Broomfield, Colorado-based Ball Corp. says it has earned the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certification for all 23 of its Europe, Middl East and Africa (EMEA) beverage can plants. The company calls the area-wide certification “a major sustainability milestone for the company.”
“We’re extremely proud to be the first aluminum beverage can manufacturer to achieve ASI certification,” states Ron Lewis, president of Ball Beverage Packaging, EMEA. “With their infinite recyclability, aluminum cans are the fastest growing beverage packaging type in Europe. The certification, combined with our renewable energy investments, demonstrates Ball’s commitment to a low-carbon, sustainable economy.”
“We’re responding to a greater desire from consumers, across Europe and around the world, for genuinely sustainable and infinitely recyclable packaging solutions,” says Kathleen Pitre, chief commercial and sustainability officer of Ball Corp. “We’re working closely with our beverage customers to help them deliver on their sustainability commitments, including on responsible sourcing practices.”
Ball Corp. says the certification accompanies its recent commitment “to significant carbon reductions” in the form of supplying all its operations in the European Union, Serbia and the United Kingdom with renewable energy. Ball previously announced agreements for 100 percent renewable energy covering all of its North American operations by 2021.
Melbourne, Australia-based ASI describes itself as a multi-stakeholder initiative designed to provide an assurance of responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of aluminum throughout its supply chain
“We are very pleased to award ASI Certification to Ball Corp., the world’s largest aluminum can maker and the first in its sector to have achieved this,” says Dr. Fiona Solomon, CEO of ASI. “Supply-chain certification programs like ASI are becoming increasingly important for customers and stakeholders, who seek assurance that companies’ sustainability practices are genuine.”