In North America, Greif facilitates elevated compliance management through Dakota, an advanced EHS compliance and risk management software. Dakota tracks new regulations tailored to each facility’s unique profile. Greif reinforces these efforts with internal and third-party audits, pinpointing facility-specific tasks to enhance environmental risk management. Looking ahead, we plan to globally consolidate localized EMS in the coming year.

Regular internal audits remain a cornerstone for the GIP and PPS businesses. Notably, in 2023, audit simulations were internally piloted at five sites, complementing the frequent desktop audits conducted internally. Third-party audits are planned to proceed in 2024.

The EHS team ensures compliance with air permits at all facilities, providing regular training to colleagues on particulate matter, odor, noise and other air pollutants. Greif aims to minimize hazardous emissions, such as volatile organic compounds, through a variety of programs such as implementing chemical substitutions, using carbon filters, installing permanent total enclosures, installing a water scrubber system with bacterial regeneration, and changing from solvent-based to water-based coatings. CMS is employed to develop and track relevant tasks, while emissions data monitoring is facilitated through systems like SBP, Progea and Resource Advisor. Initiatives include regenerative thermal oxidizers inspections, industrial hygiene surveys, source testing and the use of engineering technologies for filtering or reducing emissions, supported by routine preventative maintenance.

In 2022, we unveiled a global, internal tool dedicated to assessing environmental risks. This tool emerged from a comprehensive risk assessment covering 100 percent of North American sites, distinct from the Europe Middle East, Asia Pacific and Latin America regional assessments, which also occurred in 2022 for 100 percent of those facilities. As we developed and defined the tool, we optimized its capabilities in risk assessment, calibration and standardization. Since its launch, the tool has proven invaluable in evaluating sites with significant environmental risks, enabling us to promptly implement essential corrective actions. Based on risk results, each facility is required to have a contingency plan and emergency procedure in place to minimize the potential for injury, property damage, environmental release, and interruption of business.

In 2023, we continued using our New Chemical Request and Equipment Pre-Acceptance Review processes. When a facility aims to acquire or process a new chemical product, we initiate a comprehensive safety and environmental review process, subject to corporate scrutiny. Our corporate environmental engineer leads the environmental assessment, while the regional EHS manager conducts the safety review. Following this, the director of EHS and senior environmental manager review the results. Upon approval, we begin the onboarding process for the chemical. This approach enables us to effectively address both the actual and potential impacts of hazardous chemicals. At our PPS mill locations, securing pre-approval for all additive substances is a mandatory requirement. Additionally, in 2023, we incorporated a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) statement into the review process, requiring vendors to commit to refraining from PFAS use.

In our PPS business, our project development checklist is used whenever a mill embarks on a new capital project. The project manager completes an environmental checklist form, disclosing the project’s impacts, regardless of anticipated severity. The checklist encompasses factors such as compliance, changes in emissions and wastewater management. Our EHS professionals thoroughly review the list to affirm the project’s readiness to proceed. The checklist’s implementation affirms that all new equipment complies with our environmental, quality, health and safety standards before obtaining approval for purchase and installation.

In our GIP business in both North America and Europe Middle East, our proactive Management of Change process continued in 2023, encompassing a total of 186 reviews. We also completed and uploaded environmental checklists for all our Title 5 facilities. Within our PPS business, we executed 229 new Chemical Requests in North America, and 343 globally.