São José dos Campos, November 16, 2021 – Ball Corporation, the world leader in sustainable aluminum packaging, announced today that it has received the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certification for the Performance and Chain of Custody Standards for its 15 Beverage Packaging South America (BPSA) plants and Regional Office, located in São José dos Campos, Brazil. The company is one of the global pioneers in the aluminum packaging industry to receive the certifications, and with this achievement, it is now the first in the aluminum packaging sector to receive both certifications in the Americas. The recognitions are a validation, in practice, of the company's sustainable discourse, which involves ASI's environmental, social and governance principles as well as production and traceability standards throughout the aluminum chain.
“Being the first company in South America in the aluminum packaging sector to achieve both performance and chain of custody certifications proves that we are on the right path towards the sustainability of our products and operations. The aluminum can is already a great case of real circularity all around the world, as the recycling rate is 69%, even more in Brazil, where 97% of all cans are recycled. For many years, we have been working to ensure the sustainability of the entire chain that involves the production of our aluminum cans, and now with the achievement of ASI certification, we see the result of this intense journey being recognized and certified”, says Carlos Pires, President of Ball Corporation for South America.
ASI is a global, non-profit initiative that sets standards that ensure sustainable performance based on environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles and provides assurance of responsible production practices throughout the aluminum value chain. Therefore, earning the ASI Certification is an important step towards meeting the global targets Ball has set this year. The main progress involves ensuring that all metal used for can production at our manufacturing plants is sourced from sustainable sources, a goal for 2030 that has already been met at South America plants, as well as 23 Ball plants in Europe, the Middle East and Africa – the first in the world to earn the certification, back in 2020.
Additionally, all Ball suppliers are at least members of ASI and are on the right track to earn the certification in the coming years. Once they are certified and meet the carbon emission reduction criteria, Ball will be even closer to achieving the goal of zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Ball Beverage Packaging South America received the Performance Certification with provisional status, since the process was conducted remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and will be transitioning to full certification next year. The Performance Standard assesses Ball’s commitment and actions in environmental, social and governance criteria. The decision takes into account intention and practice as regards corporate integrity, circular economy, recycling, greenhouse gas emissions, natural resource management, biodiversity, workers’ health and safety, and positive impacts in the lives of employees and local communities. Ball successfully met all assessment criteria.
The Chain of Custody Certification, on the other hand, assures the stewardship and traceability of the material produced through an uninterrupted chain of custody. This process requires all can production stages to be certified, from raw material extraction, through mining, smelting, rolling and manufacturing, to the sale of the final product with the filling of finished cans.
Most of the company’s plants in South America are located in Brazil, with a total of 11 plants across the country – and it is no coincidence that Brazil is also a benchmark in aluminum recycling, with a recycling rate of 97%. Recycling the material reduces the energy required to produce virgin aluminum by 95% and thus helps the global community meet the urgent carbon reduction targets.
About Ball Corporation
Ball supplies innovative, sustainable aluminum packaging solutions for beverage, personal care and household products customers, as well as aerospace and other technologies and services. The company and its subsidiaries employ 21,500 people worldwide and reported 2020 net sales of $11.8 billion. In South America, the company has 15 plants located in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Paraguay. For more information, visit www.ball.com and follow VADELATA – the movement that supports the aluminum can, the most environmentally package in the world – on Instagram and on Facebook.