CO2-reduction: we‘re doing it.Sustainability Report

Sustainability Report

The 5th and 6th grades of the Lakeside School visit Wipf AG. Cover: Corbinian (10)

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Sustainability Report

For generations, we have been taking responsibility for the environment and attempting to minimize our ecological foot­print. This is a responsibility taken on not only by the manage­ment but shared by all employees in their respective spheres of influence. This is why we provide training in ecological issues. We have also involved our suppliers and partners in environmental management. Because together, we can achieve more than we could individually. So for us, sustain­ability is more than just a word. Everything we do on a daily basis involves a responsibility for the future and for coming generations. For several months, students aged 10 to 12 at the Lakeside School in Küsnacht discussed the topic of sustainability in

detail. In the process, they developed many creative ideas, and we sum­marized them in this brochure. Additionally, the youngsters were able to broaden their horizons and put their insights into daily use.

I wish you many positive impressions as you read our sustainability brochure!

Christian H. WipfChairman, Wipf AG

Taking responsibility

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Sustainability Report

Heating oil consumption at Wipf AG | Long­term trend 2003 – 2010

Power consumption at Wipf AG | Long­term trend 2003 – 2010

Target attainment for CO2 intensity

CO

² in

tens

ity

(%)

Fuel target

Fuel used

Ele

ctri

city

co

nsum

pti

on

(MW

h)

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

ElectricityQuantity shipped

Hea

ting

oil

cons

ump

tio

n (li

tres

)

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Process oilHVAC oilQuantity shipped

Source: Wipf AG

120,00

100,00

80,00

60,00

40,00

20,00

0,002000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

1 050 000

900 000

750 000

600 000

450 000

300 000

150 000

0

9000

8500

8000

7500

7000

6500

6000

We have been the packaging industry leader as regards sustainability, demonstrating that economic growth and long­term business success are compatible with ecological soundness and social stewardship.Our environmental footprint is attributable to power and fuel consumption in production and distribution. Within the scope of our CO2 strategy and collaboration with Swiss Energy Agency (EnAW), we have achieved the

following milestones: in the past years, Wipf has reduced CO2 emissions per value chain unit by over 50%.To further cut our CO2 emissions, we have already planned new measures with the objective of achieving additional reductions in the coming years.

Production with high resource efficiency

Yi-Yi, aged 10, Charlotte, aged 11 and Maja, aged 10

We are all in favour of saving

energy.

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Sustainability Report

The quality requirements imposed on flexible packaging are extremely strict. For this reason, we work with hand­picked raw materials and combine the best properties of the individual components to obtain new packaging solu­tions. Our objective is to achieve the highest possible level of product and consumer safety with the lowest possible consumption of resources.

■ We can deliver optimized performance with minimized material usage without neglecting any aspects related to product life cycles.

■ With the judicious use of responsibly procured materials, we can optimize the protection and maximize the shelf life of the product.

■ Nowadays, convenience is a must. Our flexible packaging addresses this need. It is lightweight, versatile, effective, and efficiently designable.

■ We develop intelligent, customer­specific packaging solutions that offer consumers greater functionality and safety.

Relying on decades of experience, we can protect food, medical prod­ucts, and non­food items with the lowest possible utilization of packaging materials; this contributes to sustainable consumption with optimized packaging integrity.

Top-tier packaging solutions

When I go shopping, I look at how the product

is packaged. I prefer pouches because they

are very lightweight and occupy only little

space in the dustbin.

Moritz, aged 11

Yannic, aged 11 and Florian, aged 12

We would never have guessed that

packaging accounts

for so little of a product‘s weight.

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Sustainability Report

How can a product on the shelf be judged with respect to sustainability? Despite the fact that they are flooded with more and more information, consumers find it increasingly difficult to evaluate individual products. In many cases, packaging delivers information concerning energy efficiency, the use of recycled raw materials, organic farming methods, or short transportation distances. The latest ecobalance analyses confirm that flexible packaging has a modest environmental impact in the lifecycle context and achieves very good comparative scores. This is due not least to its low weight and to its many advantages in logistics and warehousing. It saves energy and re­duces emissions.The lifecycle perspective helps us con­tinually improve the ecological aspects of our products and processes and make a genuine contribution to environmental stewardship.

Flexible and ecologically sensible

The lifecycle balance for a cup of coffee includes cultivation, processing, and packaging as well as distribution to and preparation in consumer households.

Source: Flexible Packaging Europe, Study LCA of Packed Food Products

2.25

2.00

1.75

1.50

1.25

1.00

0.75

0.50

0.25

0.00

Lifecycle analysis for 1 cup of coffee

Milk (preparation)

Hot water (preparation)

Transport (roaster to consumer)

Packaging

ProductionEspresso Black

coffeeCoffee

with milkInstant coffee

Instant coffee with

milk

CO

2 eq

uiva

lent

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Sustainability Report

Flexible packaging is very lightweight. This means that in comparison with other types of packaging, more packaging can be stored and shipped. The result: clear advantages throughout the entire supply chain. It saves energy, reduces CO2 emissions, and has a positive effect on traffic congestion.

Always a step ahead of logistics

Comparison of different packaging types

Type of packaging Content weight (olives)

Packaging weight

Product/packaging ratio

Glass with twist­off cap

150 g 188 g 0,8 : 1

Tin can 150 g 56 g 2,7 : 1

Flexible packaging (pouch)

150 g 7 g 21,5 : 1

95,5% product

73% product 27% package

44% product 56% package

4,5% package

Source: Wipf AG

Jan, aged 10

It‘s amazing that a truck can carry so many pouches.

