Ball Corporation
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2008-2009, 2010-2011, 2012-2013, 2014-2015, 2016-2017, 2018-2019, 2021, 2022)
Reporting Period: 2008-2009
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Packaging
- Energy
- Water & Waste
- Safety
- Talent Management
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced direct and indirect GHG emissions (Specific figures provided in the report, but not easily quantifiable without further calculation)
- Improved water utilization through counterflow technology in can washing
- 22 acres of land certified as a “Wildlife at Work” site
Social Achievements
- Formalized wellness program for North American employees (expanded to Europe in 2010)
- Training programs on influenza pandemic and blood-borne pathogens
- BEACON (Ball Employee Action and Community Outreach) program promoting community involvement
Governance Achievements
- Established methods for shareholders and others to communicate with the Board
- Regular analysis of business units for risks related to corruption
- Training programs on anti-corruption policies and procedures
Climate Goals & Targets
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
- Reduce GHG emissions by 16 percent by 2012 (based on 2002 baseline)
Environmental Challenges
- Further light-weighting in can manufacturing difficult due to cans already at or near optimum limit
- Increasing recycling and developing/supporting recycling systems in countries lacking such systems
- Consumer perceptions on some petroleum-based packages
- Increasing costs of materials and energy
- Lower recycling rates
- Identifying most efficient ways to save energy
- Some energy saving opportunities require significant capital investment
- Reducing water usage could lead to increased use of cleaning chemicals
- Changing retailer and consumer preferences in packaging types
- Sustainability-related legislation
- Finding qualified and diverse applicants
Mitigation Strategies
- Save material costs through light-weighting and increased recycling
- Lower carbon emissions throughout the life cycle of products
- Develop/support recycling systems
- Highlight environmental benefits of packages
- Improve collection and recycling
- Influence sound packaging laws
- Increase market share
- Maintain high level of expertise of employees
- Increase diversity of workforce
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier guiding principles addressing human rights
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Not disclosed
Transition Risks
- Increased government intervention, higher prices for raw materials, energy and water, changes in packaging preferences
Opportunities
- Further incentive to reduce energy and water consumption, promote recycling, use renewable energy, develop sustainable packages, support customer sustainability initiatives
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI G3
Certifications: Null
Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Light-weighting of packaging products, Ball Resealable End (BRE)
Awards & Recognition
- Numerous awards listed in the report (see section 2.10)
Reporting Period: 2010-2011
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Innovation
- Operations
- Talent management
- Recycling
- Supply chain
- Community
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced energy consumption and CO2 emissions (details on pages 8-11 of the report)
- Reduced water consumption (details on pages 12-13 of the report)
- Developed a technology innovation that allows the use of recycled material in the manufacture of slugs, lightweighting extruded aluminum aerosol packaging by as much as 10 percent
Social Achievements
- Formed the Ball Foundation to direct the majority of its corporate giving in the U.S., focusing on education, recycling, and community engagement
- Implemented various employee wellness programs in North America and Europe
Governance Achievements
- Established methods for shareholders and others to send communications to the board
- Implemented a new compliance training program in 2012 that will require all employees to attend training bi-annually
Climate Goals & Targets
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Environmental Challenges
- Further lightweighting containers (already near optimum limit)
- Increasing costs for energy, water, and input materials
- Efficiency opportunities requiring significant capital investment
- Reducing water usage in can manufacturing affecting product quality and spoilage
- Getting all employees involved in maximizing business value
- Attracting and retaining the best talent
- Increasing recycling rates in countries with low rates
- Influencing suppliers’ sustainability management
- Additional administrative and reporting burdens due to regulations
- Measuring impact on communities
- Increasing energy costs
- Additional administrative and reporting burdens due to regulations
- Potential increase in costs of raw materials, energy, and water
- Changing retailer and consumer preferences in packaging types
- Misperceptions of external groups
- Unfavorable packaging laws
Mitigation Strategies
- Save material costs
- Meet customer and consumer needs
- Lower carbon footprint of products
- Improve image and reputation
- Reduce costs
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Reduce dependence on energy and water
- Create long-term growth opportunities
- Improve collection and recycling
- Influence sound packaging laws
- Increase market share
- Improving energy efficiency
- Save costs
- Reduce dependence on water
- Maintain high level of expertise of employees
- Increase diversity of workforce
- Highlight environmental benefits of packages
