Smurfit Kappa parades Colombian award in front of market

Smurfit Kappa did its best to ensure shareholders were aware of its recent achievements on Wednesday, reporting that it had been named among the “most important companies” in Colombia for its “contribution to society and development” in the country.

According to Smurfit’s board, analysis was carried out by a panel of experts put together by current affairs magazine Semana.

The FTSE 250 packaging firm said the panel examined how a wide range of companies managed their environmental and community relationships, the level of innovation in their processes, their talent, and their relationships with the public sector, in terms of ethics and transparency.

That resulted in Smurfit Kappa, along with 24 other private sector companies, being named as “key players” in the country’s development.

The group also included companies from sectors including construction, commerce, agriculture, services, industry and food, with nine Smurfit Kappa customers among them.

“We believe that this recognition is an excellent opportunity to show the good practices and the commitment to sustainability that many companies in Colombia have,” said CEO Alvaro Henao.

“At Smurfit Kappa, we strive to play an active part in the development of the communities where we operate and in our 74 years here, it has always been one of the pillars of our corporate culture.”

Smurfit Kappa’s board also made sure to remind the market that the Semana listing followed it winning a Portafolio award for corporate social responsibility in December.