Business Reporter BrandVoice: Getting Ahead Of The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals

Business Reporter BrandVoice: Getting Ahead Of The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals

Sappi is a Business Reporter client.

Graeme Wild, Group Head of Investor Relations and Sustainability at sustainable woodfibre producer Sappi, outlines how the company is meeting the challenges of the SDGs head-on.

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When did Sappi first commit to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs)?

We formalised our commitment in 2019 in alignment with the UN Summit on the SDGs. Having said that, as a signatory to the UN Global Compact (UNGC) since 2008, we have incorporated the UNGC's ten principles across all business operations and supply chains for more than a decade – a good baseline for any company engaging with the SDGs. So, in a way, we were working to integrate the SDGs into our business well before they were finalised.

What did formalising Sappi's commitment to the SDGs involve?

We established a working group drawn from colleagues across all regions to prioritise the SDGs most relevant to our business, develop related action plans and translate them into specific business targets.

Could you describe the SDGs you have prioritised and their relevance to Sappi's business?

We prioritised seven goals where we believe we can make the biggest contribution – through reducing our footprint as well as increasing our positive impact.

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