SIG Combibloc Achieves Platinum Level Green Business Certification

Feb. 13, 2012 - PRLog -- HOUSTON – SIG Combibloc Inc in Chester, PA manufactures aseptic carton packaging for beverages and food products, as well as the machines that fill them. SIG Combibloc is a company committed to protecting the environment.  On average, aseptic carton packaging is composed of 75% renewable wood fibers from controlled and responsibly managed forests.  To further apply the company’s environmental commitment, SIG Combibloc enrolled with the Green Business Bureau (GBB) in March 2011. By December of the same year, SIG Combibloc achieved the Platinum status, the highest certification level offered by the GBB.

“As a company we promote a positive environmental impact with our aseptic carton packaging products and we wanted to extend the same practices in our office space and promote a sustainable lifestyle to all of our employees,” says Brenda L Quintana, Office Manager and leader of SIG Combibloc’s Green Team.

Quintana states her team initially decided to join the Green Business Bureau because of its easy to manage program.  GBB’s best-in-class online platform offers companies a personalized dashboard to guide them in achieving their green business certification.  Enrolling with the GBB and managing SIG Combibloc’s green goals are “quite simple” with GBB’s user-friendly dashboard and targets, continues Quintana.

The Green Business Bureau offers three levels of certification, Aware, Gold and Platinum.  To achieve Platinum Level certification, SIG Combibloc accrued 400 points by completing a menu of green initiatives.  Quintana says reaching Platinum level had support throughout the SIG Combibloc organization.

“Our CEO, Eduardo Gatica, gave us immediate support and challenged the Green Team to achieve the highest tier,” says Quintana.  
While they had the support of the company’s CEO, Quintana says the biggest challenge was securing approvals for green incentives during a time in which SIG Combibloc was implementing cost cutting measures.  In the end, the Green Team gained approval for the Hybrid Incentive, a project that promotes a sustainable form of transportation. The incentive reimburses employees $3,000 for the purchase of, and $1,500 for the lease of, a hybrid vehicle.
Quintana says that SIG Combibloc has seen cost savings from their green efforts as well.  A year into the program, the company reduced costs through the installation of a break room water system that eliminated purchase and delivery of large water jugs.  SIG Combibloc also gained more savings by eliminating disposable dishware, utensils and cups, and delivery services for these goods
“We do the shopping ourselves and buy in bulk at discounted warehouse retailers. We’re able to reduce price and unnecessary individual or secondary packaging,” says Quintana.
“SIG Combibloc’s sustainability has become an interesting sales tool, too,” says Quintana.
“When our Sales Teams visit customers, or when our Marketing Teams participate at conventions, not only do they promote our sustainable products, but we can speak proudly about how our back office operations are environmentally friendly as well,” says Quintana.  “We are able to demonstrate that we practice what we preach.”
To learn more about SIG Combibloc’s Platinum certification, log onto http://www.sig.biz/usa and find the Green Business Bureau Platinum Certification seal.  Click on the seal to view the entire list of initiatives completed by SIG Combibloc Inc.
To learn more about the Green Business Bureau, please visit http://www.gbb.org.

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SIG Combibloc is one of the world’s leading system suppliers of aseptic carton packaging and filling machines for beverages and food. In 2010 the company achieved a turnover of 1,360 million Euro with around 4,650 employees in 40 countries. SIG Combibloc is part of the New Zealand based Rank Group.