JTI’s Sustainability Report 2018 Show ‘Solid Achievements’


05/29/2019

Fighting against illegal trade, reducing environmental footprints, investing in renewable energy and assessing Human Rights issue, form part of FTI’s report highlights.


Dailycsr.com – 29 May 2019 – The JT Group has made its Sustainability Report of 2018 available for public. The report covers some of the major contributions made by JTI through its “international tobacco business” as it moved in the line to meet its “sustainability objectives”.
 
Here are “most significant achievements” of JTI within the last one year’s time, as mentioned by ReportAlert:
A record of over 2.7 billion illegal cigarettes seized thanks to information provided by JTI More than 30% of the electricity in our factories originated from renewable sources Human Rights Impact Assessments[1] completed in five high-risk countries
 
While, the senior vice-president of “Corporate Development” at JTI, Suzanne Wise said:
“We take the responsibility to manage our business sustainability very seriously, and I am proud of the progress we are making globally. We constantly challenge ourselves to make the right choices for our business’ long-term sustainability, to actively reduce our environmental footprint and positively contribute to the communities we are a part of”.
 
Among the growing concerns in the field, the increasing illegal trade is a major issue, as it cheats the “legitimate tobacco companies and their brands”, while the consumers remain oblivious to what they purchase and government lose out on tax revenues. It is a threat to the society at large which supports “organized crime networks” as people involved in illegal trade often land up with “human trafficking and terrorism”.
 
Therefore, JTI has made it one of its key components to tackle the illegal trade and thus tread towards sustainability. In 2018 alone, the company gave “1,328 reports to law enforcement agencies” which culminated in the seizure of over “2.7 billion illegal cigarettes and the raid of 39 counterfeit factories”.
 
JTI’s factories are located all over the world, whereby each of them focuses on minimizing the respective environmental impact. Through various efforts supported by investment, by 2018’s end thirty one percent of JTI’s electricity requirements came from renewable energy either purchased or generated. Giving one such example, ReportAlert mentioned Philippines, wherein “the largest self-consumption rooftop solar system in South-East Asia was installed, with 17,040 solar panels”.
 
Furthermore, it also added:
“A factory-by-factory feasibility review of opportunities associated with solar, hydro, wind, and biomass power has also been carried out – with the aim to achieve net zero carbon emissions in the longer term. In 2018, the JT Group also achieved Leadership status in CDP Climate Change for the third consecutive year and was selected as a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Asia/Pacific Index for the fifth consecutive year”.
 
In the words of the vice-president of Corporate Sustainability at JTI, Maarten Bevers:
“In the run up to 2030, and in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, the JT Group has committed to new sustainability targets, for which we will have a key role to play in the coming years. We are pleased with our solid achievements and have already started working towards reaching these newly launched targets”.
 
Moreover, the above mentioned Sustainability has been compiled under Global Reporting Initiative which underscores the company’s commitment towards “being transparent in its sustainability performance”.
 
References:
3blmedia.com