Santa Catarina, July 14, 2020 – Klabin, Brazil’s largest producer and exporter of packaging paper, was awarded the 2019 Social Seal, which recognizes social and environmental projects committed to the sustainable development of Itajaí (SC). The seal awarded by the municipal government stimulates  the implementation of actions that are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), encouraging organizations that promote local social and economic development.

The initiatives honored underscore Klabin’s commitment to the environment and have enabled it to be recognized in five of the 17 SDGs.

The first recognition came for the Sustainable Water Management program, which reinforced that wastewater disposal is one of the focal points of Klabin’s environmental management, as evidenced by investments in recent years at the Effluent Treatment Station (ETE) at the Itajaí Unit. The Company made improvements to the biological treatment system and the quality of wastewater generated at the mill, which enables a portion of it to be reused for sanitary discharge, gardening and cleaning, for example.

The second initiative for which the company won the 2019 Social Seal was the project to Reduce Electricity Consumption. Thanks to this initiative, 90% of the mill’s internal pavilions have already stopped using lamps containing hazardous metals, saving 93,600 kWh of energy per year at the unit.  The goal this year is to install 100% LED lighting at the Unit.

“Klabin has been working hard to build a sustainability agenda. Being recognized by the city further reinforces our commitment to sustainable development, which is aligned with our Sustainability Policy. We are going through difficult times, but we didn’t lose our focus. We continue our efforts to be a company that is friendly to nature and those who live in it”, says Pedro Paulo da Luz, Industrial Manager at Klabin’s Itajaí Unit.

The project outcomes are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN), aimed at preserving the environment and promoting sustainable development. Five of these categories were represented in Klabin’s projects: Innovation and Infrastructure, Responsible Consumption, Clean Water and Sanitation, Life below Water and Life on Land.