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Guiding Principles (addressing human rights, conflict minerals, and forced labor)
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Significant weather changes, natural disasters
Transition Risks
- Increased government intervention, rising raw material prices
Opportunities
- Higher revenues in aerospace business due to opportunities to study changing weather patterns; incentives to promote recycling and energy efficiency
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI G3.1
Certifications: Null
Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- ReAl™ technology for using recycled material in aluminum slugs
Awards & Recognition
- See section 2.10 in the report
Reporting Period: 2012-2013
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Energy Efficiency
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Water Efficiency
- Waste Reduction
- Safety
- Employee Engagement
- Community Investment
- Supply Chain Sustainability
- Recycling
- Innovation
- Lightweighting
Environmental Achievements
- 7 percent improvement in energy efficiency in can businesses since 2010
- Reduced aluminum use by about 6,600 metric tons in North American beverage operations, saving more than 52,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions
- Introduced an ultra-light can in Europe saving approximately 5 percent metal
- Reduced weight of an end used with millions of two-piece food cans in North America by 15 percent, saving more than 210 metric tons of steel annually
- 33 of 61 manufacturing locations sent zero waste to landfill by year-end 2013
- Increased the amount of waste reused and recycled from 54 to 65 percent
Social Achievements
- More than 11,500 employees participated in Ball’s first global employee engagement survey
- Ball Foundation awarded approximately $2.4 million to nonprofit organizations
- Company-wide 2013 total recordable incident rate of 1.6 (63 percent better than U.S. manufacturing industries)
Governance Achievements
- Listing in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as industry leader
- Implemented additional policies and practices focused on LGBTA workplace equality
Climate Goals & Targets
- By 2020, reduce the carbon footprint of our most common beverage can formats per region by 10 percent through efforts in our control; combined with supply chain partners' efforts, achieve a total reduction of 25 percent.
- Reduce aluminum use in global beverage can operations by 30,000 metric tons by 2015
- Launch 10 percent lighter aerosol can with recycled aluminum in the Americas by 2015
- Improve GHG emission intensity by 10 percent by 2015 (compared to 2010 baseline)
- Improve energy efficiency by 2 percent in global can businesses by 2015
- Improve water efficiency by 3.2 percent in global can businesses by 2015
- Reduce total waste by 4.5 percent and waste to landfill by 22 percent per unit of production in global can businesses by 2015
- Realize 70 percent recycling/reuse rate for all waste generated in global can businesses by 2015
- Support the achievement of a 75 percent recycling rate for aluminum beverage cans in the U.S. and Europe by 2015
- Support the achievement of an 80 percent recycling rate for all metal packaging in Europe by 2015
- Triple the number of employees participating in Ball’s Community Ambassadors program by 2015
- Achieve 100 percent plant participation in community program by 2015
Environmental Challenges
- Opposing trends offsetting progress toward energy efficiency goals (e.g., increases in can sizes, shapes, and labels)
- Diverting waste from landfills in some regions
- Challenges with accurate data on aerosol recycling rates and consumer access to recycling
- Stakeholders indicating community engagement efforts not very important for Ball’s success
Mitigation Strategies
- Invested in businesses to manage efficiently through challenges
- Utilize savings from other waste optimization programs to offset additional costs of landfill diversion efforts
- Worked with customers and partners to promote aerosol can collection
- Continued community engagement efforts, emphasizing its value in strengthening reputation and inspiring employee engagement
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 93% response rate to first global supplier sustainability self-assessment survey in 2013
Responsible Procurement
- Responsible Sourcing Framework (including Category Sustainability Profiles, Onboarding Requirements, and Continuous Improvement)
- Supplier Guiding Principles (covering employment practices, human rights, environment, health and safety, antitrust, bribery and corruption)
- Contracts include clauses on human trafficking and conflict minerals
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI G4) Core level
Third-party Assurance: External assurance statement available online
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Lighter weight aerosol can with recycled material
- Ultra-light can
- Smaller diameter can end
- Lightest 16-ounce aluminum beverage bottles
- New, shaped aluminum beverage bottle (planned for commercialization by 2015)
Reporting Period: 2014-2015
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Product Stewardship
- Operational Excellence
- Talent Management
- Community Ambassadors
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced the carbon footprint of their most common beverage can formats by 10 percent since 2010.
- Reduced aluminum use in their Global Metal Beverage Packaging business by more than 30,000 metric tons, saving more than 100,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
- Introduced an ultra-light can in Europe, saving approximately 5 percent metal compared to its predecessor.
- Increased the amount of waste that is recycled and reused from 44 to 71 percent since 2010.
