Berlin Packaging 2023 Sustainability Report

At Berlin Packaging, we believe Anything is Possible ®. We’re committed to driving positive impact for both our people and planet, which is reflected across every aspect of our business.

A Message from Our Global CEO

As we navigate an ever-evolving global landscape, one truth stands clear: sustainability and business growth are not at odds. Sustainability is key to succeeding in our society today and in the future.

In an era where many voice these sentiments, the pivotal question is: what are we doing about it?

Here at Berlin Packaging, we’ve translated words into impactful actions, establishing a leadership position in sustainability across our industry. Our entire team and partners are relentlessly focused on igniting further momentum: sparking innovations across the value chain, accelerating growth, and catalyzing industry-wide change.

This report delves into our progress, spotlighting the integral role of environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) commitments in our business strategy—one that creates shared value for our people, partners, and planet.

Unpacking Sustainability Impact

Our commitment to sustainability is not a mere aspiration; it is part of our guiding compass. We are embedding sustainability across every facet of our enterprise, translating our ESG commitments into tangible actions—team-sized endeavors forming the bedrock for new routines and innovations. Not only are we helping brands navigate global

environmental regulations, but we are proactively pushing best-in-class sustainability solutions across diverse markets. Emissions reduction and waste management initiatives within our global operations underscore our commitment.

Our approach towards sustainability initiatives has enabled us to meet industry standards and set new ones. As a strategic packaging partner, we are accelerating our customers’ sustainability journeys and helping them grow their businesses. We have helped companies across diverse market segments, from beauty startups to established winemakers, make strides toward their corporate sustainability goals and reduce their packaging's environmental impact. We have helped brands transition to more sustainable business models, integrating more recycled content or launching new refill systems.

Accelerating Positive Growth

Collaboration is the driving force behind our sustainability journey. Together with our customers, suppliers, and partners, we are solving problems and co-creating solutions that pave the way to a more sustainable future. This past year, we have continued to drive sustainable innovation through our packaging design and advisory services.

Our design and innovation divisions – located globally – have shaped compelling products and experiences for our customers, winning multiple packaging design awards.

We have continued to spark sustainability transitions across the value chain. We have formed partnerships with universities and external organizations, advancing sustainability leadership within the packaging industry and beyond.

Empowering a Culture of Possibilities

Sustainability is not only a moral or social imperative: it is an open door to redefine what is possible.

At the heart of our incredible progress is our people. Our people live and breathe our Anything is Possible® culture, delivering exceptional products and services to our global customers while creating a more sustainable, inclusive, and better world. In fact, thanks to their efforts, we achieved several sustainability milestones and were recognized by leading organizations, such as becoming a Silver Medal designee by EcoVadis.

Our Berliners exemplify our commitment to social good through impactful actions, giving back to the communities where we live and work. From community service projects to championing causes close to their hearts, our team members drive positive social impact worldwide. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion has been instrumental to this success: our strength comes from embracing unique perspectives and talents.

I am very proud of everything our team has achieved in 2023—but we are never satisfied with current results, as we know we can, must, and will always do even more; do even better. Sincere thanks to our Berliners, customers, and partners worldwide. Together, we are unpacking positive impacts for our people and our planet.

Bill Hayes

Berlin Packaging, CEO and President, Berlin-Global

$2.9 Billion

In net revenue

100%

Renewable energy credits purchased, covering our entire electricity use in our Americas region

LEED Gold

Achieved sustainable building certification for our EMEA Headquarters in Milan, Italy

13+ Major product markets served 100+ Locations across 4 continents

30+

Brands empowered to launch sustainable packaging solutions

6%

Scope 2 emissions reduced globally*

21%

Scope 1 emissions reduced globally*

15+

Packaging awards won, including those highlighting our sustainability work

70+

Life-cycle assessments conducted to help brands measure their packaging environmental footprint

>90% of waste diverted at our Napa Valley warehouse, preventing 6k tons of waste from going to landfill

Balaji Jayaseelan joined Berlin Packaging in 2021, taking the helm of the company’s global sustainability strategy. With 15+ years of experience in sustainability and ESG strategy leadership, he has led global innovation efforts across diverse consumer and professional brands. Jayaseelan has also successfully incubated startups in the sustainability, education, and technology sectors.

Q&A with Our Vice President of Sustainability

What is your vision for the future of Berlin Packaging’s sustainability strategy?

Our vision is to lead the future of sustainable packaging. We achieve that mission through a holistic approach: whether it be driving product innovation, optimizing our supply chain, or leveraging upcoming technologies.

In the future, we will continue leveraging our strength as a global packaging supplier. We push impact players across the entire value chain to integrate sustainability, which covers everything from materials to manufacturing. We are heavily focused on scaling sustainability through impactful partnerships.

How is Berlin Packaging approaching its journey to reducing its environmental footprint?

Over the past two years, we have made significant strides in driving ESG initiatives. We launched ISO 14001 certifications in our EMEA region, which was a part of a larger initiative to establish our baseline data this year. This acts as a guide to develop our emissions reductions strategy, especially as we are aligning our climate goals with the Science Based Targets initiative ("SBTi"). As a Hybrid Packaging Supplier®, our emissions portfolio has more exposure towards both the upstream and downstream parts of the value chain. With this in mind, our future strategy focuses on reducing Scope 3 emissions.

We always want to cross-pollinate sustainability into as many functions as possible. This is what it truly takes to embed sustainability into the DNA of our company. For instance, we engage with suppliers to increase their sustainability capabilities, such as reducing energy within the plant or ensuring they manage the social effects of the supply chain. With our design and engineering teams, we provide insights and incorporate evolving sustainable designs and technologies. We work with our Legal department to ensure we understand environmental regulations to the greatest extent possible.

What role does innovation play in our sustainability strategy?

Innovation is a cornerstone of our sustainability strategy—emphasizing scale, scope, and collaboration. We actively engage with regional teams to facilitate the sharing of innovations and new initiatives globally. While not everything needs to scale globally, many innovations are applicable in multiple areas. This could mean warehouse sustainability efforts, novel product sustainability designs, robust quantitative packaging impact assessments, and more.

Because we work in diverse markets and with a wide range of brands, from family-owned businesses to global enterprises, we have accumulated the experience of supporting brands through numerous packaging sustainability challenges. While each case is unique to every brand, there are often shared lessons we can share with the broader industry—whether it be integrating learnings to create a reuse and refill program or engaging and educating consumers.

We empower our customers to achieve their sustainable packaging goals and differentiate themselves in the market.

How do we enable sustainability beyond Berlin Packaging?

Our sustainability commitment extends beyond our organization. We open the sustainability conversation with as many brands as we can reach. It can be something as simple as ensuring their awareness of environmental regulations to something more complex like defining and meeting their corporate sustainability goals. This is where our most significant sustainability opportunity is: creating value beyond us.

To date, we have enabled 30+ brands to integrate sustainability in their packaging and beyond. We deploy several sustainability strategies, from integrating recycled content to transitioning to reuse and refill. We often act as a strategic partner, enabler, and accelerator for many smaller brands and startups.

What gives you confidence that Berlin Packaging can catalyze positive industry change?

I am incredibly confident in our Global Sustainability Team. In the last two years, we have onboarded team members with expertise across diverse functions— engineering, marketing, manufacturing, design, materials and sourcing, supply chain, and more. Our team is collectively focused on a shared sustainability purpose and achieving real impact at scale. One of our industry’s major challenges is addressing

common misconceptions about what the more “sustainable” choice is. Our team has been highly proactive about engaging and educating our customers with a holistic viewpoint. We examine and define sustainability on a case-by-case basis with our customers, and we translate that into simple, actionable, and executable strategies. Beyond engaging with our customers, our team publishes articles, educational guides, and position statements to help demystify broader industry challenges and point potential paths forward.

Additionally, partnerships are essential to driving sustainability at scale. We drive best practices wherever we can, whether it be partnering with organizations on recyclability testing or consulting with universities and startups to understand innovative initiatives and upcoming technologies.

Goals & Progress

2023 was a year of great progress. We enhanced our greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions goals and made significant strides to advance circularity, packaging innovation, waste management, sustainable supply chain, and more. Our goals are intricately linked with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”), as well as the Global Reporting Initiative (“GRI”) standards.

Unless stated otherwise, all our public commitments and progress, such as those related to greenhouse gas emissions and renewable energy procurements, specifically apply to our Americas region, which makes up over 60% of our global footprint. Our commitments and progress are all set against our 2022 baseline. We plan to continue enhancing our goals, and we’ll share progress updates in future reports.

Innovation & Circularity

Berlin Packaging's Goals

Enable our customers to ensure their product portfolio is designed for recyclability

Increase our customers’ use of packaging recycled content across their product portfolio.

Design our products with comprehensive sustainability attributes to minimize environmental impact, such as optimized material use and reuse & refill.

Progress to Date

Enabled 30+ brands to enhance their sustainable packaging strategy, including product launches with sustainability attributes. Learn more on p. 27

Sold 1,700+ metric tons of post-consumer recycled (“PCR”) plastic and 10,700+ metric tons of recycled cullet (glass), reducing the amount of virgin material in our customers’ packaging. Learn more on p. 52

Conducted 70+ life-cycle assessments to help brands understand their packaging footprint. Learn more on p. 53

Expand our suite of sustainability services to help our customers unpack their full sustainability potential.

Expanded sustainability services with increased regulations tracking, marketing and communications guidance, and more comprehensive LCAs. Learn more on p. 50

Energy Efficiency & Decarbonization

Berlin Packaging's Goals

By 2030, reduce our Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% through energy efficiency initiatives and procurement of renewable energy credits.

By 2030, reduce our Scope 3 emissions by 25% through upstream and downstream measures.

By 2030, reduce our electricity consumption by 25% through energy efficiency projects and renewable sources.

Annually, increase procurement of renewable energy sources to cover 100% of our company’s electricity use.

Progress to Date

Reduced Scope 1 emissions by 21% globally, compared to our 2022 baseline.

Learn more on p. 44

Reduced Scope 2 emissions by 6% globally, compared to our 2022 baseline.

Learn more on p. 44

Establishing Scope 3 categories and impact to support our baseline emissions.

Learn more on p. 48

Purchased 4,645 MWh of renewable energy credits, covering our organization’s 2023 electricity use in our Americas regions.

Learn more on p. 45

Aligning with the Science Based Targets initiative to validate our baseline emissions reductions goals.

Responsible Supply Chain Management

Berlin Packaging's Goals

By 2025, assess 300 suppliers on environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement criteria.

By 2025, achieve >75% engagement rate with assessed suppliers.

Progress to Date

In 2023, assessed 80+ suppliers with an 54% engagement rate.

Learn more on p. 100

Collaborated with key suppliers to enhance continuous improvement plans.

Learn more on p. 101

Waste Reduction

Berlin Packaging's Goals

By 2030, certify 20 of our strategic warehouses as zero waste, which we define as >90% waste diverted from landfill.

Reduce waste across our global operations and divert from landfill as much as possible.

Progress to Date

Piloted waste reduction initiatives at our Napa Valley warehouse, which diverted 6,000 tons of waste from landfill and achieved a >90% diversion rate.

Learn more on p. 96

Biodiversity & Community Engagement

Berlin Packaging's Goals

Actively leverage our network to help conserve, protect, and restore our ecosystems.

