EPL releases sustainability report
EPL’s sustainability report 2021-2022 highlights the team’s mission to deliver business results, without compromising on the vision to lead the industry in sustainable practices
03 Jul 2023 | By Disha Chakraborty
Anand Kripalu, the global CEO and MD at EPL
In FY 2021-22, EPL continued to optimise its operations so that the adverse environmental impact of plastics could be reduced without slowing the company’s growth trajectory.
“The coming year will see us reinforce our leadership position in the packaging industry in terms of business metrics as well as sustainability, so that we continue to lead the pack sustainably. Technology and innovation will continue to remain the major drivers of our progress,” said Anand Kripalu, managing director and global CEO.
EPL’s road map on product sustainability is progressing in plastics packaging weight reduction, helping brands and products move into recyclable formats and improvements in usage of recycled plastics which are inline with the circular economy goals established with Ellen Macarthur foundation.
EPL, headquartered in Mumbai, India, which operates 19 facilities spread across nine countries, namely China, Colombia, Egypt, Germany, India, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland and the United States. The company sold more than eight billion tubes annually.
In August 2021, EPL joined the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), which is a partnership between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The company also joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) in January 2021, and are integrating the UNGC’s Ten Principles on Human Rights, Labor, Environment and Anti-Corruption as a part of our business strategy and company culture. It also supports the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Despite the challenging business environment, the team of 3,200 plus employees across the globe persisted with EPL’s vision
Case-study I: Product sustainability
The Covid pandemic impacted the beauty industry in the United States, with brands focusing on producing hand sanitisers and cleaning agents. EPL America capitalised on this change when their brand, DIONIS, was acquired by Costco. Costco needed four million tubes within 60 days, and EPL delivered the order in time by using in-house stock laminate, EPL’s cap, and digital deco. It has now signed a 24-month contract to provide direct packaging to Costco’s warehouse to meet customer needs.
EPL follows an accounting framework known as the Triple Bottom Line (TBL). The TBL takes into account three dimensions. These are known as the three Ps - profit, planet and people - which encompass financial, environmental and social considerations.
The company’s commitment to sustainability and innovation has been recognised by organisations in the industry such as RecyClass (Europe) and the Association of Plastic Recyclers (USA).
EPL targets to have 70% of its product portfolio certified as sustainable by 2025 as per globally recognised standards, such as APR, ReCylass, BIS, CIPET, NABL and ISCC.
EPL undertakes Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to gauge the environmental impact of its products and operations throughout their entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal. 11% Reduction in energy demand; 12% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (kgCO2e); and 15% Reduction in ozone formation (NM VOC eq).
EPL used a total of 41,227 MT of materials in FY 2021–22. This includes packaging supplies, semi-manufactured goods and raw materials. The primary raw materials are laminated and labelled polymers such LLDPE, HDPE, masterbatch, PP and LDPE. EPL’s consumption of semi-manufactured goods, such as aluminium foil, declined by 3% over the previous year.
Case study II: Change in packaging from bottles to tubes
The Covid-19 pandemic saw an increase in the demand for cosmetics, including those from Unilever in the Philippines. EPL faced hurdles due to the restrictions at the Manila port and shortage of staff at its manufacturing facility. To tide over this, the company introduced the Lalamove process, which ensured samples were delivered to customers within two hours in Manila city.