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Author: Tiago Moreira da Silva, CEO, Ba Glass
Ba Glass continues to show the way of sustainability, based on a long -standing commitment to reduce the environmental impact. Each step crosses strengthens the role of the company in the conduct of positive changes for a greener future.
Durability in business is not just a subject of trend, but critical responsibility. While global expectations in environmental and social responsibility continue to increase, the sustainability of the BA glass is at the heart of each decision -making process. We believe that transparency is essential to build a sustainable future – just like the inherent qualities of glass itself. Guided by its main pillars of sustainability – people, social responsibility, environmental responsibility, shareholders, customers and consumers – BA Glass provides a balanced and responsible approach to growth and innovation.
As part of our continuous commitment and the alignment of the objectives of the target -based target initiative (SBTI), we have made measurable progress in the reduction of our carbon footprint. In 2020, Ba Glass approved its objectives of reduction of emissions approved by the SBTI, committing to a reduction of 50% of the emissions of the one and two scope by 2035. Since then, we have made regular progress – in the last year, we reduced our programs Stope One by almost two percent, which placed us about nine percent before the SBTI trajectory. These results continuously strengthen our confidence in achieving our ultimate objective of carbon neutrality by 2050.
In 2024, Ba Glass made significant progress to reduce its carbon footprint by improving the use of cup (recycled glass) in the production process. The Cullet incorporation rate increased by five percentage points compared to 2023, resulting in an estimated reduction of 26,000 tonnes in CO2 emissions, emphasizing the circularity and sustainable management of resources. In Romania, the introduction of the deposit yield system (DRS) has considerably improved the glass collection and available cullet volumes, resulting in a sharp increase in the incorporation of cullet compared to previous years. In the future, we plan to continue to increase the volume of cullet, reaching a record level.
In addition, in accordance with its commitment to circularity and to ensure greater availability of recycled glass, Ba Glass acquired the Glass Reresco recycling group in 2024. This integration of Rersco operations in the Ba Glass group reinforces our dedication to the closure of the loop on glass packaging. With the sorting and recut on recresco installations which are now part of our network, Ba Glass is better placed to stimulate the recovery of cup, improve operational efficiency and further speed up progress towards its decarbonization objectives.
Strong ambition for progress
Although Ba Glass has increased the incorporation of recycled glass, the ambition to progress is still strong. The biggest challenge continues to be the expectation of the Cullet. In this context, the Platforma Vidro + has been created in Portugal – of which Ba Glass is a member – to unite efforts between businesses and citizens, playing a crucial role in promoting best practices and strengthening the use of biomets in production, which has resulted in the growth of adhesions and related initiatives.
Beyond a continuous accent on circularity, Ba Glass undertakes to optimize the effectiveness of its ovens, supported by a supported investment strategy in advanced technologies. These upgrades are essential to improve operational sustainability and reduce the global environmental impact.
An important step in our sustainability efforts is the successful incorporation of biomethane in one of our production factories. Passing from natural gas to biomethane, BA glass reduced co₂e emissions by around 1,500 tonnes. This initiative places the company at the forefront of the adoption of biomethane in the glass packaging industry.
Our commitment to sustainability also includes the design of our products. Thanks to continuous innovation in the design of packaging, our “light program” plays a crucial role in our environmental efforts. Last year, this initiative led to the production of 15 million lighter glass containers, resulting in a reduction of around 240 tonnes of CO₂ in the atmosphere.
Recognizing our long -term commitment to responsible growth, all the electricity consumed in Ba Glass factories, since 2022, has been entirely from renewable energies, which leads to a two emissions. We remain firmly engaged in this clean energy strategy and plan to increase the installed capacity of photovoltaic systems during the coming year, strengthening our renewable energy infrastructure. Pushed by our durability objectives, at Ba Glass, we have made significant progress in the management of repairable packaging. Despite the continuous growth of the market, we have maintained high levels of yields of the pallets, managed to recover more than 3.6 million pallets, reduce waste from equipment and improve operational flow.
An expanding electric fleet
In accordance with our commitment to sustainable logistics, Ba Glass continues to advance low -emission transport solutions. At the end of 2024, the first electric truck was tested in the Villafranca factory in Los Barros and now operates roads to Seville, with plans to extend the electric fleet during the coming year. The use of alternative fuels – including biomethane, HVO and bio -lng – has also been extended to all divisions, contributing to new transport reductions. To improve efficiency on key routes, intermodal logistics has been reinforced by combining the shipment of roads, rails and the short sea. In addition, the adoption of duo trailers has supported fuel savings and a new decrease in emissions.
In addition to these initiatives, collaboration with our customers is essential to stimulate the progress of sustainability. Thanks to our collab2zero initiative, these partnerships have been strengthened, promoting collective action to decarbonization. In 2024, productive discussions with key customers led to impactful actions and significant progress in reducing environmental impact.
Ba Glass’s commitment to sustainability is a continuous journey, built on a strategy that evolves over time. By integrating sustainability in all aspects of our operations, we remain focused on the conduct of positive changes which benefit not only to the environment but also to society as a whole.