Progress to Date

Partnered with non-profits and local organizations to support local communities

Learn more on p. 116

Engage our people to give back through community health and well-being initiatives.

Held donation drives and volunteering events on causes including food security, environmental protection, and community wellbeing.

Learn more on p. 116

LEED Gold Certification

Our EMEA Headquarters in Milan, Italy, achieved LEED Gold certification. With the LEED certification system being the most widely used green building rating system in the world, this represents a significant step in our journey to reduce environmental impact across our operations.

EcoVadis Silver Medal

We were awarded a Silver Medal sustainability rating from EcoVadis, an internationally renowned sustainability platform. The award recognizes companies that have demonstrated outstanding sustainability performance, and a Silver Medal places Berlin Packaging in the top 25th percentile of all companies assessed (as indicated by EcoVadis).

2023 Awards & Highlights

Packaging Awards

In 2023, we received 15 “Package of the Year” awards from the National Association of Container Distributors (“NACD”), the most given to a single supplier for a third year in a row.

We also received a “Best-in-Class” award at the 2023 Pac Global Awards and a “WorldStar” Award from the World Packaging Organisation.

Several of these awards recognized our commitment to sustainable packaging solutions, including innovative approaches such as reusable and refillable packaging.

We’ve made significant strides towards our environmental, social, and governance goals—which is why we’re thrilled to share our progress through our 2023 ESG Report.

About This Report

Our 2023 Sustainability report highlights the progress we’ve made together with our teams, supplier partners, and customers to operate a business with an intended positive impact on the world.

You’ll discover many updates, including expanded greenhouse gas goals and progress toward the sustainability goals outlined in our previous report. In addition, we delve into the ways we support our Berliners and the communities we operate in.

This report encompasses our data and progress across the Americas and Europe, Middle East, and Africa (“EMEA”) regions. Unless stated otherwise, all our public commitments, such as those related to greenhouse gas emissions and renewable energy procurements, specifically apply to our Americas region, which makes up over 60% of our global footprint. We plan to expand our commitments to include our EMEA and Asia Pacific (“APAC”) regions, and we’ll share progress updates in future reports.

We aligned this ESG report with the Global Reporting Initiative (“GRI”) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (“SASB”) and have included the results from this year’s materiality assessment, which follows our previous assessment from 2021. In 2024, we plan to initiate our climate risk assessment in line with the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (“TCFD”) framework. The results of this assessment will be shared in future reports and will inform our future strategy.

By utilizing these reporting standards, we strive for increased transparency through measurable progress and documented outcomes. Our 2023 Sustainability report covers our work during the 2023 calendar year unless otherwise noted. For more information or to share comments, contact us at sustainability@berlinpackaging.com.

About Berlin Packaging Introduction

We’re committed to leading the future of sustainable packaging. We offer industry-leading, best-in-class packaging products and services across manufacturing, distribution, and value-added services from design and sustainability to quality and logistics. With our global presence and extensive value chain, we deliver packaging solutions for the products you may already love and use daily.

4 100+

Coropoulis Packaging

GHR Packaging

Nest-Filler Packaging

Alpack Companies Acquired in 2023 Locations Across 4 Continents

2,100+ 50 k+

1,700+

Team Members Suppliers Packaging Components

6 Million

Square Feet of Warehouse Space

Our Markets

We work across every product market, material, and process to provide packaging solutions that optimize sustainability, brand impact, and performance.

We leverage our global scale, customer focus, and expertise to grow our customers’ businesses, accelerate their sustainability journeys, and aim to influence the market for the better.

Our Value Chain

Creating

value from material to beyond use

Manufacturers and Suppliers

As the world's largest Hybrid Packaging Supplier®, we transform materials into products that consumers love. We operate in 100+ locations across four continents, partnering with our network of 1,700+ suppliers to advance materials discovery, sustainable product innovation, and industry standards.

Customers

From family-owned brands to Fortune 50 companies, we partner with brands to unpack their sustainability potential. We serve as a strategic packaging partner, providing industry-leading sustainability capabilities from market and consumer insights to packaging quantitative assessments.

Consumers

Consumers experience our packaging daily with familiar products they may already use. We’re always innovating to excite and thrill through a compelling, memorable, and seamless consumer experience. We’re continuously exploring avenues to educate and engage through sustainable packaging.

Communities

We’re an integral part of the communities where we live and work, striving to make a positive and lasting impact. Our people give back to the causes they care about, such as sustainability, education, accessibility and inclusion, and community health and well-being.

Approach to ESG Introduction

We’re proud to be an industry leader in driving tangible social and environmental impact, bolstered by strong and robust governance. We strive to advance our ESG strategy and enhance our programs to do better—for our people, customers, communities, and the world.

This commitment is deeply rooted in our leadership, driven by our team members, and further advanced by our customers and communities. Our ESG priorities are shaped by our stakeholder engagement and ESG materiality assessments, and we continually align our ESG strategy with best practices and the latest climate science.

We frequently partner with third-party experts, NGOs, industry groups, and certification bodies to inform our strategy and validate progress against our goals. This due diligence enables us to monitor publicly reported progress while holding ourselves accountable for continuous improvement.

We continuously assess how we can best leverage our global influence and scale to create the greatest impact. Our ESG work is embedded across everything we do, at all levels of our company and beyond— reaching our suppliers, partners, and customers. We drive existing and future initiatives based on our main impacts on people and the planet. We actively shape our ESG strategy with internal assessments like our 2023 materiality assessment and according to external frameworks, such as the GRI, SASB, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals ("UN SDGs").

Our GRI and SASB Index performance is detailed in our Appendix

We’re dedicated to integrating our ESG strategy across our global operations. This year’s report covers our Americas and Europe, Middle East, and Africa (“EMEA”) regions. As we’ve expanded our presence in the Asia Pacific (“APAC”) region, we’re working to broaden our reporting scope and will share our progress in future reports.

Our efforts align with globally recognized frameworks, which are referenced throughout this report.

Managing Risks

Climate change has the potential to impact every aspect of our daily business. That’s why we identify and assess Berlin Packaging’s potential risks as part of our ongoing materiality assessments and strategic planning. Cross-functional collaboration is key to managing these risks, which are ultimately owned by our ESG Steering Committee, Senior Leadership Team, and our Board. While not exhaustive, we’ve pinpointed four key ESG-related risks with the potential to impact our business.

Climate Risk

Climate change poses multifaceted threats— impacting material sourcing, water scarcity affecting suppliers, and evolving consumer preferences for sustainable packaging. Mapping our exposure to climate risks is key to identifying opportunities that future-proof our business. In 2024, we plan to initiate our climate risk assessment in line with the SASB and TCFD frameworks. The results of this assessment will help guide our ESG strategy, which we’ll share in future reports.

Physical Risk

Physical risks can impact our supply chain and the livelihoods of the people who create our products. The macro-economic climate, climate-related occurrences, and regulations affecting our supply chain can significantly impact our operations, potentially limiting our ability to operate in certain regions or source packaging materials like paper and glass. Mitigating these risks is a crucial element of our sourcing and growth strategy, enhancing the sustainability of our products and business. As these risks touch so many aspects of our business, they are managed by multiple teams, including our Supply Chain, Sourcing, Legal, Facilities, and Sustainability teams.

Introduction

Regulatory Risk

The dynamic and rapidly evolving regulatory landscape can significantly impact our business, from exposure to extended producer responsibility bills to regulations on transparency, privacy, labor, marketing, and communications. The packaging industry also faces increased legislative requirements around marketing claims, emphasizing the accountability, specificity, transparency, and verification of sustainability attributes. We regularly monitor relevant regulations and upcoming applicable legislation globally, such as the EU & UK Green Claims Directive, the Proposal for a Revision on Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWR), and refer to industry guidelines like the Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides

Consumer Risk

Evolving consumer preferences, particularly on product transparency and traceability, positive environmental impact, fair labor practices, and reduced consumption, present both risks and opportunities. We actively shape our strategy to align with these dynamic trends, positioning us to effectively navigate and influence changing consumer landscapes.

ESG Materiality

Structuring Berlin Packaging’s business as a force for good is our top priority, now and into the future.

Our ESG framework is grounded in an analysis of our company’s material topics. We conducted our first formal materiality assessment in 2020, and we conducted a new one in 2023. This assessment ensures that our ESG programs not only remain aligned with long-term business strategies across departments and geographic regions, but ultimately will have a positive impact on promoting and selling

responsible packaging solutions. Our process was directed by a cross-functional steering committee, overseen by senior executives and supported by external ESG experts. We evaluated our company’s context, identified relevant ESG topics and impacts, and assessed the significance of those impacts through research and engagement with relevant internal and external stakeholders and subject matter experts. Going forward, we’re committed to evaluating our priorities so that we can continue to evolve our approach in line with the ever-changing landscape.

This year, we undertook a robust evaluation to assess which ESG priorities are most important to our business going forward. We prioritized our 12 material topics from the most to the least significant, considering the impacts that we may generate on people, the environment, and the economy.

We engaged both external and internal stakeholders in this process, which included our customers, supplier partners, and company employees. These results help ensure that our ESG strategy remains aligned with our long-term business strategy and has a positive impact on responsible packaging.

Aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

We’ve aligned our ESG strategy with the UN SDGs, reflecting our commitment to actively contribute to a better world for all. This report illustrates how our efforts support the following SDGs:

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy.

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Last year, we joined the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. Doing so ensures that we're aligned with universal principles on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption.

From the people who create our products to the impact we have on our planet, we’re committed to driving packaging as a force for good.

Climate

In 2023, we enhanced our GHG commitments to accelerate climate progress across our company and supply chain. To further reduce our carbon footprint, we enhanced our Scope 1 and 2 targets and added a renewable energy goal.

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, demanding urgent attention and comprehensive action. Climate impacts like rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, and ecosystem disruptions have the potential to impact every aspect of our business. With these risks also come opportunities to future-proof our business and reduce our environmental impact.

As a company, we’re committed to enhancing our climate goals and reducing our environmental impact. Our goals are all set against a 2022 baseline, which was the first full year we measured our Scope 1 and 2 footprint.

This year, we determined, based on in-house data collection and research, that Scope 3 emissions make up over 80% of our carbon footprint—which is why we’ve enhanced our commitments with a new Scope 3 reduction target. We recognize there will be challenges as we strive to achieve our ambitious targets, including the complexity of measuring and verifying Scope 3 emissions and adapting to a shifting regulatory landscape. We’re committed to accelerating our efforts and being transparent with both our progress and setbacks along the way.

Our Energy & Carbon Goals

Scope 1 & 2

Berlin Packaging commits to reducing absolute

Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 42% by 2030. We commit to reducing our electricity consumption by 25% by 2030, as well as procuring renewable energy to cover 100% of our company’s electricity use.1

Scope 3

Berlin Packaging commits to reducing absolute Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2030.1

1 These goals apply across our global regions. We’re currently implementing a GHG inventory on our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. We plan to continue expanding our commitments, and we’ll share progress updates in future reports.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Scope 1 & 2

Energy is used across our operations to light, heat, and cool our distribution centers and corporate offices, and operate machinery key to our business operations. We track our energy use with data coming directly from external invoices and utility providers.

In 2023, we reduced our Scope 1 & 2 emissions through several key initiatives.

