Net-zero carbon and ESG strategies: Thong Guan joins the race to challenge net-zero
Net-zero emissions and ESG strategies: Thong Guan joins the race to challenge net-zero
ESG or Environment, Society and Governance is a commonly discussed topic today. Investors and stakeholders are increasingly incorporating this factor into their assessments of companies to identify significant risks and growth opportunities.
It measures a company's ethical impact on the environment and its sustainability investments. So why, in addition to being worthy of investment, is ESG important to companies? Simply put, this is for future generations. As a company's standard operation, ESG is becoming a solid culture of practice to ensure the company's continuity. We cannot expect to do this if the world deteriorates. So maybe it should be a symbiotic relationship. We can only do this in a way that helps our company thrive if we take care of the environment, so we learned about the need for net-zero carbon emissions.
What is net zero?
Net zero is a bigger, longer-term goal than just companies. Generally speaking, a state of net-zero CO2 emissions is called carbon neutrality. Clearly we can achieve this by transitioning to a post-carbon economy. This means we must reduce transport, energy production, agriculture and industry to a level that balances environmental absorption. In other words, balancing CO2 emissions and offsetting them through carbon emissions. The term “net zero” we hear today refers to more than CO2 balance. It includes all greenhouse gases (CHCs) that affect our climate by increasing global temperatures. However, carbon dioxide contributes the most. When we don't add more GHO than we take away, we will essentially reach net zero.
Why is it important to join the race for net zero? Paris Agreement @COP21
Through the Paris Agreement promulgated during COP21 in Paris in 2015, participating countries agreed to work together to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees to limit the impact of climate change. Our commitment to this agreement is critical. Every degree matters because evidence shows the planet is getting hotter, killing many people and damaging livelihoods. According to the World Meteorological Organization (Source: public.wmo.int) the 20 warmest years on record have been the past 22 years. The seven hottest years are from 2015 to 2021 (the previous three years are 2016, 2019 and 2020). The global average temperature is 1 degree Celsius higher than in pre-industrial times. Most emissions come from a handful of countries.
If this trend continues, it is foreseeable that global temperatures will rise by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius by 2100. We must control greenhouse gas (mainly carbon dioxide) emissions at all levels as much as possible to curb the effects of global warming. The Paris Agreement therefore requires countries to commit to presenting national plans (nationally defined contributions or NDCs) outlining how much they will reduce emissions. They agreed that every five years, they would come back with an updated plan that would reflect their highest possible goals at that time. In order to create a livable climate, many countries have submitted national data centers.
How can we in the plastic packaging industry contribute to net zero emissions?
Whether in countries, companies or individuals, tackling climate change is now top of the agenda as well. At Thong Guan, our main focus has always been around product excellence, load stability & safety, quality and consistency of performance. As these focus on baseline sustainability, this helps reduce hidden sustainability impacts such as:
ㆍGoods damaged on arrival, i.e. waste of packaging materials, transportation and production goods
ㆍMore stretch packaging is needed, optimization means reducing unnecessary plastic packaging waste
That's not all.
We hope that as the ESG strategy is implemented and developed, we can join the effort to achieve net zero by 2050. Below are some of our ESG strategies and efforts over the years.
Thong Guan has been practicing recycling for more than 20 years
Plastic packaging is made from natural gas and crude oil, which in years "cracks" into ethylene and propylene resins. They are then combined into polymers using different formulations. We all know that for every kilogram of fossil plastic produced, 1.7 to 3.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide are released (source: woodly.com by Tomi Nyman, Chief Commercial Officer of Woodly). Handling plastic packaging from crude oil transportation to processing and manufacturing products releases carbon dioxide. As part of our ESG goals, Thong Guan has been recycling for over 20 years to reduce the carbon footprint of plastics. In 2010, to further strengthen our resolve, we acquired a facility currently known as TCSH from a recycling company for the collection and processing of post-industrial (PIW) and post-consumer plastic waste (PCW). Our subsidiary TGSH has approximately 5,000 metric tons of post-industrial and consumer product recycled plastic resins used annually.
Creating beyond sustainability through products
TG Bio Series
This year’s launch of the TG Bio range allows us to eliminate the need for non-renewable raw materials as raw materials for some of our products.
Some advantages of the TG Bio range include
ㆍ Replacement of fossil products and raw materials
ㆍ2.7kg carbon dioxide/kg polyethylene (PE) saved
ㆍNo food/feed competition
ㆍNo direct/indirect changes in land use
ㆍRecyclable
ㆍSustainable forestry
Our customers can now incorporate a sustainability program into their purchase of our bio-based stretch films, specifically formulated with plastic resin made from wood waste tal oil.
What’s more, our line of bioplastic stretch film products is a step beyond closing the loop on another industry.
Other innovative products
ㆍiPak5: A batch solution designed to provide customers with data-centric ecosystem performance
Visibility and traceability, including savings in film waste and carbon emissions
ㆍNanoGreen: a high-performance 15 micron 30% recyclable mechanical membrane
ㆍBolt: A uniquely designed stretch film dispenser that achieves proper sealing force, thereby reducing
Waste from unnecessary packaging or damage
ㆍNanoZero: Nano technology coreless stretch film, low loss, environmentally friendly stretch film application product.
