Environmental Sustainability:
Packaging

Ralcorp is pursuing the development of more environmentally sustainable packaging through the company's creation of infrastructure to support these activities and through our packaging initiatives.

Ralcorp has established an internal packaging committee to guide future environmentally sustainable packaging efforts*. This committee shares best practices, discusses current packaging initiatives, and reviews supplier activity. This group also acts as a clearinghouse for new and current projects in the company’s divisions. The cross-divisional, cross-functional makeup of this committee includes representatives from sales, research and development, purchasing, operations, and others when additional expertise is required.

Through this internal network, we have standardized our approach to sourcing packaging materials across the supply chain. This standardization has enhanced our current processes as we review capabilities on supplier bids; we are utilizing that knowledge base to drive advancements in reducing materials used in our packaging on an ongoing basis.

Because of the unique product mix that each Ralcorp division maintains, specific packaging initiatives differ based on product type, packaging requirements, and customer needs.  Across the divisions, some examples of packaging initiatives have included the following.

• Ralcorp divisions are working continuously to increase recycled content in packaging. All of our divisions utilize cartons and corrugate with recycled content, while Post, Ralcorp Snacks, Sauces and Spreads and Ralston Foods use certified 100% recycled board for product cartons.
• Where possible, Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products, Ralcorp Snacks, Sauces, and Spreads, and Ralston Foods, have increased the gap between the flaps on product cases in order to reduce the amount of corrugate required in shipping cartons of product.
  
• Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products and Ralston Foods have completed the conversion to a lighter weight liner material. Post, Ralcorp Snacks, Sauces, and Spreads, and Ralston Foods are in the process of completing additional packaging down gauging projects to convert to a liner that uses up to 50% less material, requires less energy to produce, and requires fewer truckloads to transport.  

*Post Foods was not included initially because it was not fully integrated into Ralcorp at the time this committee began.