Energy Efficiency

We began replacing traditional light bulbs with more energy-efficient LED lighting. LED lights are more durable, last longer, and consume less energy compared to traditional lighting—reducing overall electricity consumption in our warehouses. We plan to expand this program as part of our energy efficiency initiatives.

Network Optimization

Whether it’s optimizing transportation routes or reducing idle times for vehicles, we’re implementing a variety of network optimization strategies. To further drive energy efficiency across our warehouse network, we participate in the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) SmartWay program.

Inventory Management

We continuously align our inventory levels with market demand and implement efficient inventory management practices. By optimizing inventory levels, we minimize excess inventory, promote

resource efficiency, and reduce waste across our warehouse network. Optimizing inventory also leads to more efficient routing and consolidation of shipments, further reducing transportation-related emissions.

Renewable Energy

We’re dedicated to incorporating renewable energy into our energy mix. Starting in 2023, we intend to procure Renewable Energy Credits (“RECs”) to cover 100% of our annual electricity usage across our Americas region. RECs guarantee that the equivalent energy was produced using renewable sources and added to the electricity grid. We purchased RECs through Direct Energy Business, a Green-e Energy Certified provider, validating the entire chain of custody for certified renewable energy. Our renewable energy commitment complements our goal to reduce our electricity consumption by 25% by 2030.

Unless stated otherwise, all our public commitments and progress, such as those related to greenhouse gas emissions and renewable energy procurements, specifically apply to our Americas region, which makes up over 60% of our global footprint. Our commitments and progress are all set against our 2022 baseline. We plan to continue enhancing our goals, and we’ll share progress updates in future reports.

Berlin Packaging Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Scope 1 (MT CO2e)

Scope 2 (MT CO2e)

Intensity (MT CO2e/m2) Emission Reduction from baseline Total (Scope 1 & 2 MT CO2e)

Scope 3

In 2023, we began our work to understand our full greenhouse gas emissions impact.

We’re committed to driving a decarbonization strategy across our value chain, which is why we announced our goal to reduce our Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2030.

To drive this effort, we initiated our Scope 3 screening footprint to better understand our impact throughout our supply chain. We’re carrying out our Scope 3 greenhouse gas inventory using methodologies consistent with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard, and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Technical Guidance for Calculation Scope 3 Emissions (version 1.0).

We assessed our business against 15 Scope 3 categories and determined 10 that are relevant to our business.

We’re now identifying and mapping our Scope 3 emissions reduction strategy across these categories. For instance, for purchased goods and services, we can design for higher product durability, increase recycled content within our material mix, and reduce

material use. Although not all emissions are under our control, we have the power to influence our suppliers and raise shared environmental standards. We plan to share our Scope 3 assessment results, strategy, and progress in future reports.

Circularity

We’re proud to have helped numerous brands transform their sustainability aspirations into reality.

In 2023, we sold 12,000+ metric tons of recycled plastic and glass—reducing the amount of virgin material used in packaging. We closely partnered with 30+ companies to enhance their sustainable packaging strategy, launching new products with sustainability attributes like recycled content or refill and reuse, among others.

Going Beyond the Packaging

As a strategic packaging partner, we partner with our customers to unpack their full sustainability potential. We adopt a holistic approach through our C.O.R.E. model, which is rooted in four key pillars:

• Circularity: Promoting closed loop systems from material to shelf.

• Optimization: Harmonizing functionality, sustainability, and performance— all in one package.

• Reuse & refill: Designing and building business models to accelerate the circular economy.

• Environmental Services: Unpacking sustainability potential through a holistic and comprehensive approach.

Measuring Packaging Environmental Impact

From sourcing to end-of-life, we quantify packaging environmental impact through life-cycle assessments (“LCAs”). Through LCAs, we can calculate a product’s environmental footprint across categories like carbon, water, resources and minerals, fossil fuel, and more. Our process aligns with ISO 14040 guidelines.

With these quantifiable and fact-based metrics, we empower brands to make informed decisions on their packaging choices. We help them develop a sustainable packaging strategy and roadmap, ensuring a responsible and impactful approach to creating packaging solutions.

When possible, we’re committed to achieving third-party certifications verifying our products’ sustainability features.

Planet & Environment

Circularity

• Recyclability

• Recycled content

• Strategic sourcing and stock solutions

• Material innovation and discovery

Optimization

• Lightweighting

• Packaging and product efficiency

• Value analysis / Value engineering

• Local manufacturing

Consumer & Market Insights

We track the latest sustainability insights, product trends, packaging innovations, and market dynamics.

Sustainable Stock Solutions

We optimize our supply chain, sourcing stock solutions from our global network of 1,000+ suppliers.

Quantitative Assessments

We measure your packaging footprint and assess strategies to reduce environmental impact.

Reuse & Refill

• In-house, on-the-go and in-store refill systems

• Reuse & refill system design and implementation

Environmental Services

• Industry-leading sustainability services, all of which can be found below

Sustainability Roadmapping

We help define your corporate sustainability strategy and build comprehensive circularity roadmaps.

Communication Strategies

We craft compelling communication strategies backed by verified, fact-based, and quantifiable claims.

Custom Design & Innovation

Our award-winning design and innovation teams develop custom packaging solutions optimizing sustainability, brand impact, and performance.

Unpacking Sustainability Impact

Naked Wines

We partnered with Naked Wines to produce lighter weight wine bottles by up to 29%. This project was key to enhancing the brand’s sustainability performance, especially as packaging and transport alone accounts for 51% of wine’s total carbon footprint.1 Conducting LCAs was integral to this process, allowing us to optimize the bottles' environmental impact.2

3,375 Tons

Fossil Fuel Saved

321,553 m3 Water Saved

986 Tons CO2 Emissions Reduced

1,901 Tons Glass Saved

Why lightweighting? Heavier doesn’t always mean better—producing lighter bottles uses less raw materials and energy. Lighter bottles also mean fewer and lighter cases, which reduces transportation emissions.

1 According to the Wine Institute

2 All data for Naked Wines, including material-based claims, are based on in-house data and life-cycle assessments.

Accelerating Sustainable Partnerships

Our packaging consultants are central to our business: they not only engage and thrill our customers, but they are also uniquely positioned to unpack sustainability potential. They serve as a strategic packaging partner and resource, helping brands embrace sustainable packaging practices, strengthen their bottom line, and accelerate the circular economy.

We’ve built a global, industryleading team of sustainability and packaging experts. This sets us apart, as we tailor our approach and solutions to meet customers where they are. We serve as a strategic partner to help brands meet their business objectives while maximizing their sustainability potential.

- Jeff Colaianni, Senior Packaging Consultant Chicago, United States

From Our Packaging Consultants

Brands come to us for guidance.

We partner with them, whether it's aligning their packaging with their company mission or helping them comply with environmental regulations. In a landscape where sustainability can often be a buzzword, our value lies in being a trusted resource for our customers

- Nelson dos Santos, Senior Packaging Consultant New York City, United States

We go beyond supplying packaging. We influence and improve anything from design and supply chain to secondary packaging and decoration. As such, we have a unique opportunity and great responsibility to implement sustainability at the core of what we do.

- Annalisa Nissola, EMEA Sustainability Commercial

Manager

Milan, Italy

Planet & Environment

In 2023 , our Global Sustainability Team engaged 370 + packaging consultants for 700 + training hours.

To equip our sales team with the skills to integrate and promote sustainability, our Global Sustainability Team leverages diverse channels such as training sessions, trade shows, and supplier meetings. The team leads sustainability workshops at local business units, providing tailored, region-focused, and market-specific trainings for our sales teams. The team regularly updates our sales teams on our industryleading sustainability capabilities, which include innovations in sustainable packaging, market and consumer insights, packaging impact analyses, best practices in environmental marketing, and more.

Sustainability Changemakers

Allison Kent-Gunn

Allison Kent-Gunn is a multi-hyphenate: she’s a packaging sales director, sustainability educator, and cosmetic packaging expert. When working with brands, she delves into the nuances of sustainability, particularly on material use and design, and helps them make informed decisions. She's passionate about influencing change within the packaging industry and beyond.

Kent-Gunn engages her 30k+ Instagram following on beauty packaging and sustainability, and she taught a college-level cosmetic packaging class at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.

She spoke at multiple industry events to discuss effective sustainable beauty packaging and education, including the SCC “Truth in Beauty Panel,” the “So, You Want to Start a Beauty Brand” summit, and the Gloss Angeles Podcast.

It’s been encouraging to see how passionate many beauty consumers and brand founders are about sustainability—they genuinely want to embed it into the DNA of their brands.

- Allison Kent-Gunn, Sales Director Los Angeles, United States

Sustainable Packaging Regulations

We see it as our imperative to support policy that advances the circular economy. We help brands navigate environmental regulations, such as incorporating PCR content into their packaging and meeting extended producer responsibility (“EPR”) requirements.

By partnering with suppliers, we source PCR materials, some with no upcharge, and work with our customers to achieve their sustainable packaging goals. In many cases, we’ve helped brands meet—and even go beyond—minimum PCR requirements (based on applicable legislation and/or guidelines).

• Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) Content Packaging Laws

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Packaging Laws

These regulations are in effect as of the report's publication date.

• Recent Bottle Bill/Container Deposit Laws

• PCR & EPR Packaging Laws

Unpacking Sustainability Impact

Unless otherwise noted, all data, including material-based claims, are based on in-house data and life-cycle assessments.

Curie

We partnered with the brand to create custom deodorant packaging made with 100% PCR plastic This reduced virgin plastic use while supporting the brand’s goal of achieving 100% PCR across their product portfolio.

Ivy Hair Care

Our Studio One Eleven team integrated PCR plastic into the hair care company’s product packaging. This packaging update aligned with the brand’s sustainability ethos: all products are vegan, and they offer a packaging return program for their customers.

Turtle Wax

Our Studio One Eleven team designed custom “vortex” bottle packaging with 30% PCR plastic, saving 116,000+ lbs of virgin resin annually and exceeding state minimum PCR regulations. Lightweighting the bottles by 20% overall further reduced resin use and saves 62,000 lbs of plastic yearly.

Planet & Environment

Helium Mixology

We designed Helium Mixology, a bottle that combines sophistication with sustainability. This recyclable bottle is made with lightweight, half-flint glass with up to 75% recycled content. We developed the bottle to achieve a lower carbon footprint than comparable glass bottles, and we offset remaining emissions through ClimatePartner’s certified carbon offset programs.

We collaborated with ClimatePartner1 to measure the bottle’s carbon footprint. By achieving the ClimatePartner certification for this bottle, we verified its reduced carbon impact. We also supported a combined project that helps mitigate carbon emissions and supports international ocean protection through Plastic Bank, an organization empowering recycling efforts in coastal areas.

Helium Mixology’s design underscores our dedication to responsible sourcing and manufacturing practices. Its simple round shape allows for a wide range of customization via embossing and decoration, and it’s compatible with a variety of closures from the traditional bartop to the recyclable Vinolok.

Argotier

Argotier, a French brand of organic, local, and ready-to-drink cocktails, sought packaging that aligned with their sustainability values. The company prioritizes sustainability at every level of product development.

Argotier chose to use Helium Mixology, our ClimatePartner-certified bottle. The brand appreciated the unique light green color of the bottle, which was achieved thanks to the significant use of recycled glass content—up to 75%.