ESG or Environment, Society and Governance is a commonly discussed topic today. Investors and stakeholders are increasingly incorporating this factor into their assessments of companies to identify significant risks and growth opportunities.
It measures a company's ethical impact on the environment and its sustainability investments. So why, in addition to being worthy of investment, is ESG important to companies? Simply put, this is for future generations. As a company's standard operation, ESG is becoming a solid culture of practice to ensure the company's continuity. We cannot expect to do this if the world deteriorates. So maybe it should be a symbiotic relationship. We can only do this in a way that helps our company thrive if we take care of the environment, so we learned about the need for net-zero carbon emissions.
What is net zero?
Net zero is a bigger, longer-term goal than just companies. Generally speaking, a state of net-zero CO2 emissions is called carbon neutrality. Clearly we can achieve this by transitioning to a post-carbon economy. This means we must reduce transport, energy production, agriculture and industry to a level that balances environmental absorption. In other words, balancing CO2 emissions and offsetting them through carbon emissions. The term “net zero” we hear today refers to more than CO2 balance. It includes all greenhouse gases (CHCs) that affect our climate by increasing global temperatures. However, carbon dioxide contributes the most. When we don't add more GHO than we take away, we will essentially reach net zero.
Why is it important to join the race for net zero? Paris Agreement @COP21
Through the Paris Agreement promulgated during COP21 in Paris in 2015, participating countries agreed to work together to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees to limit the impact of climate change. Our commitment to this agreement is critical. Every degree matters because evidence shows the planet is getting hotter, killing many people and damaging livelihoods. According to the World Meteorological Organization (Source: public.wmo.int) the 20 warmest years on record have been the past 22 years. The seven hottest years are from 2015 to 2021 (the previous three years are 2016, 2019 and 2020). The global average temperature is 1 degree Celsius higher than in pre-industrial times. Most emissions come from a handful of countries.
If this trend continues, it is foreseeable that global temperatures will rise by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius by 2100. We must control greenhouse gas (mainly carbon dioxide) emissions at all levels as much as possible to curb the effects of global warming. The Paris Agreement therefore requires countries to commit to presenting national plans (nationally defined contributions or NDCs) outlining how much they will reduce emissions. They agreed that every five years, they would come back with an updated plan that would reflect their highest possible goals at that time. In order to create a livable climate, many countries have submitted national data centers.
How can we in the plastic packaging industry contribute to net zero emissions?
Whether in countries, companies or individuals, tackling climate change is now top of the agenda as well. At Thong Guan, our main focus has always been around product excellence, load stability & safety, quality and consistency of performance. As these focus on baseline sustainability, this helps reduce hidden sustainability impacts such as:
ㆍGoods damaged on arrival, i.e. waste of packaging materials, transportation and production goods
ㆍMore stretch packaging is needed, optimization means reducing unnecessary plastic packaging waste
That's not all.
We hope that as the ESG strategy is implemented and developed, we can join the effort to achieve net zero by 2050. Below are some of our ESG strategies and efforts over the years.
Thong Guan has been practicing recycling for more than 20 years
Plastic packaging is made from natural gas and crude oil, which in years "cracks" into ethylene and propylene resins. They are then combined into polymers using different formulations. We all know that for every kilogram of fossil plastic produced, 1.7 to 3.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide are released (source: woodly.com by Tomi Nyman, Chief Commercial Officer of Woodly). Handling plastic packaging from crude oil transportation to processing and manufacturing products releases carbon dioxide. As part of our ESG goals, Thong Guan has been recycling for over 20 years to reduce the carbon footprint of plastics. In 2010, to further strengthen our resolve, we acquired a facility currently known as TCSH from a recycling company for the collection and processing of post-industrial (PIW) and post-consumer plastic waste (PCW). Our subsidiary TGSH has approximately 5,000 metric tons of post-industrial and consumer product recycled plastic resins used annually.
Creating beyond sustainability through products
TG Bio Series
This year’s launch of the TG Bio range allows us to eliminate the need for non-renewable raw materials as raw materials for some of our products.
Some advantages of the TG Bio range include
ㆍ Replacement of fossil products and raw materials
ㆍ2.7kg carbon dioxide/kg polyethylene (PE) saved
ㆍNo food/feed competition
ㆍNo direct/indirect changes in land use
ㆍRecyclable
ㆍSustainable forestry
Our customers can now incorporate a sustainability program into their purchase of our bio-based stretch films, specifically formulated with plastic resin made from wood waste tal oil.
What’s more, our line of bioplastic stretch film products is a step beyond closing the loop on another industry.
Other innovative products
ㆍiPak5: A batch solution designed to provide customers with data-centric ecosystem performance
Visibility and traceability, including savings in film waste and carbon emissions
ㆍNanoGreen: a high-performance 15 micron 30% recyclable mechanical membrane
ㆍBolt: A uniquely designed stretch film dispenser that achieves proper sealing force, thereby reducing
Waste from unnecessary packaging or damage
ㆍNanoZero: Nano technology coreless stretch film, low loss, environmentally friendly stretch film application product.