A growing number of actual and proposed bans on single-use plastic products, such as grocery bags, straws and water bottles, are feeding a worldwide appetite for bioalternatives, such as reusable, refillable and/or recyclable products and packaging. As a result, we’re seeing renewed markets for existing paper-based products and new opportunities for innovation in plant-based biomaterials. Take a look at some of the latest global efforts to reduce our dependency on plastic: •Canada announced in June that it plans to ban single-use plastics starting in 2021. •Mexico City’s ban on plastic bags, utensils and other disposable plastics will go into effect next year. •New York, California and Hawaii, as well as several major U.S. cities, have banned plastic bags, joining 127 countries that have similar bans or regulations already in place. •Schools in the United Kingdom will eliminate all single-use plastics, including cling film, by 2022. •India, one of the world’s most populated countries, will ban all single-use plastics by 2022. •The European Parliament voted to ban single-use plastic cutlery, straws, stirrers, cotton buds, cups and more in a sweeping initiative that will include all European Union member states. Click Read More below for additional information.

Climate change has gained intensity with record-breaking global temperatures and extreme weather, but it has lost ground in business communications. Corporate reports and earnings calls now include fewer references to climate change and even many companies still pursuing net-zero goals are less vocal about their sustainability practices. The phenomenon called greenhushing started amid the pushback against ESG, or environmental, social and governance (ESG) business practices, and has accelerated under the Trump administration's efforts to roll back climate regulation. But a number of experts in marketing and business sustainability argue that companies are making a mistake by staying mum on their climate action. "CEOs should feel confident that climate change does not alienate their investors, customers or employees," John Marshall, CEO and founder of the Potential Energy Coalition, told Newsweek. Marshall said his work with surveys and focus groups tells him that while the political environment around climate change and sustainability has changed dramatically, "the citizen environment hasn't really changed much at all." Most ordinary people, he said, still hold the same, largely positive opinions of companies that take steps to address climate change.

This achievement highlights Ahlstrom’s strategic and systematic efforts to reduce climate impact across the value chain while reinforcing our dedication to transparency and action in tackling climate change. CDP’s evaluation is based on comprehensive disclosures covering climate strategy, targets, governance, risks and opportunities, and concrete actions taken over the previous year. The score reflects the meaningful progress Ahlstrom has made in cutting emissions and motivates the company to accelerate its efforts even further. "We have made significant strides in reducing emissions through our energy transition program. Since 2021, our Scope 1 and 2 absolute emissions have decreased by 16.2%, demonstrating the tangible impact of our initiatives. In 2024, we further strengthened supplier engagement to drive down Scope 3 emissions, reinforcing our commitment to reducing carbon footprint across the entire value chain," says Johan Lunabba, Vice President, Sustainability and Public Affairs at Ahlstrom.