To complement the bottle, Argotier used a durable closure and created a plant-based label that uses 95% sugarcane fibers and 5% hemp and flax fibers. The printing paper is white, matte, uncoated, moisture-proof, and includes anti-cryptogamic properties (anti-mold treatment). The adhesive used for the label is water-soluble.

1 ClimatePartner, is a leading German company in carbon accounting services since 2006. It includes the support throughout a holistic climate action strategy, including the calculation of Corporate and Products Carbon Footprint, identifying high level reduction potential and offsetting unabated emissions through the support of high quality, certified carbon compensation projects.

Ocean-Bound Plastic

Turning Waste into Opportunity

Unless otherwise noted, all data, including material-based claims, are based on in-house data and life-cycle assessments.

Using ocean-bound plastic helps prevent plastic pollution while meeting PCR packaging goals, promoting a circular economy, and providing income opportunities to local communities. We help brands integrate ocean-bound plastics into their packaging, and we partner with suppliers, like Prevented Ocean Plastic™, to offer high-quality ocean-bound recycled plastic.

DevaCurl

We partnered with DevaCurl, a hair care brand, to integrate 50% ocean-bound recycled HDPE in their bottles and 100% PCR plastic in the bottle caps. The packaging update supported the brand's sustainability mission to integrate more recycled content into their packaging. This custom design was created by Studio One Eleven, our in-house design and innovation division.

Kenra Professional

For Kenra Professional’s Sugar Beach line, the Studio team created sleek bottles made with 100% ocean-bound recycled plastic. Increasing PCR content helps reduce virgin material use and support the brand's goal of helping to reduce ocean plastic pollution. This was custom-designed by Studio One Eleven, our in-house design and innovation division.

Enabling Circular Transformations

Beyond packaging, we collaborate with brands to propel sustainability initiatives forward. We assess their packaging portfolios, identifying gaps and opportunities to seamlessly integrate sustainability measures. In response to customer demand and in anticipation of future trends, we expanded our sustainability capabilities to include increased regulations tracking, sustainability marketing and communications guidance, and more in-depth LCAs.

Our in-house design and innovation division, Studio One Eleven, works in partnership with our customers to craft custom packaging solutions that truly embody their brands. Sustainability is a fundamental aspect of the team’s custom packaging design and development process. They stay updated on the latest sustainability trends and solutions, whether it involves designing for recyclability or devising creative solutions to address supply chain challenges. This

comprehensive approach ensures that sustainability permeates every facet of our packaging solutions.

In 2023 alone, we conducted 70+ lifecycle assessments, helping companies better understand their packaging footprint.

From Our Designers

Design unites, excites, and sparks conversations— transcending aesthetics and functionality. Our Studio One Eleven team transforms abstract concepts into delightful and compelling experiences, aligning with our sustainability values of creating tangible and quantifiable impact. Through great design, we shape perceptions and catalyze positive change.

- Kieron Tse Managing Director at Studio

One Eleven Chicago, United States

It’s

all about understanding that sustainability isn’t just a catchphrase; it’s part of a complex reality. One-size-fits-all solutions often fall short. For a package to be truly sustainable, it needs to be able to perform at every step of its journey— from the filler, through the various distribution channels all the way onto the shelf, and in the hands of the consumer.

- Martin Rathgeber

Director of Engineering at Studio One Eleven Chicago, United States

We shape and guide our customers towards the solutions that best fit their current needs and future vision. Engaging with us from the outset allows for a truly transformative impact. The real difference emerges when we can provide guidance at the conceptual foundation, sharing sustainability benchmarks and innovative opportunities like reuse and refill.

- Vincent Aus Dem Kamen Design Manager at Studio One Eleven Wijchen, Netherlands

Studio One Eleven

Driving Sustainable Innovation

Jorn Veldhuis, Director of Design & Development at

Studio One Eleven in the Netherlands, shares his insights on how our team views and integrates sustainability.

How do you integrate sustainability into packaging design and development?

Sustainability is an integral part of packaging development at every stage and every function it needs to fulfill. It’s not just about the material or the process: for instance, can we ship more products on a pallet? Can we create multi-use packaging instead of single-use?

Asking the right questions is key to our method: we focus on the broader implications on factors like product preservation and shelf life. This is how we root sustainability as a fundamental principle throughout our design process.

When working with brands, how do you approach sustainability?

Because we’re not bound to any medium, method, or material, we can give companies an objective view on how they can best move forward with their packaging. Through our decision-making process, we evaluate trade-offs and find the optimal balance among sustainability and functionality.

We break down packaging solutions according to what functions they need to fulfill. Through our technical innovation capabilities, we proactively develop prototypes and show the possibilities of what we can achieve. We bring these new ideas and concepts to our customers, helping them rethink their products and packaging.

Looking forward, what trends and innovations do you see playing a key role in advancing sustainable packaging solutions?

We’re going to see more refillable solutions coming into the market. Packaging may not necessarily just be packaging—packaging can be made as part of the product, which helps consumers make more

sustainable choices. For instance, designing more precise dosing and dispensing systems can help consumers seamlessly use and refill their products. We’re also going to see refills as a concept beyond the product itself: for example, we’re partnering with brands to integrate reuse across their business model.

The value of packaging should never be underestimated.

Accelerating a Circular & Sustainable Future

Collaboration is at the heart of our sustainability efforts. Consumers, retailers, and governments alike want more sustainable packaging solutions. As a Hybrid Packaging Supplier®, we’re in a unique and strong position to meet that demand and influence the market for the better.

Recognizing that sustainability is not a one-sizefits-all approach, we drive tailored sustainability approaches across diverse markets from beauty and personal care to wine and spirits. We design and launch our products to anticipate and accelerate sustainable packaging trends, such as reuse and refill. In doing so, we help pilot, scale, and mainstream up-and-coming sustainable products and practices.

Educating and engaging on sustainability is a key focus for us. We actively drive industry thought

leadership and combat consumer confusion. For instance, in response to widespread misinformation and confusion surrounding biodegradable and compostable packaging, we wrote and launched our Bioplastics in Packaging Guide to serve as a clear, expert-backed, and user-friendly reference.

Our global Sustainability, Marketing, and Legal teams collaborate to ensure we stay updated on best practices in packaging and sustainability. We support brands with verified, fact-based sustainability claims, and we also encourage them to seek third-party verifications. Monitoring regulations and upcoming legislation globally, such as the Green Claims Directive, and referencing industry tools like the Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides underscores our commitment to responsible and transparent practices.

Driving the Future Accessible & Inclusive Design

Inclusive and universal design benefits everyone— whether it’s one-step application products, easy-open and ergonomic design, or tactile product markings. Our global design and innovation teams push the

envelope on what sustainable packaging solutions can look like. To spark conversations and shape the market, we proactively integrate these features into packaging concepts.

High contrast colors for easy product differentiation

Scanning QR codes provide product info via audio or large text

Easy product identification with tactile markings for those with visual impairments

Easy-open mechanisms that don’t require much strength or maneuvering to open

Cumbres de Abona

Cumbres de Abona is one of the first wineries in the Abona region on Tenerife, the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands. The Spanish social cooperative produces wines and extra virgin olive oils highly unique to the region. We designed their wine labels to include Braille, reflecting their strong commitment to fostering inclusivity and supporting local economies.

While key to achieving a more circular future, refillable and reusable packaging faces barriers to adoption. That’s why we design various ways for consumers to refill and reuse their favorite products.

Sashi

Our mono-material refillable pouch, Sashi, helps customers achieve effortless refills. Sashi features a lightweight and compact design, optimizing material use and reducing transportation emissions.

Infusion Refill Fragrance

We created the Infusion fragrance collection to show how people can refill their favorite fragrances they love and use daily. The spray pump ensures 25 quality refills and easy disassembly for recyclability.

Driving the Future

Refill & Reuse

Unless otherwise noted, all data, including material-based claims, are based on in-house data and life-cycle assessments.

From household names to agile, direct-to-consumer brands, refills are going mainstream. They serve as a sustainable packaging solution and a powerful tool to enhance brand loyalty. We anticipate future packaging trends, such as accessible and inclusive

Flexible Pouches

Choosing pouch refills can significantly reduce environmental impact—primarily due to decreased material use, weight, and transportation emissions.

design, product concentrates, and reuse and refill, and translate those into design concepts and products. In doing so, we help brands build circular business models and offer their consumers a fresh, convenient, and more sustainable experience.

Refill Pods

From lotions to treatments, refill pods are ideal for skin care and makeup products. When a product runs out, consumers can easily swap for a new pod.

Aluminum Bottles

Aluminum bottles are great for hair care and body care product refills. They’re durable, recyclable, and can be made of up to 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) aluminum.

Ninu Perfume

A 2022 Pentawards Gold award winner, Ninu blends technology and sustainability together in one fragrance bottle. With Ninu, consumers can create tailored fragrances on demand by mixing and matching scents via their smartphone. The reusable glass bottle holds three refillable cartridges containing complementary fragrance bases, and the precise blending system creates various scent combinations.

Airglass Refill Collection

We designed Airglass as a refillable packaging collection tailored for beauty and skincare products. Airglass is recyclable, refillable, and easily customized to brand packaging needs. Every product harnesses airless technology to minimize product waste, protect against external contaminants, and maintain ingredient efficacy. With Airglass, consumers can refill their favorite products with ease.

Fig.1

In addition to great products, this skincare company embedded reuse and refill into their core brand philosophy. We created refillable skin care product packaging for Fig.1’s entire product line—from oil cleansers and toners to treatments and creams. The collection uses our Airglass collection, leveraging airless technology to protect active ingredient efficacy and optimize product use. Consumers can easily reuse their glass bottle, pump, and cap, and purchase refillable cartridges.

Planet & Environment

Amika

We partnered with Amika, a hair care brand and certified B Corp, to transition to PCR and refillable packaging. We revamped their shampoo and conditioner bottles to include 90% PCR plastic, reducing virgin material use and promoting a closed loop.

We designed custom reusable bottles made with impact-resistant, BPA-free, and EA-free Eastman Tritan™ plastic. Compared to using two PCR bottles in a year, using these refillable bottles reduces packaging carbon footprint by 69%.1

1 These measurements were generated by the company, Amika, through a third-party platform and life-cycle assessment.

Babo Botanicals

We helped Babo Botanicals, a personal care brand and certified B Corp, introduce new hair care and body care bottles made with 100% PCR plastic, excluding the pump and label.

We then launched shampoo and wash refill pouches made of 30% PCR plastic. The pouches use 80% less plastic than two of the brand’s PCR bottles. All new packaging includes a How2Recycle label, and the packaging update supports the brand’s goal of reducing their virgin plastic use by 75% by 2025.

Planet & Environment

Branch Basics

We collaborated with Branch Basics to create custom refillable glass packaging featuring a sleek, simple, and premium aesthetic. Our design prioritized superior user experience, ensuring functionality meets elegance. We offered sustainability marketing services to enhance brand marketing and consumer engagement initiatives.

The result was award-winning designs recognized by leading design organizations, including the 2023 NACD Gold Award and the 2022 Pentawards Bronze Award.

Morton Salt

We partnered with Morton Salt to craft custom refillable glass salt and pepper bottles that exude a premium look and feel. Our emphasis on ergonomic design ensures an elevated user experience, seamlessly blending functionality with aesthetics. The adjustable grinder, adds a layer of flexibility and versatility tailored to the preferences of both home chefs and diners.

