Graphic Packaging International
Demonstrating Graphic Packaging’s ESG performance to investors through a streamlined reporting approach
Graphic Packaging International (GPI) is one of the largest manufacturers of paperboard and paper-based packaging for some of the world’s most recognized brands of food, beverage, foodservice, household, personal care and pet care products. With products made from renewable and recycled materials—most of which are recyclable—GPI’s business model is innately sustainable and circular.
Key outcomes
Improved GPI’s ability to engage multiple internal and external stakeholders through a streamlined communications framework.
Streamlined the reporting process that reduced the costs and time required for ESG reporting in the long-term, while increasing the usability and efficacy for intended audiences.
Elevated Graphic Packaging’s ability to engage investors and raters with a streamlined ESG report and landing page, resulting in increased ESG scores.
Established a strong foundation for Graphic Packaging to work towards more sophisticated ESG strategy and communication.
Key deliverables
Several of GPI’s key stakeholders, namely investors, raters/rankers, and analysts were not fully aware of all the progress and performance the company made along its sustainability journey. As stakeholder demand for strong ESG management and performance continues, GPI recognized the need to upgrade its ESG reporting strategy and practices to better inform and engage with those key stakeholders.
Our impact
Typical ESG reports are not an ideal channel for communicating with a broad range of stakeholders and should be seen primarily as a resource for investors, ratings agencies, and other audiences looking for the company’s strategy, management approach, data, policies, and other specific information. In order to meet that need, we focused GPI’s ESG reporting on providing concise, data-driven disclosure that was easy to navigate, organized in an intuitive way. We worked with GPI to align reporting with SASB and GRI Core, TCFD, SDGs, and UNGC frameworks, collected data, visualized information, and crafted a narrative that accurately reflected their efforts.
In an effort to reduce the resource strain that comes along with ESG reporting, as well as create a product where easier and more frequent reporting can occur, we partnered with an ESG software provider, Metrio, to create a microsite that acts as GPI’s ongoing ESG report. The microsite allows GPI to routinely update ESG content as needed, eliminating the need to wait until next year’s report to provide key updates on initiatives and performance. Additionally, the microsite allows for real-time data to be presented through APIs, which allows viewers of the report to manipulate data/graphs to their liking.
To further refine Graphic Packaging’s ESG strategy we also conducted a materiality assessment. See more about that here.
After the report went live, Graphic Packaging received positive press coverage, including being named to Newsweek’s 2021 List of America’s Most Responsible Companies. The company’s ESG ratings all increased.