Paper Technology International 2020 - Journal - Page 9

PAPERTECHNOLOGYINTERNATIONAL
FForeword
The bio-disruptive industry of the future
When I was offered a job in the pulp and paper industry,
I knew the sector would go through a transformation. I thought
it an exciting opportunity to witness this, even support it if I
could. I had no idea when or what the transformation would be
exactly, but I was confident it would be a success: it is, after all,
an industry that has reinvented itself several times throughout
its long history. Seventeen years later, I can see it is happening,
and it still is exciting!
Now, the European Green Deal is accelerating the
change. As well as a challenge, it is also a huge opportunity
for the sector. Intrinsically, we are more aligned with what the
policy makers want than most other sectors. We even have the
potential for disruption, Bio-disruption!
The only way to adequately meet the climate emergency
is by stopping pumping fossils up from the ground as we still do.
Luckily, anything you can do with fossil resources, you can also
do with wood, only better! Empowering consumers to choose
responsibly would have a significant and immediate climate
mitigation effect. Already, forest-based products avoid 10%
of the EU total greenhouse gas emissions, and the untapped
potential is enormous.
Within the European pulp and paper industry we operate
139 biorefineries; these are the innovation labs of the future,
offering low impact alternatives for society’s diverse needs. New
investments are being made to scale this up, creating “green
growth” and jobs.
In circularity, the sector sets a high bar for others, and continues to raise the bar for itself too. Not
only as paper recycling champions, but as multiple champions too, we use every resource, so that nothing
is wasted. The industry has created a culture of continuous improvement and, as a true champion, is
always looking for new ways to excel.
Some challenges are bigger than a single company, and there the sector has re-invented
collaboration. To perfect circularity, Cepi has invited the entire value chain, covering the whole life cycle, to
work together in the 4evergreen Alliance for fibre-based packaging. To decarbonise, thinking outside the
box with new and unusual partners, Cepi has set up the Energy Solutions Forum, which has been met with
huge popularity across, and outside of, the sector. We have just launched concepts of the 2030 pulp, paper,
board, tissue, and recycling mills, that build on sector integration and, essentially, on close collaboration.
With trade unions, we are identifying and attracting the skills needed for the future.
Is there anything at which we are not good? Yes: we are shamefully bad in telling our stakeholders
what we do, and how sustainable we are. Many still perceive us as a “sunset sector”, and Paper Technology
International is a welcome example of making use of old and new media to spread a better understanding.
The long-term societal trends however are on our side. Policies, including the European Green
Deal, are accelerating the necessary change, the industry is prepared and investing heavily, and the
sincerity of today’s corporate responsibility is both gratifying and reassuring.
We are the industry of the future.
Jori Ringman
Director General
Cepi.org
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