Planet & Environment

Luxe Pack Monaco

As part of Luxe Pack 2023, the international trade fair dedicated to packaging innovation in Monaco, we hosted a roundtable, “Shaping the Future of Sustainable Packaging,” bringing together four leading companies: Quantis (part of the BCG Group), Rituals, Argotier and Tapì Group. Together, we discussed challenges and opportunities on driving sustainable packaging solutions. By fostering dialogue among key stakeholders, we're cultivating a culture of mutual learning and collaboration.

Design and Sustainability

In June 2023, we hosted our Design and Sustainability Event in the Netherlands, engaging our customers and suppliers on sustainable packaging practices. Speakers shared their experiences on accelerating sustainability impact: Florian Dirkse, co-founder of The Ocean Cleanup, shared his inspiring story on how dreams can become reality with high-impact results, while Mieke van Engelen, Innovation Director at Marie-Stella-Maris, discussed how the company aligns their packaging with their sustainability and social impact missions. The event provided a platform for learning, collaboration, and meaningful connections within the industry.

Sustainable Operations

Driving sustainability across our buildings and distribution centers is key to achieving our climate goals. We assess our operations in accordance with global environmental certifications, such as LEED and BREEAM This year, we launched a program to define our improvement roadmap and further enhance our environmental performance. We plan to share progress updates in future reports.

Transforming Our Headquarters

In 2023, we achieved LEED Gold certification for our EMEA Headquarters in Milan, Italy. We transformed a former warehouse into our new space, which includes multiple avenues to enhance sustainability, productivity, and overall wellbeing.

Renewable Energy

We partnered with an energy supplier who is actively committed to driving the renewable energy transition. Our EMEA Headquarters is powered by 100% renewable energy generated by a wind farm, which is Guarantees of Origin (GO) certified and attests to the validity of our energy sources. The wind farm is also located in a non-sensitive area, ensuring that renewable energy generation doesn’t negatively impact the environment. Photovoltaic roof panels also power our Headquarters with renewable solar energy, covering 8% of the building’s energy needs.

Resource Efficiency

During construction, we conducted a building analysis to reduce and reuse resources where possible. We selected several materials with a dedicated Environmental Product Declaration (EDP). When possible, we chose recycled materials during the requalification process.

Water Management

Internal building systems control water waste. We minimize water use by selecting outdoor plants that require no irrigation.

Air Quality

During the building renovation, we verified and limited the pollutant emissivity of the materials used, such as paint, coatings, and flooring. The installation of indoor CO2 monitoring systems helps ensure a safe, clean, and healthy environment.

In 2023 , we welcomed 90+ brands to tour our House of the Possible, dedicated to shaping packaging solutions of the future.

Our EMEA headquarters features our new House of the Possible—a space where creativity, sustainable innovation, and new technologies converge.

Within the House, our customers and prospects can:

• Explore our Showroom, featuring our diverse product portfolio

• Engage at the Sustainability Circle, discovering our sustainable packaging products, practices, and solutions

• Meet our team at Studio One Eleven, our in-house design and innovation division

• Visit the Primary Pack Lab, where we rigorously test and perfect packaging solutions in accordance with the highest industry standards

• Discover our Decoration and Secondary Packaging area, where we help our customers achieve unique and personalized product solutions

To extend the experience globally, we launched a digital version of this experience—the Virtual Customer Journey. This ensures that our customers everywhere can interact with our space. We remain committed to engaging our customers on sustainable packaging innovation.

Explore Our Virtual Customer Journey

Sustainability Changemakers

Alejandro Medina Aristizábal

Alejandro Medina Aristizábal isn’t just a member of our Global Sustainability Team—he’s also the co-founder of Eisenia Col, a composting startup. Inspired by his interest in worm composting (vermicomposting), Alejandro and his artist cousin, Daniela, designed and built their own bins.

They named the startup after “Eisenia,” the species name for earthworms, and “Col,” which represents their home country, Colombia. They collaborate with skilled carpenters in Colombia who handcraft the bins from sustainable materials.

When Alejandro joined Berlin, he placed an Eisenia Col compost bin in our Chicago headquarters. The team regularly composts food waste and collects worm tea, which creates high-quality plant fertilizer.

Composting empowers people to appreciate how nature recycles and reuses nutrients, redefine their relationship with waste, and drive tangible impact from their homes.

- Alejandro Medina Aristizábal

Global Sustainability Senior Associate New Jersey, United States

Read more about Alejandro’s work through our Sustainability Changemakers series.

We prioritize creating a work environment to promote health, productivity, and overall wellbeing, as well as a reduced stress on the environment.

We are constantly working to drive responsible waste management, energy usage, and sustainability engagement at our offices.

Our Americas headquarters in Chicago features a sustainability corner complete with a worm composting bin and herb garden. The team regularly harvests fresh compost and salad greens.

Distribution Centers

Promoting energy efficiency and zero waste is a top priority at our distribution centers.

We actively identify opportunities to spark changes upstream and downstream, partnering with key suppliers to inform and enhance our initiatives. Driving strategic partnerships and a culture of collaboration accelerates our progress: our warehouses actively share and learn from each other, and we co-pilot new sustainability measures together with our suppliers.

To validate and enhance our progress, we achieved BREEAM certifications for our warehouses in Seville, Spain, and Wijchen, Netherlands. To inform and improve our environmental management systems, we began our ISO 14001 certification process. Going through this certification process allows us to identify opportunities to improve our sustainable operations, such as reduced waste and energy conservation. In 2023, we obtained ISO 14001 certification for eight sites in our EMEA region. We plan to expand our ISO

certification process globally, and we’ll share our progress in future reports.

Energy Efficiency

Whether it’s expanding our LED lighting initiative or strategically optimizing our warehouses, we take a comprehensive and creative approach to energy efficiency. Our warehouses continuously assess opportunities to optimize storage, travel, and space. Leveraging our global network, we promote efficient routing and consolidate shipments where possible—further reducing transportation-related emissions.

Waste

We’ve piloted zero waste programs across several key sites. This process has identified high-impact strategies to reduce, reuse, and repurpose wherever possible. Collaborating with key suppliers and thirdparty organizations has been key to our success: through our partnerships, we’ve been able to not only reduce waste, but give materials new life. Going forward, we plan to expand our zero waste programs and will share progress in future reports.

Behind The Scenes

Our Napa Valley Warehouse

Energy Efficiency

LED lighting powers the warehouse, and motion sensors adjust lighting based on warehouse activity. The team also uses several electric forklifts within their operations. The warehouse transitioned to a new schedule, saving six hours of operating time daily and further reducing energy use.

Warehouse Space and Travel

Storing, moving, and shipping products are central to the operations. The team assessed their existing structure, creating a new storage plan that ensures safety, maximizes space, and optimizes travel. This translates to a multitude of benefits, such as saving time and reducing energy use.

Material Sorting and Reuse

The team established strategic programs to keep materials in circulation. For instance: Corrugate, used during our repacking process, is sold to a vendor for reuse.

2023 Results

6,000 Tons of waste recycled and materials reused and/or repurposed >90% waste diverted from landfill

Pallet Repair, Recycling, and Buyback

Pallets hold and transport our products, but they don’t always get reused. The team created pallet repair, recycling, and buyback programs in partnership with their suppliers and customers, preventing used and scrap pallets from going to landfill.

Repacking

When the team added new equipment, they determined the exact amount of glue needed for each type of box. This optimizes the repacking process and promotes resource efficiency.

$400,000 saved yearly

Team Members

A collaborative and creative culture has been key to the team’s success. Their monthly all-hands meetings serve as an open forum to propose new ideas, share progress updates, and discuss upcoming initiatives.

Any measurements mentioned were generated by in-house data gathering and collection.

Sustainability Changemakers

Jes Dailey & Lou Rapa

Small actions can add up to significant impact, and no one exemplifies this more than Jes Dailey, our Napa Valley Warehouse Manager and Sustainability Champion. Together with Lou Rapa, Regional Director of Operations, Dailey spearheaded our first zero waste initiative in the Americas region.

Dailey found ways to transform waste into new materials, cultivating relationships with key vendors to establish recycled glass recycling, pallet reuse, and repacking programs. As a result, the warehouse successfully diverted nearly 6,000 tons of waste in 2023, achieving an impressive >90% diversion rate. Learn more on p. 96.

“Jes has been the driving force behind this incredible initiative. Since joining us five years ago,

he’s transformed our warehouse,” said Rapa. “We went from paying over $400,000 a year to haul away our recyclables—now, we get paid for them.”

Beyond reducing waste, the team implemented a comprehensive set of sustainability initiatives. They created a strategic storage plan to reduce travel and optimize space. They also transitioned the warehouse to a one-shift operation schedule, saving energy.

Today, Dailey and Rapa continue to engage the warehouse team on sustainability. During their monthly team meetings, team members review progress updates and share ideas for continuous improvement.

I’m excited about sustainability, and what we’ve been able to achieve has truly been a team effort. The more we go, the more we see the benefits of recycling, reusing, and repurposing materials.

- Jes Dailey, Warehouse Manager California, United States

Responsible Supply Chain

We've set ambitious supply chain goals to advance responsible and sustainable sourcing.

We partner with suppliers to drive sustainability initiatives, such as improving raw material traceability, testing the latest PCR technology, and designing carbon emission calculators to better understand product footprint. We actively influence our suppliers to enhance their environmental performance.

Assessing Supplier ESG Risk and Performance

We established a recycled glass standard, the first of its kind in our industry. We directly engage with suppliers on their ESG strategy, conducting due diligence upstream and downstream to ensure our partners are committed to responsible business and sustainable operations. We engage a collaborative platform, EcoVadis, to assess, track, and improve our suppliers’ sustainability performance.

We prioritize evaluating key suppliers, such as those with high-spend and material weight. We build strategic partnerships to drive materials innovation. We share our Supplier Code of Conduct through our Terms & Conditions, and we actively track processes related to labor standards, conflict minerals, and human rights.

EcoVadis Supplier Engagement

Each as determined by EcoVadis

32% Percentage

We undergo EcoVadis sustainability assessment annually. In 2023, we were awarded the EcoVadis Silver medal, signifying a score in the top 25% of those assessed. This recognition serves as an independent validation of our efforts to integrate sustainability into our business operations, supply chain, and product lifecycle. We’ll share our ongoing work with third-party platforms like EcoVadis and Sedex in future reports.

Sustainable Product Sourcing and Procurement

Our product sourcing strategy focuses on driving material discovery and innovation. We work across the supply chain to identify and source sustainability-advantaged products, increase our material and product expertise, and add flexibility within our partnerships. Our Global Sustainability Team collaborates with our Sourcing and Supply Chain teams to activate and commercialize these products.

Education and engagement are key to bringing these products to market. From trade shows to focus groups, we actively engage our sales teams through diverse channels. For instance, we hold monthly sustainable supply chain sessions that

cover upcoming packaging products and practices. In 2023, we led 20 sessions with 120+ attendees per session, totaling 1,200+ training hours.

We validate our sustainable procurement strategy and progress against third-party organizations like EcoVadis. To enhance supplier diversity, we’re assessing our supply network against ESG benchmarks and will share progress updates in future reports.

