During 2008 SCA established a new carbon-dioxide target of a 20% reduction in emissions from fossil fuels from 2005 through 2020. This work is described in SCA’s new sustainability report that is currently being distributed to shareholders and investors.

The report contains descriptions of investments in more efficient water use, advanced forms for control of fiber raw material, work with the global Code of Conduct through adopting the Global Compact and much more. For the first time, SCA also reports in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative guidelines, level A.

SCA has had a defined carbon-dioxide target since 2001, but with the new target the ambition level for climate efforts was raised further.

“It is an ambitious target, with distinct reference to the EU’s climate goal,” says Ulf Söderström, Senior Vice President Business Development and Strategy and responsible for sustainability issues at SCA. “SCA is an energy intensive company and we must be prepared to carry the baton in such issues.”

To attain the target, this will require major goal-oriented efforts. An example is the enormous wind power project with Norwegian Statkraft, in which the formal building applications were submitted during the year.

Another important environmental target involves water usage in which SCA has undertaken to reduce consumption by 15% from 2005 through 2010 and reduce the organic content in wastewater by 30%.

Major investments were also made during the last year to further strengthen control of fiber raw materials in production. New routines have been established for follow-up of fellings, training has been carried out with all felling teams and the ecological landscape plans have been updated.

SCA was early to prioritize sustainability issues and published its first environmental report already in 1998.

“2008 was yet another strong sustainability year and we will naturally continue to prioritize these issues,” says Ulf Söderström. “I am convinced that the sustainability investments we make will strengthen SCA’s competitiveness.”

SCA’s sustainability report is available at www.sca.com under Sustainability.

Source: SCA

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