Sustainability is increasingly important to wholesalers and retailers. In fact, a JTI UK survey found that 93% of wholesalers view sustainability as a priority for their business.
Tim Heathorn, Wholesale Convenience & Gas Sector Manager, JTI UK speaks to Wholesale Manager about the actions they are taking to minimise the environmental impact of their operations, and what wholesalers should be considering when it comes to sustainability.
What does sustainability mean to JTI and how do you approach it?
At JTI, our approach to sustainability has been devised to deliver meaningful results. Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and specifically defines how we actively strive for a better future.
It’s vital that manufacturers work hard to protect our planet’s natural resources. This is why we have been investing for more than 15 years in reducing the carbon emissions from our operations. In addition to reducing emissions, we are addressing our broader impact on nature, including water consumption and waste reduction, forest conservation and biodiversity.
How are you tackling the impact of your packaging?
We are always looking to improve the circularity of our products through new designs and materials, reducing waste. In 2022, 82% of our packaging was reusable or recyclable and was comprised of 18% recycled materials – our target is 85% reusable or recyclable packaging by 2025, rising to 100% by 2030, with recycled materials accounting for 20% of our packaging by 2025.
What actions have you taken from a tobacco production point of view?
We are focused on conservation and enhancement of biodiversity in our direct leaf supply chain – this is where our biggest impact is and where we can have the most influence in driving positive change.
We have placed our 50,000+ vertically integrated growers at the centre of our leaf supply chain work, delivering positive impacts on their livelihoods through agricultural practices, crop diversification and child education programs.
Other biodiversity initiatives include soil conservation, renewable wood production, water conservation, and natural forest protection and rehabilitation.
JTI has committed to being carbon neutral for its own operations by 2030 and Net Zero across the entire value chain by 2050. What progress are you making against these targets?
We believe that creating a better future starts today. This is why we are prioritising the areas where we can make a real difference.
When it comes to greenhouse gases (GHG), between 2019 and 2022 we reduced GHG emissions from our own operations by 16% – our target is 47% reduction by 2030. In the same period, GHG emissions related to our purchased goods and services were reduced by 13% – our target is a 28% reduction by 2030. We are continuing to look at ways we can reduce the impact of our own operations and value chain on the environment by implementing best practices and encouraging innovation.
What other progress have you made?
Whilst there is still plenty of work to do, we are proud of the progress we have made to date.
Between 2015 and 2022 water use was reduced by 23% and waste from our operations was down 22% compared to our target to reduce water use by 15% and waste from our own operations by 20% by 2030. By 2030, a large photo voltaic (PV) array will be in operation at our site in Crewe, resulting in a substantial decrease in the UK market’s fossil-fuel based emissions. Measures are also underway to cut our UK logistics’ fleet emissions with a switch away from diesel to hydrotreated vegetable oils (HVO).
JTI UK is working to improve the sustainability of the UK merchandising equipment we manufacture. We have a set of sustainability standards to guide our merchandising suppliers on our environmental priorities. Our new category managed solution (CMS) gantry contains 17% recycled content and includes LED lighting as standard. All wood used is FSC certified, and the unit is also now 100% recyclable or reusable at end of life. In 2021, we commenced the roll out of plug-in, hybrid cars for our team of UK wide Business Advisers, who visit key accounts, wholesalers, and independent stores each day. We offer free installation of at-home charging points. We’re proud that 97% of our Business Adviser team now drive hybrid cars and by the end of 2023 this will be 100%.
How important is sustainability to wholesalers?
Whilst we are focused on reducing our environmental impact, we also work closely with our wholesale partners to learn more about their sustainability journey. We know that a more sustainable business will not only help wholesalers stand out from the crowd and attract environmentally minded retailers to their stores, but it can also reduce monthly outgoings.
What advice would you give to wholesalers?
Energy use is important to many wholesalers at present, especially given the rising energy costs of the last couple of years. Some sustainable business practices wholesalers can consider implementing are monitoring air conditioning usage and ventilation, adding energy efficient lighting and even making the switch to renewable energy generation with the installation of solar panels.
There is a huge amount of waste to deal with for wholesalers, and waste management is a key step towards being more sustainable for any wholesale operation. We would always recommend carrying out a full waste audit. Doing so means wholesalers can be clear about where their main areas of waste are coming from, allowing them to review existing recycling processes and create an effective plan of action.
Transport is another area where change is easy to measure and implement, bringing tangible benefits to a wholesaler’s sustainability credentials. Finally, it is important that wholesalers do not forget about supporting the people and the local community as part of their sustainability strategy.
For information visit www.jti.com/sustainability.
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