Accelerating Impact

We partner with impact players across the entire value chain to drive a sustainable supply chain. We work with our suppliers to accelerate product innovation, co-creating solutions within traditional and emerging packaging substrates.

We partner with our suppliers to enhance their ESG capabilities, such as improving raw material traceability, testing the latest PCR technology, and designing carbon emission calculators to better understand product footprint. We leverage our global capabilities to drive the industry forward, such as creating and establishing an internal recycled content standard for our glass suppliers.

Industry Engagement & Partnerships

We’re committed to leading the future of sustainable packaging. We’re not alone in this mission: together with our customers and suppliers, we can make business a force for good—for our people and our planet.

As a member of multiple packaging organizations, we share our expertise and help accelerate the circular economy. This year, we joined RecyClass, a nonprofit and cross-industry initiative dedicated to promoting a circular future, helping define

assessment criteria for assessing plastic packaging recyclability in Europe, and fostering better industry communication and cooperation.

To support companies in achieving high recyclability in their packaging, we partnered with the Association of Plastic Recyclers on a sample bottle program that helps design and test recyclable plastic packaging. We now offer small quantities of specific PET bottles required to conduct PET recyclability test protocols at third party testing labs, which companies undergo to receive the APR Design for Recyclability Recognition.

We partner with organizations championing sustainability, collectively strengthening and advancing the business case for sustainable packaging.

Embracing our people's unique abilities, strengths, and differences drives innovation, creativity, and success across our global organization.

Talent & Culture

We thrive on the collective strength of our people, who embody our vibrant culture with diverse life experiences, backgrounds, and skill sets. That’s why we invest in our talent and culture as a key competitive business advantage, creating mutual value for both our people and our company. Whether it be through recruitment, career development, or people engagement, we’re dedicated to shaping a culture where our Berliners can thrive.

Diversity & Inclusion (D&I)

We respect diversity and take pride in having a workplace that is inclusive of all people and their unique abilities, strengths, and differences. We believe an inclusive and diverse work environment is a competitive business advantage, as it fosters creativity and innovation.

Every Berliner plays a vital role in creating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive environment, and we’re committed to fostering a positive workplace where everyone feels safe, valued, respected, and encouraged to voice their opinions.

We’ve established a multi-year roadmap consisting of three strategic pillars to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Workforce

Strengthening the workforce through inclusive recruiting and transparent promotion practices.

Workplace

Delivering programs that strengthen culture, including learning programs, listening programs, and transparent communications.

Marketplace

Positively impacting the communities in which we live and work by designing and overseeing company-sponsored volunteer and outreach activities, charitable giving, and strategic partnerships.

At Berlin Packaging, we believe Anything is Possible ®. Our people drive our performance and growth, creating shared value for our company, customers, and suppliers. That’s why we hire those who embody our values and share a commitment to be the best at what we do.

Our people embody our “One Berlin” values, which includes:

• Anything is Possible® mindset

• Desire to succeed and elevate those around them

• Growth mindset to persevere and overcome challenges

• Seeing the world through an optimistic lens

• Being proactive about change and improving the status quo

Talent Attraction & Recruitment

Every Berliner plays a pivotal role in driving our culture of growth, collaboration, and thrill. Our talent is key to our success, which is why we’re passionate about building a winning team. Beyond evaluating skills and resume experience, we seek those who are passionate and exceptionally talented, possessing the qualities and attributes essential for success.

We use various sourcing strategies to recruit candidates with a diverse range of talents, experiences, and ideas. We continue to evaluate

our talent practices and invest in expanding our talent pipeline. This year, we partnered with the Professional Diversity Network to broaden our reach to 7+ affinity networks, diversifying our U.S.based candidate pool. We also joined forces with Valore D, a leading association dedicated to driving D&I initiatives in Italy. Through this alliance, we provide our people with extensive D&I training sessions and sharing labs focused on cross-company dialogue on ESG topics. This helps us foster diversity, intergenerationality, interculturality, and inclusivity across our organization.

In our recruitment efforts, we prioritize reaching applicants of all backgrounds by writing more inclusive job posts, removing unnecessary requirements, and encouraging candidates to apply for open roles even when their career experience is not a perfect match. To minimize unconscious bias and promote leading D&I practices, we introduced a structured hiring process to support data-driven decision making. Standardizing the interview process and implementing new evaluation protocols ensure consistent candidate assessment based on common criteria.

We remain committed to employee learning and development and provide opportunities for our teams to grow their skills and knowledge and advance their career at Berlin. We believe that regular feedback and transparency is key to professional growth and the overall success of our business. Our performance assessments provide both our Berliners and their managers with an avenue to reflect on and share successes and opportunities for growth. We also encourage Berliners to recommend qualified applicants for open roles through our Employee Referral Program.

People Engagement & Thrill

At Berlin Packaging, we cultivate a culture of thrill. To engage our workforce and positively influence their experience, we conduct an annual people satisfaction survey. Feedback is important to help us understand what is working well and where we can make improvements.

This year, our people provided valuable feedback that allowed us to celebrate successes and address challenges through strategic action planning. We took actions based on their inputs, such as continuing our flexible work policy, elevating our recognition and rewards programs, and enhancing our new employee orientation programs and internal communications channels.

Employee Benefits, Rewards, & Recognition Programs

Our people are our most important asset. By providing health and well-being support and resources for them to grow and learn, we strive to continue to be a company that people love to work for. We invest in providing our people with training opportunities, space for innovative thinking, and industry-leading compensation. We evaluate our programs annually and make enhancements where possible.

Our benefits help us attract and retain impressive talent: we offer a comprehensive and competitive set of benefits and rewards programs to our people globally. While specifics differ by region, our

Berliners have access to a wide range of benefits including medical, prescription, vision, dental, retirement savings, health and wellness programs, and more.

We prioritize recognizing our people who go above and beyond. When our company experiences growth, our people share in rewards. We offer a variety of programs, such as variable pay, unique incentive plans, and rewards. This includes initiatives such as uncapped commission plans, bonus plans, and the WINGS program, which entitles eligible employees to airline vouchers.

We recognize and reward our Berliners through a variety of programs, such as metric-based awards for achieving performance goals or recognition-based awards like our annual Rising Star and Anything is Possible® Awards. For these awards, Berliners nominate colleagues who embody our Anything is Possible® mindset, achieve outstanding results, and support their peers and the company mission. Nominations are reviewed by senior leadership, who collaborate with functional and regional leadership throughout the selection process. As part of this program, each award recipient is honored with a trophy, a monetary bonus, and an exclusive reward trip.

Health and Wellness

An integrated approach is key to good health and overall wellbeing. We offer a variety of health and wellness programs to support our Berliners. For instance, in our Americas region, Berliners have access to a company-paid Employee Assistance Program inclusive of 9 free in-person or virtual visits per issue, per year with a Masters-prepared therapist. Programs that promote physical, mental health, and wellness provide Berliners with tools to reduce anxiety, manage stress, enhance sleep, and stay connected with their emotions.

We support regular health checkups through a variety of health awareness incentives. While these differ by region, Berliners are encouraged to attend their annual physicals. For example, Berliners in certain regions are entitled to a paid half-day off to have an annual physical. In Italy, medical checkups are encouraged via welfare vouchers. Berliners are also eligible for physical fitness reimbursements in certain regions, encouraging them to explore and engage in various forms of physical activity. This holistic approach ensures that we promote the health, happiness, and wellbeing of our team members.

Flexible Work

Empowering our workforce with flexibility, choice, and agency is key to our success. That’s why we designed our flexible workplace policy to help our people reach their professional and personal goals, as well as to enhance productivity and collaboration. To mitigate commute-related emissions, we’re exploring sustainable mobility initiatives like incentivizing public transport and encouraging car sharing. Moving forward, we’re committed to supporting healthy, happy, and high-performing teams in a hybrid world.

Training & Engagement

Harnessing the strengths, experiences, and diversity of every Berliner is key to our success. Whether it be through learning programs or engagement opportunities, we empower our people to grow both professionally and personally. Our foremost priority will always be cultivating an environment where our people can grow, collaborate, and thrive.

Learning & Development (“L&D”)

We invest in our Berliners’ personal and professional growth by offering on-site and virtual learning experiences. Our programs aim to have a lasting impact on learners: through our training modalities, we provide process knowledge and upskilling, ultimately optimizing our company resources.

Through our L&D initiatives, we strive to:

• Ensure streamlined and consistent use of business processes, helping to reduce costs by eliminating wasteful practices and using our resources effectively.

• Utilize e-learning and state-of-theart learning technology to scale L&D initiatives globally.

• Use learning analytics to measure impact and return on investment (“ROI”) of L&D initiatives and EBITDA.

We encourage and support our people to engage with industry events, conferences, and trade shows. Berliners participate in a variety of partnerships and activities, enhancing their personal and professional growth.

Occupational Health & Safety

We engage our workforce to foster a robust health and safety culture, prioritizing our people’s wellbeing and ensuring their safety. This year, we launched several new initiatives to drive improvements in both compliance and safety. We advanced our program by engaging with and listening to our workforce, as well as providing clear areas of focused improvement.

We launched the Berlin4HSE Mobile App, serving as a central hub for safety-related functions and data. We focused on targeted improvements, such as driving a campaign to address warehouse-specific vehicle risks, introducing weekly huddle campaigns, conducting a housekeeping competition to improve workplace standards, and designing custom posters and signage for enhanced safety awareness.

These efforts culminated in our "Health & Safety Week," which we implemented across 12 countries in our EMEA region. The week included activities such as introducing new Health & Safety KPIs, announcing Housekeeping Competition winners, hosting a Leaders Day, and outlining next year's health and safety goals. The week concluded with a survey to gather feedback and insights. All initiatives, including Health & Safety Week, were conducted in 11 languages, ensuring inclusivity and information accessibility for every team member across our EMEA region.

Driving a Sustainability Culture

We take a holistic, multi-faceted approach to advancing a sustainability culture across our enterprise.

Our Global Sustainability Team catalyzes sustainability throughout our organization, partnering with every department from design and supply chain to finance and marketing. Sustainability touches everyone in our company, so engaging our people crossfunctionally is key to identifying opportunities, managing risk, and accelerating tangible impact.

they receive a comprehensive overview of our sustainability strategy and key programs. Through this initiative, we share how Berliners drive sustainability in various ways and join forces to drive positive impact. We plan to continue expanding and enhancing this program to further engage our people.

This year, we launched a Sustainability Onboarding program for our new hires. When new Berliners join our company,

We also regularly update our Berliners on our ESG progress. Last year, we held an internal launch and multiple engagement sessions on our inaugural sustainability report, and we shared sustainability updates through company-wide town halls and events. Throughout the year, we regularly send out internal communications promoting sustainability and social impact initiatives as well as opportunities to give back to our communities.

Communities

We actively cultivate partnerships with a wide range of organizations, finding creative ways to engage and support their missions. Whether it be through charitable giving, volunteering and outreach events, or strategic partnerships, we’re committed to creating enduring, positive change.

Uniting for Impact

From environmental protection to community health, Berliners joined forces to connect, engage, and advocate for diverse causes.

Climate Action and Environmental Protection

Our Berliners are highly engaged with local sustainability initiatives. Members of our Chicago office volunteered to clean up Lake Michigan beaches, while our Netherlands team donated to Gelukkige Groentes (Happy Vegetables), supporting local and ecologically sustainable farming through picking gardens. To amplify our global impact, we partnered with two organizations to drive reforestation, climate action, and biodiversity conservation.

