DS Smith employees support local litter picks

Green Solutions Packaging Solutions

Some 286 DS Smith employees took part in local litter picks around the world in support of World Cleanup Day.

Staff rolled up their sleeves to collect bag loads of rubbish and sort any recyclable material to showcase their commitment to a waste free world and to make a difference to their local communities.

Teams of volunteers from all of DS Smith’s divisions across 16 different countries took part in litter picks at parks, beaches, forests, city centres, canals, and industrial estates – from the UK, Spain and Romania to the US, Slovakia, and China.

World Cleanup Day aims to unite millions of volunteers from 180 countries to help clean up the planet by taking part in activities in local communities around the globe.

Wouter van Tol, head of government, community affairs and sustainability at DS Smith said: ‘I am very proud of our employees who gave up their time in support of World Cleanup Day to pick up litter and help improve their local environment. As a large global company, we take our responsibilities to the communities where we operate seriously. Through these initiatives, we can support local people and businesses while demonstrating our commitment to protecting the natural world and embedding the circular economy in all that we do.’

Reducing waste is a key part of the journey to a more circular economy, which is at the heart of DS Smith’s Now and Next sustainability strategy. The strategy focuses on closing the loop through better design, protecting natural resources by making the most of every fibre, reducing waste and pollution through circular solutions and equipping people to lead the transition to a circular economy. By 2023, DS Smith will manufacture 100% reusable or recyclable packaging and its aim is that by 2030, all of its packaging will be recycled or reused.