the best operational practices to create value and remain competitive. We remain 100 per cent committed to making sure that the print industry is one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly industries in the world. At Sun Chemical, we believe in all our customers and are constantly looking for ways to make them leaders in their industry and improve their efficiency even further”, concluded Felipe Mellado.
For more information, visit www.sunchemical.com.