- Findlay, Ohio plant added five 1.5 megawatt wind turbines, generating 13 million kilowatt hours per year and avoiding approximately 8,200 metric tons of GHG emissions per year.
Social Achievements
- Reduced their Total Recordable Incident Rate by 27 percent.
- Achieved a 77 percent participation rate and 78 percent engagement level in their 2014 employee engagement survey.
- Donated more than $4 million to charitable organizations.
- Expanded their annual “Let’s Can Hunger” food drive across all North American locations, collecting more than 170,000 pounds of canned food and raising more than $215,000.
Governance Achievements
- Sustainability is embedded into their strategic planning and built from the bottom up; individual plants are accountable for their sustainability performance, which is tied to each plant manager’s performance appraisal.
- Accountability for sustainability performance is monitored at various levels of the organization and overseen by the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee of Ball Corporation’s board of directors.
Climate Goals & Targets
- Cut the carbon footprint of our beverage cans by 25% by 2020 (baseline 2010).
- Determine a science-based greenhouse gas emission reduction target by mid-2018.
- Reduce three-year rolling average Total Recordable Incident Rate by 25 percent by 2020.
- By year-end 2016, determine baseline for electricity, natural gas, water, waste and VOCs for our company post-close of the Rexam acquisition and commit to bottom-up normalized targets for our global beverage can business by mid-2017.
Environmental Challenges
- Substantial increases in can sizes, shapes and label changes, as well as new line startups and curtailments, threaten to offset progress toward their sustainability goals because they decrease efficiencies.
- Water scarcity, quality and discharge are operational and reputational risks for Ball and their value chain partners.
- Diverting waste from landfills is a challenge in some regions, especially when landfill costs are low or when waste must be shipped over long distances for alternative treatment options.
Mitigation Strategies
- Focus on six energy efficiency areas: employee engagement, machinery and equipment, heating and cooling, heat recovery, lighting and energy management.
- Equipped the majority of their washers with sub-meters to monitor water use in real time.
- Installed automated systems to track and compare water usage in eight North American and all European facilities.
- Invest in wastewater treatment technologies and evaluate advanced treatment options for effluents to enable water reuse.
- Utilize a standardized waste data collection process globally since 2008.
Supply Chain Management
Responsible Procurement
- Strategic sourcing process enables discussion of sustainability expectations with suppliers and collaboration on new manufacturing technologies, product innovations, recycling programs and transparency.
- Report details of due diligence determining the origins of the tin used by their steel suppliers (conflict minerals).
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Changes in climate and weather
Transition Risks
- Regulatory action or issues
Opportunities
- Renewable energy opportunities
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI G4 Core
Certifications: ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 50001
Third-party Assurance: PricewaterhouseCoopers
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 2 (Zero Hunger)
- Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
- Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure)
- Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)
- Goal 13 (Climate Action)
Ball's sustainability priorities and associated goals are aligned with and contribute to 10 of the 17 SDGs.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- ReAl aluminum aerosol technology (15% lighter than standard)
- G3-HD tinplate aerosol packaging (11% lighter than traditional three-piece)
- Ultra-light 33-centiliter aluminum can body (less than 10 grams)
- Alumi-Tek aluminum beverage bottles (50% less aluminum than alternatives)
Awards & Recognition
- World Aluminum Aerosol Can (ReAl)
- Gold at The Canmaker Magazine Cans of the Year Award 2015 (ReAl)
Reporting Period: 2016-2017
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Circular Economy
- Climate Change
- Water Stewardship
- Responsible Sourcing
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced GHG emissions (Scope 1 & 2) by 2% compared to 2016.
- Reduced total waste generation per EVA® dollar generated by 17% compared to 2016.
- 39 of 88 packaging manufacturing plants achieved zero waste to landfill status by year-end 2017.
- Reduced aluminum use in beverage and aerosol packaging by 7,700 metric tons, saving 58,000 metric tons of GHG emissions.
- Improved energy efficiency in global beverage packaging business by 3% since 2015.
- Achieved a 23% reduction in Carbon Intensity Index (CII) from a 2010 baseline.
Social Achievements
- Provided more than $550,000 to recycling-related projects and over 400 volunteer hours globally in 2017.
- Supported disaster relief efforts with over 38,000 volunteer hours and $5 million in donations.
- Launched a Ball-wide campaign, “Live the Can Life,” to promote can recycling.
Governance Achievements
- Established a Sustainability Steering Committee to oversee sustainability strategy.
- Implemented a Responsible Sourcing Framework to evaluate and engage suppliers.
