1. Can you describe your function and the activities of Metsä Board in a few words?

My name is Christophe Baudry. I have been working for 17 years for Metsä Group. I am Sales Director Brand Owners EMEA at Metsä Board.

Metsä Board is a leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards including folding boxboards, food service boards and white kraftliners. Our lightweight paperboards are developed to provide better, safer and more sustainable solutions for consumer goods as well as retail-ready and food service applications. We work together with our customers on a global scale to innovate solutions for better consumer experiences with less environmental impact. The pure fresh fibres Metsä Board uses are a renewable resource, traceable to origin in sustainably managed northern forests.

In 2017, the company’s sales totalled EUR 1.8 billion, and it has approximately 2,350 employees. Metsä Board is part of Metsä Group that is a forerunner in bioeconomy utilising renewable wood from sustainably managed northern forests. Metsäliitto Cooperative is the parent company of Metsä Group and owned by approximately 104,000 Finnish forest owners.

2. As Metsä Board, what are the subjects which you consider as priority and that CNE could investigate within the framework of working groups or of any other channels of communication (breakfast meeting, etc.) ?

I think recycling is one of the hot topics we all should work on. The quantity of packages keeps on increasing due to eating habits, ‘snackification’, smaller households and the ultimate convenience that we are looking for. Urbanisation increases the amount to packaging needed but it can also lead to more efficient recycling systems being developed. When people are living in a densely populated environment recycling can be organised much more efficiently. The scale of opportunity is highlighted by the fact that cities cover only 2% of the land area but create 70% of global waste.

Another important theme is product safety. People are increasingly aware of what they eat and feed to their children, and they expect safer products. The most important function of food packaging is to keep the contents and consumers safe.

It is also good to keep in mind that it’s not only the packaging material but also the packaging design that is needed to make a sustainable packaging.

3. CNE participated in a study tour on your industrial sites in Finland; could you summarize us the main points of the environmental policy of Metsä Board “for the best of packaging”?

Everyone at Metsä Board shares responsibility for our environmental performance. We develop our products, processes and working methods according to the principles of sustainable development and continuous improvement to further improve our environmental performance and energy efficiency.

Metsä Board utilises raw materials, water and energy efficiently and ensures that chemicals are used with caution and according to regulations. Residual waste and by-products of operations are utilised as raw material or for their energy content, when feasible.

Our business is focused upon fully utilising renewable wood raw material that originates from sustainably managed forests. Together with our wood suppliers we are committed to taking into consideration the economic, social and environmental aspects of forest management and procurement. We expect also our suppliers to follow a responsible environmental policy.

We always know the origin of the wood we use, and aim to increase the share of certified wood.

Metsä Board always communicates transparently with its stakeholders and in respect to environmental issues it works openly in cooperation with customers, the general public and the authorities.

4. Metsä Board is an actor of CNE’s activities, the (European Round Table…), from your point of view, how to strengthen even more the links between our both entities?

As you have understood, the recent investments of Metsä Board and even Metsä Group – are in obvious communion with the objectives of the CNE.

The ‘Better with Less’ concept reflects our desire to promote packaging solutions that create better consumer experiences with less environmental impact.

Our links could be reinforced by common work based on Metsä Board’s better with less concept.

The challenge would be to share in close cooperation with the CNE the best practices to create beautiful and functional packaging that makes a big impact IN the world while reducing the impact ON the world!

As such, Metsä Board will organize a customer event on November 20th in Paris, this could be a good opportunity for the CNE to intervene!

5. The “Better with Less” challenge organized by Metsä Board and “Emballé 5.0” awards organized by CNE, are complementary what key learnings do you keep winners of this year in terms of innovation and environmental responsibility?

My agenda is rather busy on trips abroad as you know, but really love participating in the ” Emballé 5.0 ” awards.

The students who are involved have a completely different vision from the ones had twenty years ago. They evolve in a world that is constantly changing, they are hyper connected. More and more youngsters are worrying about the well-being of their planet. Linked to this is the fact that there is far more consumer awareness about environmental impact, particularly in respect to the amount and type of packaging materials used and traceability. Many projects presented in ” Emballé 5.0 ” awards  2018 focused on how to pack better with less. We find again a strong and clear junction point with Metsä Board’s ” better with Less ” concept!