As a proud partner of the United Packaging Forest initiative, we supported Trees for All's mission of driving sustainable forestry projects globally. We contributed tree packages, planting trees in natural landscapes in the Netherlands and abroad. Additionally, we worked with Treedom, a certified B Corp company, to contribute to a new forest of 700 trees globally. The platform supports global agroforestry projects with all trees planted being native or respecting the local biodiversity. Local

farmers plant and own the trees and their fruits, allowing them to diversify their income and even start micro-entrepreneurship initiatives. We then launched a sustainability engagement campaign with 27,500 customers, sharing a custom digital card highlighting the growth and benefits of our trees.

Education and Industry Leadership

Promoting sustainability education and engagement is a key priority for us. In Milan, we joined an initiative by Convertini, a company that recovers industrial waste, to host sustainability workshops for local middle school children. Through three workshops, children learned about recycling and the role of circularity in their daily lives.

We especially prioritize fostering the next generation of designers and packaging professionals: in Chicago, we collaborated with the University of Illinois, Chicago to host an undergraduate sustainable design challenge. In Milan, we organized a packaging

competition for young students. Students received vouchers for their schoolbooks and an opportunity to spend a day working with our Studio One Eleven designers at our EMEA House of the Possible.

Community Health and Wellbeing

Whether it be hosting donation drives or volunteering at local food banks, Berliners actively support community health and wellbeing. Our employee-driven donations through Feeding America contributed nearly 60,000 meals for communities in need. Our Chicago team volunteered at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, packing nearly 15,000 pounds of apples for local food banks. Members of our French team volunteered with the Hospital Clowns initiative to support hospitalized children and adults, while our Salt Lake City branch donated gifts to local foster children for the fourth year in a row.

We take pride in championing causes that enrich our people and planet.

Globally, our people united to support community health, cancer awareness, and disaster relief. Team members from our Southern California and Jansy offices hosted a blood drive with the American Red Cross. Our Spanish team supported the RunCáncer Circuit in Valencia, raising funds for cancer awareness and research. Inspired by the Hoek tot Helder Kite Tour and the mission of the Dutch Heart Foundation, our Netherlands team donated to heart failure treatment research and development. Our Italian branch donated to the construction of a new facility in Ethiopia through Strawberry Fields, a nonprofit dedicated to improving medical conditions for Ethiopian children. And in response to the emergency floods that affected the Larissa region, our Greek office helped our customers cover flood-related damages.

To foster inclusivity, accessibility, and youth development, Berliners sponsored various sports teams in their communities. Our French office donated to the Regional Disabled Sports Committee in Provence, while the Spanish team continued their partnership with Club Montilla, a basketball team for those with disabilities. The team also sponsored the Montaverner children's soccer team, ensuring access to quality equipment and tournament travel for every member.

Once you learn about the incredible work being done by the Center for Great Apes, it's impossible not to want to find a way to contribute. The team at Tripping Animals, the Center, and everyone involved in this anniversary project have been nothing short of inspiring. Donating the cans was a no-brainer, and we're thrilled to play our part.

-

Darrin Dingman, Regional Vice President of Sales Southeast Region, United States

Art for Conservation Supporting a Partnership for Wildlife Protection

To commemorate their 30th anniversary, we collaborated with the Center for Great Apes and Miami-based brewery, Tripping Animals Brewing Co., to create custom brews showcasing the great apes living at the sanctuary. We donated cans for the anniversary events, and the beers were available for retail in 20+ U.S. states.

Design for Change Inspiring Sustainable Innovation in Young Talent

Mentoring emerging talent is a cornerstone of our community engagement strategy. Our Studio One Eleven and Sustainability teams partnered with the University of Illinois, Chicago to host a sustainable packaging design challenge—a dynamic collaboration that energized our teams and the students.

To kick off the challenge, we led a workshop on the transformative role designers play in making sustainable living more accessible and exciting—for everyone. Students gained an overview of tangible strategies for sustainable design, including life-cycle assessments, recyclability analysis, and marketing best practices.

At the end of the semester, students presented their projects and received valuable feedback. The diversity of sustainable designs presented reflected the students’ impressive creativity and

forward-thinking innovation. Engaging with this emerging community of young designers is not only rewarding—it signifies a strategic investment in the future of sustainable design.

Flowers That Empower

Fostering Community Wellbeing and Prosperity

We partnered with the Chicago-based farm-to-vase florist, Southside Blooms, to promote sustainability and community prosperity. Southside Blooms is a project of the Chicago Eco House, a nonprofit business with a mission of using sustainability to alleviate poverty. Every flower purchased from Southside Blooms creates jobs for at-risk youth, converts vacant lots into productive community assets, and promotes environmental health and resilience through regenerative farming practices.

Our senior leadership team was excited to meet with Southside Blooms president and founder Quilen Blackwell and his team. This partnership aligns seamlessly with our dedication to supporting local initiatives, especially considering our corporate headquarters’ location in downtown Chicago.

Collaborations

From family-owned businesses to Fortune 50 companies, we’ve helped numerous brands unpack their sustainability potential. We actively cultivate partnerships with a wide range of organizations, finding creative ways to engage and support their missions. Whether it be through charitable giving, volunteering and outreach events, or strategic partnerships, we’re committed to creating enduring, positive change.

At Berlin Packaging, everyone joins forces to advance best-in-class governance practices and create shared value for our people, partners, and planet.

ESG Governance

We’re dedicated to upholding best-in-class governance practices that ensure we operate with accountability, integrity, and transparency in everything we do. Our entire global team—from our senior leadership to regional ESG coordinators—joins forces to drive progress on our ESG mission. In line with this commitment, we consistently measure our progress toward our goals and use that data to assess risk and drive decision making.

Advancing and Measuring Our Goals

Governance and accountability are crucial to ensuring alignment and prioritization across our business. We’ve deeply integrated ESG into the way we do business: through robust management systems, we maintain consistent reporting practices, foster leadership commitment at all levels, and actively engage our key stakeholders.

Our ESG work is spearheaded by our Global Sustainability Leadership Team and two ESG Steering Committees, covering our Americas and EMEA regions. These groups comprise representatives from diverse departments such as Design and Engineering, Human Resources, Finance, Supply Chain, Marketing and Communications, and more. Our Vice President of Sustainability serves on the leadership team and guides the steering committees to maintain a shared global framework.

All ESG updates and high-level decisions are presented by the ESG Steering Committees to the Global Sustainability Leadership Team. The Vice President of Sustainability is accountable for ESG-related issues and decisions, and the Senior Leadership Team approves major ESG programs and monitors our progress toward our goals. This group also prioritizes information to be shared with the Board of Directors.

Global ESG Governance Structure

Board of Directors

Global CEO and Senior Leadership Team

Global Sustainability Leadership Team ESG Steering Committees Sustainability

Global CEO

CEO – Americas

CEO – EMEA

Global EVP & CFO

VP of Sustainability Dep. General Counsel

Integrating ESG Into Our Business

Board of Directors

The Board oversees sustainability growth strategy and ESG performance and targets. The Board conducts strategy reviews on an annual and as-needed basis and ensures the business is managed ethically and responsibly.

Global CEO and Senior Leadership Team

The Global CEO and Senior Leadership Team reviews and evaluates ESG strategy, practices, and policies quarterly and on an ad-hoc basis, providing recommendations as needed.

Global Sustainability Leadership Team

The Vice President of Sustainability drives our sustainability growth strategy, manages our ESG strategy and reporting initiatives, and provides quarterly and ad-hoc progress updates to the Senior Leadership Team. The Senior Leadership Team approves major ESG programs and monitors our progress toward our goals.

ESG Steering Committees

The ESG Steering Committees strategically drive and implement ESG initiatives at the global, national, regional, and local level.

Integrating ESG Into Our Business

We integrate core ESG principles into our business through diverse governance mechanisms including policies, committees, and networks.

Our ESG Regional Coordinators measure and report our ESG performance, adapt to evolving regulations, and embed sustainability practices at the local level.

Stakeholder Engagement

We activate company leaders through avenues like our ESG Steering Committees, and we communicate with all employees through regular newsletters, sharing our progress on our initiatives as well as upcoming corporate social responsibility (CSR) events. As our people are key to driving ESG progress, we regularly seek input from a wide range of employees when developing and implementing our ESG strategy. This inclusive approach allows us to develop new sustainability initiatives, trainings, and events that effectively engage everyone—recognizing that every part of our business contributes to advancing our critical goals.

As for our suppliers, we engage our network through summits, regular meetings, and various platforms like EcoVadis and Sedex, a supply chain platform. We share updates on our ESG goals and strategy, soliciting feedback on our work. Customer feedback is equally important to us, so we regularly survey our customers to identify which ESG issues are most important to them. These insights help shape our strategy, including our customer-facing sustainability services.

As part of our mission to drive the future of sustainable packaging, we actively participate in multi-stakeholder organizations such as the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and the Association of Plastic Recyclers, contributing to and learning from the dialogues and expertise of these groups.

Ethical Business Practices

People

Driving ethical practices across our global operations is integral to our company’s success. Our Global Code of Conduct (GCC) defines the way we do business and serves as a guide for our people to make responsible decisions. To keep our team well-informed, we conduct regular training courses covering various topics such as diversity and inclusion, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment, workplace safety, labor compliance, and ethical business practices.

Suppliers

We screen and evaluate potential suppliers before establishing a working relationship, which includes assessing their ESG performance. We serve as a strategic partner for our suppliers, sharing opportunities for continuous improvement toward ESG targets. Our Supplier Code of Conduct (SCC) outlines our firm commitment to conducting our business with integrity and maintaining our reputation for lawful and ethical conduct. We’ve deployed this policy in specific regions, and we plan to continue expanding in 2023 and beyond.

We expect our supplier network to behave in a manner consistent with the SCC, which includes compliance with applicable laws pertaining to human rights and labor standards, such as the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the International Bill of Human Rights, and the principles concerning fundamental rights set out in the International Labor Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work .

Governance

Reporting

We maintain an open-door policy for reporting any breaches of ethical business practices. To ensure we foster a safe and engaged professional workplace, we operate a 24/7 global workplace compliance helpline for people to anonymously and securely voice concerns. We are committed to our non-retaliation policy, and we do not tolerate any form of retaliation against employees who report their concerns in good faith or actively participate in investigations.

Cybersecurity and Privacy

We take our responsibilities related to customer data seriously. As such, our comprehensive information security program protects the information of our company, employees, customers, and strategic business partners. We maintain a robust asset management process, and we take extensive steps to ensure that our information assets are protected from data theft, vandalism, extortion, and other ways of information compromise.

Every quarter, we conduct mandatory cybersecurity awareness training across our organization. Our cybersecurity program is audited by a third-party platform. We regularly update our incident response and business continuity plan, as well as our ongoing security monitoring and testing measures.

Transparency

We are committed to upholding and increasing transparency around our ESG strategy. This marks our second ESG report, underscoring our commitment to transparently reporting our ESG progress. We intend to continue publishing annual ESG reports to share our ongoing work.

This report references the SASB reporting framework and GRI standards, covering all prioritized material ESG topics identified through our second formal materiality assessment. See the materiality section on page 37 for more details.