Luke, aged 10

I think it‘s cool, that Wipf collects and recycles different kinds of materials.

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Sustainability Report

In the interest of the judicious use of natural resources and to reduce waste volumes, we have defined measures for waste avoidance and for recycling.

■ Currently, 120 metric tons of cardboard, 300 tons of polyethylene, and 100 tons of wood are recycled every year.

■ Remaining production waste is collected and used for energy recovery to replace heating oil (cement industry applications).

■ We use only recycled paper or paper endorsed by an environmental stew­ardship organization.

■ Our lightweight, space­saving packaging can be reduced to a minimal volume after use. This minimized the environmental burden and the residual material can be incinerated in waste treatment plants without generating any pollutants.

So for us, the environmental footprint is a key consideration in all product lifecycle phases, from development and production to usage and disposal of the constituent materials.

Ecologically sound disposal

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Sustainability Report

In cooperation with Swiss Energy Agency (EnAW), we have successfully implemented various environmental soundness measures in the past years. Thus, we can proudly report that with respect to CO2 emissions, we are on track and have accomplished the objectives defined in the target agree­ment as scheduled. We have been working with the myclimate Foundation since 2012. This creates the prerequisites that allow us to offer climate­neutral packaging.

Environmental milestones – what we have achieved

2012 Partnership with myclimate Agreement with the myclimate Foundation for climate­neutral packaging.

2012 Membership to the initiative SAVE FOOD

2010 Reduction of cooling pump duty cyclesThe enlargement of the cold­water basin improves load management and allows the cooling water pumps of two machines to be switched off on weekends and holidays. This action saves 12,750 kWh of electricity.

2010 New windowed facade with triple glazing The windowed front of the northern production hall was renewed with triple glazing. In comparison with the old windows, the new ones save several thousand litres of heating oil per year.

2009 Heater boiler replacementThe old boiler was replaced with two smaller modulating heating oil boilers with burners. With virtually no changes to the HVAC systems, heating oil consumption was reduced by about 30,000 litres.

2008 Heat recovery from hot waterThanks to hot water heat recovery, we have been able to save 770 MWh per annum in building heating energy by reducing heating oil consumption.

2007 Lighting upgrade production hallThe entire production hall lighting system was re ­ placed by a new energy­saving, fracture­proof illumination concept which saves electricity.

2005 New regenerative exhaust air purification system (RNV) and process optimisationsThe new exhaust air purifica­tion system with heat recovery for thermal oil and hot water consumes much less energy than the old system. Air volumes that pass through the new equipment for drying processes have been

optimized. The total annual savings amount to about 1000 MWh.

2003 Joined the Swiss Energy AgencyCommitment with the Swiss Energy Agency (EnAW) to reduce CO2 emissions. The measures we implement are reviewed in annual audits.

Shortlist of over 30 actions already implemented at the Volketswil plant

Lucas, aged 12

I am actively commit-ted to protecting the environment.

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Sustainability Report

In an era of escalating raw material shortages, it is absolutely essential to think and act ecologically. Accordingly, our production equipment fulfils all legal provisions related to safety. Additionally, we strive to continuously im­prove our safety­relevant processes. Our goal is to safeguard sustainability in production throughout the coming years.We regularly measure our skills against those of our competitors and let competent juries assess our performance. In the course of the years, we have frequently been awarded for outstanding packaging solutions that define industry benchmarks today.

Awards for sustainable processes and resource-saving packaging ideas

We can offer laminates with up to 96% biomaterial content. In addition to traditional wood­ based materials, vegetal starches such as potato and corn are being used to manufacture packaging. ECOVEL® is suitable for dry or humid goods in the Food, Pet Food and Non­Food segments.(Ecovel® was awarded the World Star 2007 and Swiss Star 2007 prizes)

The stand­up pouch manu­factured with a retortable POLIALUVEL® laminate features a narrower seal seam which allows a better distribution of the product inside the pouch. The newly designed packaging solution accommodates 24 instead of the previous 22 100­gram stand­up pouches in a display box. (Awarded the Alufoil Trophy 2010 in the “resource efficiency” category)

ECOVEL® – Laminate made of biologically renewable materials

Sterile stand-up pouch with optimized geometry

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Sustainability Report

Amy, aged 12, Antonia, aged 11 and Aja, aged 11

Green packaging is really trendy.

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Sustainability Report

When generations interact

The Lakeside School visited the Wipf AG production facilities.

Its students drew and designed their sustainability messages.

Children are the future. But we are responsible for handing down values and making a sustainable contribution to ecological integrity. Said and done. The students of the Lakeside School focused on the topic of sus­tainability and took a closer look at what the concept means. Within the scope of this project, two classes visited our production facilities in Volketswil. Subsequently, each student defined her or his specific contribution to safeguarding the environment. To wrap up the project, the children de­signed T­shirts with their personal symbolic message devoted to the topic of sustainability.We hope that you too can fulfil your sustainability goals with us. Our staff in development, sales, and engineering will support you in planning and implementing your resource­saving packaging ideas.

FBM

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Wipf AGIndustriestrasse 298604 VolketswilSwitzerland

Phone +41 44 947 22 11Fax +41 44 947 22 89

info@wipf.chwww.wipf.chwww.wipfgroup.com

a company