Case study: How Graphic Packaging creates economic value for its stakeholders
Graphic Packaging is a leading provider of fiber-based packaging solutions that serve the food, beverage, foodservice, and other consumer products companies. Graphic Packaging has an unwavering commitment to listen to and understand the needs of its stakeholders, creating sustainable value for all. Tweet This!
This case study is based on the 2021 ESG Report by Graphic Packaging, prepared in accordance with the GRI Standards, that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate what CSR/ ESG/ sustainability reporting done responsibly means. Essentially, it means: a) identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment, economy and society, and b) measuring, managing and changing.
Abstract
Meeting its commitments to them and generating long-term value for customers, employees, stockholders and all its other stakeholders, is a top priority for Graphic Packaging. In order to create economic value for its stakeholders Graphic Packaging took action to:
- create economic value for providers of capital
- create economic value for governments
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With this case study you will see:
- Which are the most important impacts (material issues) Graphic Packaging has identified;
- How Graphic Packaging proceeded with stakeholder engagement, and
- What actions were taken by Graphic Packaging to create economic value for its stakeholders
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What are the material issues the company has identified?
In its 2021 ESG Report Graphic Packaging identified a range of material issues, such as product stewardship, climate change, sustainable forestry, employee safety and health. Among these, creating economic value for its stakeholders stands out as a key material issue for Graphic Packaging.
Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:
Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.
Key stakeholder groups Graphic Packaging engages with:
| Stakeholder Group | Method of engagement (Inform) |
| Communities
| · Meetings · Media · Social media · Events · Mill and plant tours · Community support and volunteerism · State and local civic associations |
| Current employees
| · Town hall meetings · Emails · Global employee engagement surveys · Business resource groups · Recognitions · Daily intranet postings · Social media |
| Customers
| · Events · Meetings · Innovation sessions · Emails · Calls · Surveys · Trainings · Technical support · Media · Social media |
| Government
| · Meetings · Emails · Calls · Mill and plant tours and site visits · Reporting activities to select state and federal agencies · Industry and trade association involvement |
| Investment community
| · Calls · Emails · Meetings · Conference appearances · Press releases · Media · Social media · SEC filings · Surveys |
| NGOs, academia, and think tanks
| · Visits · Events · Meetings · Research projects · Emails · Calls · Social media |
| Individual stockholders
| · Meetings · Press releases · Media · Social media |
| Suppliers
| · Events · Meetings · Calls · Emails · Surveys · Supplier relationship management · Supplier recognitions |
How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues
To identify and prioritise material topics Graphic Packaging engaged with its stakeholders through surveys and interviews.
What actions were taken by Graphic Packaging to create economic value for its stakeholders?
In its 2021 ESG Report Graphic Packaging reports that it took the following actions for creating economic value for its stakeholders:
- Creating economic value for providers of capital
- In FY2021, Graphic Packaging paid USD 223 million to providers of capital.
- Creating economic value for governments
- In FY2021, Graphic Packaging paid USD 74 million to governments.
Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed?
The GRI Standard addressed in this case is: Disclosure 201-1 Direct economic value generated and distributed
Disclosure 201-1 Direct economic value generated and distributed corresponds to:
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Targets: 8.1, 8.2
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- Targets: 9.1, 9.4, 9.5
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References:
This case study is based on published information by Graphic Packaging, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the following link:
https://www.graphicpkg.com/documents/2022/10/2021-esg-report.pdf/
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