Smurfit Westrock Targets Circular Procurement at 57 Mills

Smurfit Westrock has released its 2025 Sustainability Report with details on how procurement teams across 57 mills in 40 countries are managing the transition to circular supply chains. The company was formed in 2024 through the merger of Smurfit Kappa and WestRock.

According to the report, the organisation employs approximately 97,000 people and focuses its procurement strategy on renewable and recyclable paper-based materials. The report sets out targets for emissions reduction and water management across its global operations.

Sourcing recycled fibre at scale

Smurfit Westrock operates 70 recycled-paper depots globally to manage its procurement of recovered materials. According to the report, this includes 25 depots in Europe, 32 in North America and 13 in Latin America.

The company's paper mills consumed approximately 13.1 million tons of recycled fibres in 2025. These materials are sourced from municipalities, retailers, industrial operations and the company's own corrugating and converting facilities.

Procurement teams source recovered paper through this depot network as part of the circular business model. The approach could reduce reliance on virgin material inputs while maintaining supply consistency across production facilities.

More than 90% of water used in operations is returned to the environment, with the remaining volumes lost through evaporation. The company has committed to reducing water intake by 22% by 2030 against 2019 levels.

Virgin fibre procurement standards

Approximately 45% of the fibre used in Smurfit Westrock products comes from virgin materials. According to the report, these materials are sourced from responsibly managed forests with certification standards in place.

Procurement of virgin fibre involves biodiversity and ecosystem protection criteria. The company's supply chain strategy balances recycled content with renewable fibre inputs to maintain material quality requirements.

Kaisa Hietala, Chair of the Sustainability Committee at Smurfit Westrock, says: "I am pleased to report an important year of progress for sustainability at Smurfit Westrock. As a newly combined organisation, our focus has been on aligning strategy and ensuring that sustainability is firmly embedded in how we make decisions across the company."

The organisation has set targets to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 28% by 2030 compared to 2019 baseline levels. This could require changes to energy procurement and supplier selection criteria across the supply chain.

Supply chain climate commitments

Smurfit Westrock's procurement strategy addresses energy sourcing as part of its climate goals. The company is managing emissions through reduced energy demand, improved efficiency and transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.

Tony Smurfit, President and Group CEO of Smurfit Westrock, says: "We are operating in increasingly challenging times, characterised by evolving and demanding regulatory standards, heightened geopolitical complexity and a global operating environment that remains dynamic and uncertain.

"These factors, whether directly or indirectly, continue to impact our business and the markets in which we operate."

The procurement function operates across three sustainability pillars: planet, people and communities, and impactful business. This involves circular economy integration, ethical business standards and innovation in material sourcing.

Circular packaging material flows

Smurfit Westrock's corrugated packaging is designed for recyclability with the aim of increasing recovery rates. The company's procurement model involves finding uses for by-products and waste streams from production processes.

Garrett Quinn, Group Head of Sustainability, Branding and Communications at Smurfit Westrock, says: "This report clearly illustrates the actions we are taking across our business to help deliver a more sustainable future, underpinned by our customer focus, our global scale, and our capital investment.

"At Smurfit Westrock, sustainability is firmly embedded in how we operate. By setting clear, measurable targets and continuing to invest in circular, paper-based solutions, we are strengthening our ability to serve customers, manage risk and support the transition to a lower-carbon, circular economy."

The company aims to work with communities and stakeholders to identify opportunities for circularity in operations and value chains. This could involve procurement partnerships with waste management providers and municipal collection systems.

According to the report, the packaging manufacturer continues to adapt procurement practices to meet regulatory reporting requirements.