Sustainable packaging: Ball identifies key priorities in new sustainability report

-- Packaging Digest, 6/23/2010 12:08:50 PM

Ball Corporation identified five sustainability priorities and described the company's sustainability vision and long-term direction in its second sustainability report, released today and available at www.ball.com/sustainability.

"Sustainability is connected directly to creating value for our stakeholders and for Ball," said R. David Hoover, Ball's chairman and chief executive officer. "Our second sustainability report and expanded online sustainability reporting provide details on the progress we have made over the past two years, and on our focus going forward as we continue to drive our economic, social and environmental performance."

Ball initiated a sustainability materiality analysis with key stakeholders in 2009 to help determine the company's sustainability priorities and ensure they were aligned with the wider supply chain for its products. A sustainability materiality analysis asks stakeholders to rank a variety of issues in order of importance to the stakeholder. After incorporating the feedback, Ball determined these five priorities and long-term directions:

    * Packaging: Develop the lightest weight, most recycled, consumer-preferred packaging.

    * Energy: Significantly and cost-effectively reduce energy consumption.

    * Water & Waste: Reduce water usage and send zero waste to landfills.

    * Safety: Have zero accidents in facilities.

    * Talent Management: Recruit, develop and retain talented, diverse employees who share core values and reflect their communities.

Ball's comprehensive 2010 sustainability reporting and the company's responses to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) reporting framework are available online at www.ball.com/sustainability. Ball issued its first sustainability report in 2008, which was selected as co-winner of the Best First-Time Reporter Award by Ceres and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Since then, Ball has been selected for the FTSE4Good Index Series on the London Stock Exchange and the Corporate Responsibility Officer (CSO) annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens List.

SOURCE Ball Corporation

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