Sonoco Outlines Sustainability Progress in its 2011-2012 Corporate Responsibility Report

HARTSVILLE, S.C., July 25, 2012 /CNW/ - Sonoco (NYSE: SON), one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, today released its 2011-2012 Corporate Responsibility Report, outlining the Company's continued progress in achieving its global sustainability targets.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120403/CL80773LOGO )

A key initiative for Sonoco is the development of a new $75 million biomass cogeneration system at its Hartsville, S.C., manufacturing complex. This boiler system will be fueled by wood wastes from regional logging activity to produce low-cost steam and "green" energy, primarily for use in the Company's paper mill operations. Once operational in late 2013, the biomass cogeneration system is expected to significantly reduce energy costs, greenhouse gas (GHG) and other air emissions, resulting in annual operating savings of approximately $14 million.

In 2011, Sonoco continued to expand U.S. recycling operations, growing collections by 6 percent with an emphasis on developing new comingled residential material recovery facilities (MRFs). The Company now serves nearly 150 communities and expanded MRFs in Columbia, Charleston and Greenville, S.C., and Charlotte, Raleigh and Jacksonville, N.C.

Other highlights from the report include:

• Reducing the environmental footprint of Sonoco's global operations.
• Normalized GHG emissions intensity was reduced by 4.4 percent since 2009, moving toward the Company's five-year carbon emission reduction goal of 15 percent by 2014.
• Normalized water usage at Sonoco's global manufacturing operations was reduced by 7.2 percent since 2009, including a 5.1 percent reduction in 2011.
• In 2011, Sonoco Recycling started the Sustainability Star Award program to recognize customer- and Sonoco-owned facilities that have achieved significant milestones in waste stream reduction through recycling and other landfill mitigation efforts. A total of 12 plants received gold and silver awards for diverting up to 99 percent of those facilities' waste streams from landfills.
• The Company met its goal of having five of its U.S. manufacturing plants achieve Star Award status by diverting at least 95 percent of their waste streams from landfill disposal through improved recycling efforts.

To download the report, visit the Sustainability section of our website.

About Sonoco

Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a global provider of a variety of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging and packaging supply chain services. With annualized net sales of approximately $4.5 billion, the Company has more than 19,600 employees working in over 340 operations in 34 countries, serving many of the world's best known brands in some 85 nations. Sonoco is a proud member of the 2011/2012 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. For more information on the Company, visit our website at www.sonoco.com.

SOURCE: Sonoco

Roger Schrum, [phone], [email protected]

http://www.sonoco.com

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120403/CL80773LOGO

PRN Photo Desk, [email protected]