- Joined the Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI) to promote responsible aluminum production.
Climate Goals & Targets
- Not disclosed
- Reduce GHG emissions across the value chain per can produced by 25% by 2030.
- Achieve industry recycling rates targets for metal packaging products in developed markets, and work toward measurement and improvement of metal packaging recycling in emerging markets by 2020.
- Reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 27% against a 2017 baseline by 2030.
Environmental Challenges
- Supply chain disruptions due to natural disasters (e.g., Hurricane Harvey).
- Maintaining high recycling rates for aluminum cans.
- Reducing GHG emissions across the entire value chain (Scope 3).
Mitigation Strategies
- Investing in energy efficiency measures ($11 million in 2016/2017).
- Partnering with organizations to improve recycling infrastructure (e.g., The Recycling Partnership).
- Collaborating with suppliers to reduce embedded carbon in metals.
- Exploring opportunities to cover a significant portion of North American electricity load with renewables.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 50%+ of metal and major ODM suppliers assessed through Sedex platform by early 2018.
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Guiding Principles, Conflict Minerals Policy, collaboration with suppliers on sustainability improvements.
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Extreme weather events, flooding
Transition Risks
- Regulatory changes, market shifts
Opportunities
- Development of energy-efficient products, renewable energy investments.
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI Standards (Core level)
Certifications: Null
Third-party Assurance: ERM Certification and Verification Services (ERM CVS)
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
- Goal 13 (Climate Action)
- Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)
- Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)
Initiatives related to energy efficiency, GHG emissions reduction, water conservation, and multi-stakeholder partnerships.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- STARcan (next-generation beverage can), ReAL® aerosol technology.
Awards & Recognition
- Not disclosed
Reporting Period: 2018-2019
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Circular Economy
- Climate Change
- Water Stewardship
- Responsible Sourcing
- Diversity & Inclusion
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced carbon footprint by 26% between 2010-2019.
- Signed agreements to purchase renewable energy equal to energy load in North America and Europe.
- Introduced the Ball Aluminum Cup™.
- Eliminated the use of over 5,000 metric tons of aluminum through weight optimization, saving more than 16,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
- Increased energy efficiency 5.5% between 2016-2019.
- Increased water efficiency 11% between 2016-2019.
- Achieved ASI certification for all 23 beverage can plants in EMEA.
Social Achievements
- Donated more than $7.5 million, supporting over 2,000 non-profit organizations worldwide.
- Employees volunteered over 38,500 hours in 2019.
- Rolled out Unconscious Bias training globally and a female talent initiative, resulting in the promotion of 20% of participants.
Governance Achievements
- More than half of the board of directors consists of women and ethnic minorities.
Climate Goals & Targets
- Not disclosed
- Achieve a 55% absolute reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from own operations by 2030.
- Achieve a 16% reduction in value chain GHG emissions by 2030.
- Increase aluminum can recycling rates to near 100% by 2030.
- Achieve ASI certification for all packaging businesses by end of 2022.
- Reduce water consumption in high-risk areas.
Environmental Challenges
- Increasing recycling rates globally.
- Reducing GHG emissions across the value chain (80% of emissions come from the value chain).
- Water scarcity in some regions where Ball operates.
- Disruptions due to extreme weather events.
- Human rights abuses in the supply chain.
- Packaging waste regulations.
Mitigation Strategies
- Switching to renewable energy (100% in North America by end of 2021, 63% in Europe by 2021).
- Improving energy efficiency in manufacturing processes.
- Weight optimization of cans.
- Collaboration with suppliers to improve sustainability.
- Implementing water-saving measures in high-risk areas.
- Partnering with the American Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies for disaster relief.
- Using the WRI Aqueduct tool to map water-related risks.
- Implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) strategies.
- Investing in smarter collection infrastructure and improving sorting centers.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 27% of key suppliers had low-risk profiles as of January 2020.
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Guiding Principles covering employment practices, human rights, environment, health and safety, antitrust activities, bribery and corruption; conflict minerals policy; slavery and human trafficking statement.
