Beontag publishes 2023 ESG Report

Beontag, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of self-adhesives and smart tags such as RFID and NFC, has published its ESG report for 2023, reporting on its progress in all areas of the environmental, social and governance initiatives.

The successful effort comes amid rapid growth and expansion for the company, including acquisitions, appointments and investment in new facilities.

Beontag’s ESG report covers the company’s approach and performance between January 1 and December 31, 2023, during which time the global business recorded USD 520 million net revenue and USD 640 million in total assets.

Key findings of the report include information stating that 78 percent of Graphics and Labels Materials (GLM) sales in 2023 were from sustainable products, up from 71 percent in 2022. ‘Sustainable products’ are defined by four criteria: material reduction, responsible sourcing, recycled content and enable recycling .

The company has significantly increased Digital Transformation Enabler (DTE) sales of sustainable products between 2022 and 2023, from 18 to 32 percent. In both GLM and DTE, the percentage of waste diverted from landfill increased from 50 to 56 percent in the GLM section, and from 56 to 58 percent in DTE.

Across both divisions, certified paper was used in 95 percent of products sold and almost 100 percent of products purchased in the GLM section come from tier 1 suppliers on the same continent, contributing to a more efficient supply chain, with lower emissions related to logistic processes.

The company also reported that the number of women in the Beontag workforce in 2023 continued to increase, reaching 32 percent overall in 2023, with 26 percent of senior leadership positions held by women

Despite the challenging dynamics faced by markets and providers in 2023, Beontag continued its investment in ESG initiatives across the business. Fifteen million EUR was allocated for the acquisition of machinery, including the ECO RFID antenna line and inlay machinery in Brazil, China and Italy, as well as Linerless VIP labels machinery in Europe. Another USD 5 million USD was invested in research and innovation across the business.

In 2023, Beontag also conducted a cradle-to-grave comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of its Linerless VIP label, a technology that offers significant material savings and reduction in logistic volumes. The document shows a 35 percent reduction in carbon footprint, 33 percent reduction in water consumption throughout the label’s entire life cycle, as well as a 38 percent reduction in post-consumer waste.

Last year, the company enhanced its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory to include new operations acquired throughout 2022. The company generated 230,448 tons of scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions in 2023, which represents a significant increase in total 2022 levels. This increase represents improvement in data accuracy as well as the range of emissions sources monitored for Scope 3, indirect emissions that occur across the value chain and are outside of the organization’s direct control. GHG emissions in Scope 3 accounted for over 95 percent of Beontag’s total emissions in 2023, related to the purchasing of key raw materials used in product production. The transport and distribution of raw materials and finished products was the company’s second largest source of GHG emissions.

During this reporting period, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives were also implemented at corporate and operational levels, focused on gender equality. Gender diversity indicators were tracked and monitored monthly, such as the total number of women in the company and in senior leadership positions. 2023 also saw Beontag’s first DE&I Survey, along with a study to understand regional diversity nuances. The DE&I survey was conducted to the company´s employees based in its global operations. The insights gained from this survey will allow a better understanding of the company’s people profile and their needs, as well as guide Beontag during the development of future DE&I programs.

Barbara Dunin, director of ESG, marketing and communications at Beontag, said: ‘2023 was another year of progress towards our ambitious ESG targets for Beontag. Our commitment to transparency has provided us with a significantly higher number of data points, enabling us to have an even better understanding of our sustainability impact, risks, and opportunities across the global business. As our 2030 sustainability plan continues to evolve, we aim to deploy the insights the data provides to build on the excellent progress already made.’

Ricardo Lobo, CEO of Beontag, added: ‘We are proud of the progress we made as a company in 2023, and of the enormous effort made by our 2,000 employees to adhere to our company and client-supporting goals in this area. We look forward to making further progress in 2024 and beyond, both through innovation within the business as well as enabling positive contributions in the many sectors we serve.’

The full report is available on the company’s website.