A Case Study of DS Smith plc

Introduction

This paper purposes to expound on the concept of sustainable development, which is noted to have become of great importance to an organisational practice, as well as industry (Dincer, and Rosen, 2012).

Overview of DS Smith plc

DS Smith plc is a multinational business that deals in the design and manufacture of corrugated packaging, and plastic packaging for a variety of consumer goods (DS Smith, 2019). The company operates in the package and mail delivery industry sector, and its key stakeholders are its customers, employees, investors, and communities. DS Smith has key competitiors in the industry and these include Mondi, SKG and International paper. The company’s overall business strategy focuses on establishing a sustainable development (DS Smith, 2018).

Key Environmental Impacts and Sustainability Challenges

The nine planetary boundaries framework is useful in analysing the key environmental impacts and sustaiability challenges that DS Smith faces. In addition, this analysis will also apply the Zadek’s issues maturity framework and systems thinking perspectives.

Stratospheric ozone depletion

DS Smith purposes to reduce its carbodioxide by 30% per tonne of its production by 2030. The challenge presented is that DS Smith covers a wide range of consumers, making it difficult to reach its target. According to Zadek’s framework, this issue is at the latent stage, owing to the fact that activist communities, as well as NGOs are aware of it, yet largely ignored by the business community, including DS Smith (Welford, 2016).

Loss of biosphere integrity

DS Smith purposes to ensure that amongst its 200 strategic plans, it is committed to adhere to the environmental, as well as social expectations, thus meeting the demands its customers in terms of provision of natural resources such a fibre-made packages. However, the company faces a challenge, as it cannot readily access reliable, and affordable natural resources at its disposal. Based on Zadek’s framework, this issue is at the emerging stage, as the media, and the government is aware of it, and DS Smith is experimenting approaches of handling it (Zadek, 2004)

Chemical pollution and novel entities release

DS Smith ensures that it protects packs that transport chemicals that may lead to climatic change. A challenge presented to DS Smith is that there is much investment involved in preventing chemical pollution (Elliott, 2012). According to the provisions of Zadek’s framework, this issue is at the consolidating stage, as DS Smith has initiated practices around the issue and there is significant litigation to aid in solving it.

Climate Change

DS Smith has made important progress in the recent years by purposing to reduce its carbon (iv) oxide emissions through switching the fuel it uses and adopting energy efficieny initatives (Steffen et al., 2015). However, the challenge it faces is that switching of fuel and adopting energy efficienty initiatives need a lot of investments in the biomass boilers, and in generating combines heat power at the company’s paper mills. This issue is at the institutionalised stage. Just as Zadek proves in his framework, there is legislations established to reduce climatic impacts. Moreover, DS Smith has established initatives to enhance positive climatic change.

Ocean acidification

Since 2004, DS Smith calculates its corporate carbon footprints, and it reports its emissions to UK’s Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), which is dedicated to reduce the carbon impact in the society (Griggs et al., 2013). The challenge it faces is that whilst it is easy calculating the carbon emission mathematically, the company’s shareholders would percieve little relevance on the significance of packaging on enhancing sustainable development. According to Zadek’s framework, this issue is at the latent stage, as it is largely ignored. Moreover, DS Smith has not established initiatives that can prevent the issue.

Fresh water use

Over 80% of the water that DS Smith uses is extracted for its own use is later returned for treatment through the company’s effluent treatment process, to minimise wastage (Inderwildi and King, 2012). The challenge that the company faces is that there are potential future scenarios, which might lead to increased water scarcity due to climate change, and this may affect the company’s production process. According to Zadek’s framework, this issue is at the consolidating stage, as DS Smith has majored as one of its initatives towards enhancing sustanable developing.

Land system change

DS Smith has initiated waste management strategies, and this is reflected in its new zero waste, to fulfil the landfill ambition. However, the challenge the company faces is that when waste materials are put in landfills, the production of more carbon (iv) oxide to the atmosphere increases. According to Zadek’s framework, this issue is at its latent stage, as there is weak scientific evidence regarding it and DS Smith does not take serious action towards reducing biodiversity (Montoya et al., 2018).

Biosphere integrity

DS Smith conducts its operations in a manner that is socially and environmentally responsible, whilst subscribing to various international sandards, as well as guidelines such as UN Global compact. However, a challenge is risen, owing to the fact that some of these guidelines and standards are not firmly enforced. Zadek’s framework indicates that this issue is at the institutionalised stage as there are set legislations established and DS Smith has also established initiatives of enhancing biodiversity integrity (Steffen et al., 2015).

Atmospheric aerosal loading

DS Smith ensures that it meets the global demands of its customers, and in line with this, be able to provide natural resources, which otherwise could lead to the production of atmospheric aerosol (DS Smth, 2018). The challenge presented is that the global population is rapidly increasing per country, and this makes it difficult for DS Smith to meet all the environmental needs of its customers. According to Zadek’s framework, this issue is at the emerging stage, as businesses such as DS Smith are working towards dealing with it.

Conclusion

Sustainable development advocates for a system in which human development goes hand in hand with environmental, social and economic wellbeing. There are numerous challenges, caused by industrial processes and practices, which DS Smith is one of the perpetrators.

References

• Dincer, I. and Rosen, M.A. (2012). Exergy: energy, environment and sustainable development. Newnes.
• DS Smith. (2018). Sustainability. Retrieved [online] from https://www.dssmith.com/company/sustainability. [accessed on 6th March, 2019].
• DS Smith. (2019). Our Offering. Retrieved [online] from https://www.dssmith.com/ [accessed on 6th March, 2019].
• DS. Smth. (2018). DS Smith Sustainability Review 2018. Retrieved [online] from https://www.dssmith.com/contentassets/c187988864b9404bb959135d7b92b92c/sustainability-review-2018-executive-summary_final.pdf [accessed on 6th March, 2019].
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• Inderwildi, O. and King, D. eds. (2012). Energy, transport, & the environment: addressing the sustainable mobility paradigm. Springer Science & Business Media.
• Montoya, J. M., Donohue, I., & Pimm, S. L. (2018). Planetary boundaries for biodiversity: implausible science, pernicious policies. Trends in ecology & evolution, 33(2), 71-73.
• Steffen, W., Richardson, K., Rockström, J., Cornell, S. E., Fetzer, I., Bennett, E. M., ... & Folke, C. (2015). Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet. Science, 347(6223), 1259855.
• Steffen, W., Richardson, K., Rockström, J., Cornell, S. E., Fetzer, I., Bennett, E. M., ... & Heinke, J. (2015). Sustainability. Planetary boundaries: guiding human development on a changing planet. Science (New York, NY), 347(6223), 1259855-1259855.
• Welford, R. (2016). Corporate environmental management 1: systems and strategies. Routledge. Zadek S. (2004). The path to corporate responsibility. Harvard Business Review. 82(12): 125-132.

Appendices

The nine planetary boundaries framework