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Extreme weather events
Transition Risks
- Regulatory changes
Opportunities
- Development of energy-efficient products
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI Core Level
Certifications: ASI Performance and Chain of Custody (EMEA)
Third-party Assurance: ERM Certification and Verification Services (ERM CVS)
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Ball focuses efforts on these SDGs where they can have the highest impact.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Ball Aluminum Cup™
- Infinity aluminum bottles
- ReAl® alloy for aerosol cans
- STARcan
Awards & Recognition
- Forbes’ 2019 list of “America’s Best Employers for Diversity” (No. 1)
Reporting Period: 2021
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Circularity
- Product Stewardship
- Social Impact
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Responsible Sourcing
- Health, Safety & Well-being
- Community Engagement
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced carbon emissions associated with the direct operations of our global beverage business by 20%
- Sourced 44% of its global electricity demand in 2021 from renewables, reducing approximately 390,392 metric tons of GHG emissions year-over-year.
- STARcans accounted for 23% of the global volume of aluminum beverage cans produced, saving 6,100 metric tons of aluminum and reducing approximately 27,760 metric tons of GHG emissions.
- Aerosol division converted 45% of its production to lightweight ReAl® cans, saving 1,990 metric tons of aluminum and reducing approximately 16,400 metric tons of GHG emissions.
Social Achievements
- Increased annual spend with minority- and women-owned business (MWBE) suppliers in the United States by 30%
- Launched a global ‘Ball For All’ storytelling campaign to foster empathy and inclusion.
- Expanded engineering and operations leadership development programs globally.
- Created a new employee listening strategy with continuous surveys to gather real-time feedback.
Governance Achievements
- Eleven of thirteen directors on our Board are independent.
- Board determined to declassify its Board and permit shareholders to amend bylaws.
Climate Goals & Targets
- Achieve Net Zero carbon emissions across the value chain before 2050.
- Increase global recycling rates for aluminum beverage cans, bottles, and cups to 90% by 2030.
- Achieve 85% average recycled content in aluminum products by 2030.
- Reduce energy required to produce each beverage can by 30% by 2030.
- Use lightweight STARcan designs in 80% of global beverage can production by 2030.
- 100% of supplied coatings, inks and compounds to achieve Cradle to Cradle Material Health certification at silver level or better by 2030.
- Reduce the weight of aluminum cups by 10% over the next two years.
- Phase out BPA from beverage can production worldwide by mid-decade.
- Achieve 35% employee participation in giving and volunteer activities by 2025.
- Reduce Total Recordable Incident Rate by 25% from a 2020 baseline by 2030.
Environmental Challenges
- Lingering global pandemic
- Far-reaching supply chain disruptions
- Balancing new ways of working while prioritizing workforce health and safety
- Increased safety incidents due to growth, COVID absences, and overtime.
- Increased Scope 3 emissions due to volume growth, improved supplier GHG accounting, and increased capital goods deployment.
Mitigation Strategies
- Implemented measures to prioritize and invest in safety training, behavior-based safety programs, machine guarding, and risk assessments.
- Developed a detailed roadmap to Net Zero to optimize carbon reduction and capital allocation.
- Investing in energy monitoring and AI-driven software to optimize energy and water use.
- Exploring electrification of ovens used in can making.
- Developing a roadmap for water management, including water reduction, recycling, and local watershed engagement.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not specified, but implied through Global Supplier Forum and responsible sourcing initiatives.
Responsible Procurement
- Strategic sourcing framework incorporating sustainability criteria.
- Collaboration with suppliers on sustainability solutions.
- ASI certification for suppliers.
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Extreme weather
- Supply chain disruptions due to climate events
Transition Risks
- Regulatory changes
- Market shifts towards sustainable packaging
Opportunities
- Increased demand for sustainable aluminum packaging
- Development of energy-efficient products and processes
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI Standards: Core option, TCFD (partially aligned), SASB (partially aligned), UN Global Compact (joining in 2023)
Certifications: Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Performance Standard and Chain of Custody Standard (for various plants)
Third-party Assurance: PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (limited assurance on select 2021 sustainability metrics)
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
- Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure)
- Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)
- Goal 13 (Climate Action)
Initiatives contribute to these goals through renewable energy, sustainable packaging, waste reduction, and climate action.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- STARcans
- ReAl® lightweight aerosol cans
- Ball Aluminum Cup™
Awards & Recognition
- Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality
Reporting Period: 2022
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Circular Economy
- Recycling
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Responsible Sourcing
- Employee Well-being
- Supply Chain Sustainability
- Product Stewardship
- Social Impact
- Governance
Environmental Achievements
- Achieved 27% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions since 2017.
- Achieved 36% increase in absolute Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions since 2017.
- Secured 28% renewable electricity coverage globally by year-end 2022.
- 31% of global beverage can production used weight-optimized STARcan dome designs.
- 59% of global aerosol can production used lightweight ReAl® alloy.