Our Partners

Collaborating with key industry organizations, business coalitions, universities, and NGOs enables us to amplify our impact and collectively advance towards our shared goals.

This year, we joined the United Nations Global Compact Climate Ambition Accelerator.

Two of our Global Sustainability team members, Alejandro Medina Aristizábal and Kayla Bitner, were named as Climate Ambition Accelerator representatives. As part of this initiative, they engaged in global best practices, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and capacity building sessions. Together, we can scale credible climate action across our industry and deliver meaningful commitments to reduce emissions at scale.

Forward-Looking Statements

The report contains strategies, initiatives, estimates and other forward-looking statements with respect to the anticipated performance and goals of Berlin Packaging L.L.C. (“Berlin”) and its affiliates. Such forward-looking statements are as to future events, are not to be viewed as facts. All such statements reflect various estimates and reasonable assumptions by Berlin concerning the future performance of the Berlin and its affiliates and are subject to evolving sustainability strategies,

technological advancements and various business, financial, economic, operating, competitive and other risks and uncertainties and contingencies that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements included herein. Given such uncertainties, the inclusion of forward-looking statements herein is not a representation or guarantee that it will be achieved. All forward-looking statements speak of the date of this report and will not be updated unless required by law to do so.

Performance Tables

Disclosures are on behalf of Berlin Packaging unless otherwise noted.

Energy & Carbon

Berlin Packaging is committed to reducing its Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 42% by 2030 and Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2030.

MT CO2e/m2, 2022 baseline

Berlin Packaging is committed to reducing its electricity consumption by 25% by 2030, as well as procuring renewable energy to cover 100% of the company’s electricity use.

MWh/m2, 2022

GAS EMISSIONS

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Content Index

Disclosures are on behalf of Berlin Packaging unless otherwise noted.

2-1 Organizational details

2-2

Entities included in the organization’s sustainability reporting

Berlin Packaging L.L.C. is a privately held company. Unless otherwise specified, references herein to “we” or “our” shall be references to Berlin Packaging.

Our corporate headquarters is located at 525 West Monroe Street, Chicago, IL 60661 in the United States.

At year-end 2023, Berlin Packaging has foreign subsidiaries and/or representative offices globally.

Unless otherwise noted, reported environmental and social figures refer to our impact across our owned and managed portfolio. Data has been provided for our operations based in the Americas region.

Introduction –About This Report

2-3 Reporting period, frequency and contact point

2-4

Introduction –About This Report

This report covers the reporting period of our 2023 calendar year from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023. Our sustainability reports are published annually. Introduction

This report does not contain any restatements of information from previous reporting periods.

2-16 Communication of

We maintain an open-door policy for reporting any breaches of ethical business practices. Berlin Packaging employees have access to a 24/7 global workplace compliance helpline for people to anonymously and securely voice concerns. We are committed to our non-retaliation policy, and we do not tolerate any form of retaliation against employees who report their concerns in good faith or actively participate in investigations.

2-27

Compliance with laws and regulations

2-28 Membership associations

Zero instances of non-compliance or non-compliance fines that would qualify as significant occurred during the reporting period. We are subject to various legal proceedings and claims arising in the ordinary course of business. We do not expect that the result of any of these legal proceedings, either individually or in the aggregate, would have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

A few of our membership associations include: Association of Plastic Recyclers, Sustainable Packaging Coalition, EcoVadis, EPA SmartWay Program, U.S. Better Buildings Challenge, Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Introduction –About This Report

Specific Disclosures

Communication and training about anti-corruption policies and procedures

205-3 Confirmed incidents of corruption and actions taken

ENVIRONMENTAL

We had zero confirmed incidents of corruption in 2023 with either Berlin Packaging employees or business partners or that resulted in public legal cases being brought against the Company.

302-1

Energy is used across our operations to light, heat, and cool our distribution centers and corporate offices, and operate machinery key to our business operations. Our energy use is captured on a third-party bill pay system with data coming directly through external invoices and utility providers.

We historically track our Company’s energy usage from our distribution centers and corporate offices through a third-party platform.

Starting from 2023, we have also committed to purchasing renewable energy credits to cover 100% of our annual electricity usage.

302-3

The energy intensity for the company is 0.0296 MWh/m2 and is representative of our energy consumption within the company.

The intensity ratio covers all energy consumption, including energy and electricity.

The scope covers our physical presence within the Americas and EMEA regions.

305 Management approach disclosure

We are committed to leading the packaging industry and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions in line with climate science. We are committed to cutting Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% and Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2030.

We outline actions taken to mitigate our carbon footprint in our 2023 ESG report.

305-1 Direct - Scope 1 GHG emissions In 2023, our Scope 1 emissions were 2,807 metric tons of CO2e.

See Performance Tables on p. 142 for further details.

305-2 Energy indirect - Scope 2 GHG emissions In 2023, our Scope 2 location-based emissions were 4,488 metric tons of CO2e.

See Performance Tables on p. 142 for further details.

305-4 GHG emissions intensity In 2024, our total Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions intensity was 0.0206 metric tons per square meter.

See Performance Tables on p. 142 for further details.

GRI 305: EMISSIONS 2016

GRI 306: WASTE 2020

SOCIAL

SASB Disclosure Index

Containers & Packaging Sustainability Accounting Standard

Disclosures are on behalf of Berlin Packaging unless otherwise noted.

SUSTAINABILITY DISCLOSURE TOPICS & METRICS

Topic Code

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

RT-CP-110a.1

RT-CP-110a.2

Energy Management

Waste Management

Product Safety

RT-CP-130a.1

Product Lifecycle Management

RT-CP-150a.1

RT-CP-250a.1

RT-CP-250a.2

RT-CP-410a.1

RT-CP-410a.3

1No hazardous waste generated in our economic activity.

2For EMEA operations.

Accounting Metric Disclosure (Covers 2023 unless otherwise indicated)

Gross global Scope 1 emissions, percentage covered under emissions-limiting regulations

Discussion of long- and short-term strategy or plan to manage Scope 1 emissions, emissions reduction targets and an analysis of performance against those targets

1) Total energy consumed

2) Percentage grid electricity

3) Percentage renewable

4) Total self-generated energy

Amount of hazardous waste generated, percentage recycled

1) Number of recalls issued 2) Total units recalled

Discussion of process to identify and manage emerging materials and chemicals of concern

Percentage of raw materials from:

1) Recycled content

2) Renewable resources

3) Renewable and recycled content

Discussion of strategies to reduce the environmental impact of packaging throughout its lifecycle

MT CO2e, 0%

& Environment –Climate

& Environment –Climate

& Environment –Climate

ACTIVITY METRICS

Activity Metric

Amount of production, by substrate

Percentage of production as:

(1) Paper/wood

(2) Glass

(3) Metal

(4) Plastic

Number of employees

RT-CP-000.A

RT-CP-000.B

Berlin Packaging does not manufacture products.

Berlin Packaging does not manufacture products.

RT-CP-000.C 2,391

Certifications

LEED Gold Certification

371HoesLn#200 Piscataway,NJ08854 www.amploglobal.com

DataVerificationDeclaration

To,

Date:30th July’2024 TheStakeholdersofBerlinPackaging

Amplo Global Inc. was engaged to conduct an independent verification of the Green House Gas (GHG) emissions data reported by Berlin Packaging for the period stated below. This verification opinion declaration applies to the related information included within the scope of work described below.

Boundaries of the reporting company GHG emissions under the verification:

● Operationalcontrol

● Regions-EMEA andUSsites(NapaValleyandBU-42site)

● Exclusions-includesmallsitesofUSwithlessoperationalcapacity

GHGemissionsStatement:

● Scope1emissions

● Scope2emissions

● Scope3emissions

● TotalGHGemissions

DataandinformationsupportingtheScope1andScope2GHGemissionsstatementweregenerally historicalinnatureandinsomeinstances,wereestimatedinnature.

DataandinformationsupportingtheScope3GHGemissionswerenotcompletelydisclosedandarein progresstobepublishedbythecompany.

PeriodcoveredbyGHGemissionsverification:

● January1,2022,toDecember31,2023

Criteriaagainstwhichverificationconducted:

Thedataverificationwasconductedbasedontheprinciplesof-

● GHGProtocolCorporateStandard

● WBCSD/WRI

● AA1000AS

● ISO14064-1

LevelofAuditAssuranceandQualifications:

● Limited(totheextentofdataprovidedbythecompany)

371HoesLn#200 Piscataway,NJ08854 www.amploglobal.com

● Thisverificationwasdoneusingseveralparameters-1)Standarddatacollectionmethodology,2) Dataaccuracy,3)Datacompleteness,4)Dataconsistency,and5)Emissioncalculationstandard

VerificationMethodology:

Evidence-gatheringproceduresincludedbutwerenotlimitedto:

● Discussions and Interviews with relevant personnel of Berlin Packaging

● Review of documentary evidence provided by Berlin Packaging

● Review of Berlin Packaging’s data and information systems and methodology for collection, aggregation, interpretation and thorough analysis and review of data used to determine GHG emissions at Berlin Packaging Headquarters (remote)

● Audit of database provided by Berlin Packaging of various sites’ data of US and EMEA to determine accuracy of their GHG emissions.

● Audit and review of Berlin Packaging’s Carbon accounting portal and dashboard used for analysis of location and facility-wise GHG emissions, further bifurcated in Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 classifications.

VerificationOpinion:

Basedontheprocessandproceduresconducted,thereisnoevidencethattheGHGemissionsstatement shownaboveis:

● notmateriallycorrectandisnotfairrepresentationoftheGHGemissionsdataandinformation; and

● hasnotbeenpreparedinaccordancewiththeGHGProtocolandtheWBCSD/WRIGHG ProtocolCorporateStandard.

After examining and performing gap analysis and audit verification, it is our opinion that Berlin Packaging has established appropriate systems for the reporting, collection, aggregation and analysis of quantitative

371HoesLn#200 Piscataway,NJ08854 www.amploglobal.com

data for determination of these GHG emissions for the stated period and boundaries, provideda few gap remediation can be made for the better representation and collection of data that can provide better and useful insights to its stakeholders.

Statementofindependence,impartialityandcompetence:

AmploGlobalisanindependentservicescompanythatspecializesinESG,audit,assurance,cloud-based AIpatentedservicesandESGstrategywithrecognizedclimatescientists,datascientistsandtechnologists withyearsofexperienceinprovidingtheseservices.

No matter if the verification team has a business relationship with Berlin Packaging, its Directors or the management beyond the requirement of this engagement. We conducted this verification independently and to our knowledge without any conflicts of interest from both the parties.

AmploGlobalhasimplementedaCodeofEthicsacrossthebusinesstomaintainhighlyethical day-to-daybusinessactivitiessupportingtheservicesoftheengagementitisinvolvedin.

Theverificationteamhasextensiveexperienceinconductingauditsandassuranceovertheenvironmental, social,governance,ethicalandsystems&processes,recognizedclimatescientistwithoverdecadeof aggregateexperienceinthis fieldandunderstandingofAmploGlobal’sstandardmethodologyforthe evaluationandverificationofgreenhousegasemissionsdata.

Attestation: Dr.KarabiPathak,PhD.,Postdoc.

HeadofProductandSolution

AmploGlobalInc. July30,2024