O-I joins Carlsberg Circular Community Initiative
O-I, the world's largest glass container manufacturer, has joined forces with the Carlsberg Group, the world's fourth largest brewing company, in a landmark packaging sustainability initiative.
The new Carlsberg Circular Community (CCC) is a platform where Carlsberg and O-I, together with other selected suppliers, will collaborate on developing future packaging solutions. The CCC partners will use the Cradle to Cradle® design framework, a scientific approach to improve economic, social and ecological benefits of products.
O-I will provide its extensive sustainability expertise to assess current glass packaging and will work closely with Carlsberg and its CCC partners to launch Carlsberg's first Cradle to Cradle® -certified glass packaging solution by 2016.
"We are pleased to be sharing our sustainability expertise with Carlsberg and the Circular Community partners to deliver real benefits to consumers, society and our shared environment," said Erik Bouts, president of O-I Europe. "We believe that collaborating throughout the value chain will bring new and innovative packaging solutions."
Glass is made from widely available natural raw materials and is infinitely recyclable, making it the ideal Cradle to Cradle® packaging material. In addition, O-I is continuously improving its manufacturing processes, driving energy efficiency and optimizing packaging designs for its customers. One of the company's sustainability goals is to increase the amount of recycled glass used in production. In Europe, some of the company's 36 plants use up to 90 percent recycled glass.
As a founding partner of the Carlsberg Circular Community initiative, O-I sees collaboration initiatives and partnerships with its customers, suppliers and other stakeholders as fundamental to ensuring a sustainable future.