- 47% of beverage coatings, inks and sealing compounds achieved Cradle to Cradle Material Health certification at Silver level or better.
- Ball Aluminum Cup® achieved Bronze Cradle to Cradle Material Health Certification.
- Reduced aluminum consumption by over 6,200 metric tons, saving approximately 32,680 metric tons of GHG emissions through lightweighting efforts.
- Re:Gen aerosol can has half the carbon footprint of a standard aerosol can.
Social Achievements
- Employees supported over 2,800 non-profit organizations globally and contributed over 30,000 volunteer hours.
- Named one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality” and a top employer for disability inclusion.
- Launched several campaigns to promote mental and emotional well-being.
- 81% of employees feel engaged, enabled and energized by their work.
- 70% of employees are not seriously considering leaving Ball.
- Expanded Benevity benefit globally, increasing support worldwide.
- Launched “Às Mulheres” beer project, produced 100% by women.
Governance Achievements
- Ten of twelve directors on the Board are independent.
- Shareholders approved declassification of the Board.
Climate Goals & Targets
- Achieve net zero carbon emissions prior to 2050
- Achieve 90% global aluminum recycling rate for beverage cans, bottles, and cups by 2030
- Achieve 85% average recycled content in aluminum used for beverage cans, bottles, and cups by 2030
- Reduce absolute Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by 55% by 2030
- Achieve 100% renewable electricity globally by 2030
- 100% of workforce participates in unconscious bias training by 2030
- 100% of manufacturing employees participate in industry-leading technical training by 2030
- 100% of computer-based employees leverage Ball Learning Library by 2030
- 100% of people leaders participate in at least one leadership development experience annually by 2030
- Launch second generation of ReAl® aerosol container technology with 75% recycled content by 2030
- 80% of global beverage can production with weight-optimized STARcan dome designs by 2030
- 50% global aerosol can production with lightweight ReAl alloy by 2030
- 30% energy efficiency improvement in can manufacturing by 2030
- 50% water efficiency improvement in can manufacturing by 2030
- 100% of aluminum purchased from certified sustainable sources by 2030
- Annually assess ESG practices of all critical suppliers with an annual spend of $5 million or more by 2030
- Reduce Total Recordable Incident Rate by 25% (2020-2030)
- Increase female representation in various business units by 2025
- Increase race/ethnicity diversity in various business units by 2025
- Achieve 75% renewable electricity globally by 2025
- Achieve 35% global employee participation in volunteering by 2025
- Expand sustainability and STEM education program outreach by 60% by 2025
Environmental Challenges
- Supply chain disruptions.
- Inflation.
- Geopolitical unrest (including the sale of the Russia business).
- Increased costs of Guarantees of Origin (GOs) and Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).
- Increased safety-related injuries (due to aligning reporting methodologies).
Mitigation Strategies
- Strategic plant closures to optimize cost structure and productivity.
- Actions to address SG&A costs.
- Sale of Russia business.
- Focus on resource efficiency and cost savings.
- Implementation of a Global Operational Risk strategy to decrease injury rates.
- Securing long-term renewable energy coverage despite price increases.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 36% of critical suppliers assessed in 2022
Responsible Procurement
- Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certifications for aluminum suppliers
- Supplier diversity program
- Annual ESG assessments of critical suppliers
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Drought
- Wildfires
- Storms
- Hurricanes
- Tornadoes
- Floods
Transition Risks
- Changes in climate and weather
- Unfavorable mandatory deposit or packaging laws
- Power and supply chain interruptions
- Changes in major customer or supplier contracts
- Inability to pass through increased costs
- War, political instability and sanctions
- Changes in foreign exchange or tax rates
- Tariffs, trade actions, or other governmental actions
Opportunities
- Increased demand for sustainable packaging
- Development of energy-efficient products
- Renewable energy sourcing
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI Standards: Core option, TCFD, SASB
Certifications: Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Performance Standard (PS) and Chain of Custody (CoC) certifications for beverage and aerosol plants, Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard (Bronze for Aluminum Cup®)
Third-party Assurance: External third-party limited assurance over select environmental metrics.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
- Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)
- Goal 13 (Climate Action)
- Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)
- Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)
- Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)
Initiatives contribute to these goals through various sustainability programs and targets.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Re:gen aerosol can
- Ball Aluminum Cup®
- Lightweight STARcans
- Aluminum bottles for Boomerang Bottling System
Awards & Recognition
- 2022 Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for North America
- 2022 Newsweek’s America’s Most Responsible Companies