SustainabilityOnline recently published its inaugural ‘Ambition Into Action’ report, featuring interviews with senior leaders about how they are turning sustainability vision into business reality at the mid-point of the decade.
Jurgita Girzadiene has held the role of Sustainability and Better Planet Packaging Director at Smurfit Westrock since January 2023. She leads the Better Planet Packaging initiative, which supports clients in meeting their sustainability targets through packaging designed to balance performance, design, and environmental considerations. Prior to the creation of Smurfit Westrock, she held the position of Sustainability Manager at Smurfit Kappa.
How has Smurfit Westrock moved from ‘ambition to action’ in terms of turning sustainability into a core value driver – in other words, how have you made sustainability ‘good for business’?
I think that ambition is vital when it comes to sustainability, as sustainability is all about creating a better future for everyone. Setting an ambition shows the goal, the courage and commitment to deliver.
Then, of course, you need to build the right plan to achieve that ambition. This is where you need the buy-in of people who are both curious (to discover new solutions) and practical (to understand what is feasible to implement). At that point, you need to sit down, share ideas, assess the impact and draw up a realistic plan to execute which outlines what happens when.
At Smurfit Westrock we have made sustainability good for business by embedding it within every aspect of the organisation and not having it as a siloed or separate priority. Throughout our entire value chain, from product inception to end of use, we respect the circular economy. Thinking sustainably is not just about our products – it‘s across all our processes.
We also built a Green Finance framework which demonstrates our sustainable business model. We use this framework to use certified, sustainable raw materials, implement circular production and measure all our activity against environmental and social metrics. The framework also supported the issuance of £2 billion in Green Bonds in 2024.
We also find that demonstrating leadership and genuine progress in sustainability, is valued by our customers. We talk the same language as them and challenge each other on innovation and ideas – that is the type of discussion that our customers appreciate and which develops strong, long-term relationships.
We’re now at the mid point of the decade. What do you see as the single biggest barrier for businesses in moving from ambition to measurable action – and how can it be overcome?
Businesses nowadays face many challenges, including geopolitical factors and increased legislation. There is also a gap between ambition and operational accountability, which some businesses struggle to bridge or overcome. Conflicting priorities, for example, short term pressures like costs or targets, can also distract from implementing measurable sustainability actions.
To overcome the barriers, concrete outcomes need to be attached to ambitions. And ambitions need to turned into commitments which people are responsible for. Assigning targets or a robust plan – with timings mapped out – can hold businesses accountable and ensure that sustainability remains top of mind.
Incentivising people to deliver on the sustainability goals is also a way to overcome barriers. If promotions, bonuses and budgets are all linked with overall sustainability progress, this can also be a way to overcome barriers.
What role can (and should) leadership play in ensuring sustainability commitments actually deliver results, rather than remaining aspirational? And how can you ensure buy-in from all stakeholders?
In order to deliver results, sustainability needs to be a strategic business priority from the very top.
At Smurfit Westrock, we have a Sustainability Committee of the Board. This committee is responsible for proving strategic guidance to management in the implementation of the Smurfit Westrock sustainability strategy and driving alignment with global best practice.
In addition to this special Board Committee, our management team is very much involved and engaged both on sustainability commitments and the delivery of them. Constant updates and direction help our teams to be alert and deliver. The engagement of management also fuels good discussions, debates, and honestly – a lot of educational inputs.
I also think, it’s very healthy to consult external experts, but ultimate ambition and practical implementation should be owned internally. The culture of the company also matters, and our culture is based on delivery and is empowered by big vision. Proactivity helps engage stakeholders, both internal and external and regular updates to instil pride and inspiration helps to get stakeholders on board.
For example, our Better Planet Packaging (BPP) movement now is unstoppable, and helps us to have open discussions with our stakeholders everywhere, to understand their challenges so we can continue to solve their issues and help them to deliver on their own sustainability goals.
It’s a circle – you get an understanding of what the particular stakeholder challenge is, then you adapt and take that inside your company, come back with the right solutions and ambitions, and you then get buy-in.
Learn more about Smurfit Westrock’s Better Planet Packaging initiative at www.smurfitwestrock.com/sustainability/better-planet-packaging.
