Sappi Commits to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Company introduces 2025 goals that align with SDGs
As we enter into the last year of our five-year performance cycle, we’re already thinking about what 2025 might look like.
Our sustainability journey began in earnest back in 2008 when we became a signatory to the UN Global Compact. The Compact had us focusing on four broad topics as a means to improve society: human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. To deliver in these areas, we set goals and targets that were most applicable to the difference we could make with our business. Since that time, we’ve accomplished a great deal.
In 2019, a working group of representatives from each of the Sappi regions was formed to determine our focused priorities going forward. The group found inspiration by studying in detail the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Where the UN Global Compact targeted 10 principles covered in the four areas mentioned above, the UN SDGs define 17 global priorities and aspirations for 2030 with an explicit call on all businesses to lean in and apply their creativity and innovation to solve these challenges.
The group has identified seven goals where they believe Sappi can make the most effective contributions:
- Clean water and sanitation (6)
- Affordable and clean energy (7)
- Decent work and economic growth (8)
- Responsible consumption and production (12)
- Climate action (13)
- Life on land (15)
- Partnerships for the goals (17)
The working group is now developing a strategy that aligns the company’s goals and advocacy positions around these seven issues that are material to our business. This alignment will be announced in 2020 as part of the new 2025 goals.
To learn more, download a PDF of Sappi North America's 2019 Sustainability Report here.
