Better Health for All

DS Smith supported COVID-19 efforts by providing packaging for ventilators, PPE, and assisting with hand sanitizer distribution, which aided healthcare supply chains during a critical period.

The company's core business of packaging generally has a neutral direct health impact. While it offers specialized packaging for pharmaceutical and medical sectors, including temperature-controlled solutions for medicinal products, the overall net health effect of its principal goods is neutral as these specialized offerings are not quantified as a majority of its portfolio. The company does not generate revenue from products with negative health outcomes. Its business model does not involve health-related products or services requiring considerations for price accessibility, vulnerable populations, health equity, or health data responsibility. It is not a pharmaceutical or food company, nor does it conduct clinical trials or produce products with addiction potential.

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

DS Smith PLC is a packaging business and does not operate in financial services, nor does it offer lending, deposit services, or consumer credit products.

Therefore, all Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) under the 'Fair Money & Economic Opportunity' value are not applicable to its core business. As per the rubric, the company scores 0 for each KPI, reflecting that it does not engage in the financial activities evaluated by this value.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

DS Smith has a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and human trafficking, reviewing compliance with the UK's Modern Slavery Act 2015.

The company has not had any substantiated direct labor-law or human-rights violations in the past three years. In 2019, DS Smith received a $13,047 OSHA penalty for a workplace safety violation. While 20% of the workforce comprises contractors or temporary staff, details on their benefits are not provided. The company publishes gender pay gap information, but the specific ratio is not disclosed. Employee reviews offer mixed feedback on management and working conditions. In September 2024, employees in France went on strike, demanding a bonus and re-evaluation of job classifications.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

DS Smith ensures that 100% of its purchased papers are either recycled or chain of custody certified, a status maintained since 2019/20.

The company also achieved 100% in the WWF Responsible Fibre Sourcing category in 2017 for its virgin fibers. All suppliers are mandated to comply with DS Smith's comprehensive Global Supplier Standard, which integrates ethical practices aligned with the Ethical Trading Initiative Base Code and ILO conventions. In August 2021, DS Smith received a platinum sustainability rating from EcoVadis, scoring 90% for sustainable procurement.

Honest & Fair Business

DS Smith has a comprehensive 'Speak Up!' whistleblower policy, last updated in October 2024.

It applies to all employees, contingent workers, non-executive directors, shareholders, and third parties. It offers multiple reporting channels, including an independent 24/7 hotline and secure website. It guarantees confidentiality and non-retaliation for good faith reports. The company received 42 'Speak Up!' reports in 2023/24, up from 33 in 2022/23. The policy states a full response will usually be received within three months, but may take up to six months in complex cases. The company reported restatements of some historic data due to limited coverage. All operational sites are subject to regular internal and external audits. 80% of sites are certified to ISO 45001 (33% of sites and 66% of mills). DS Smith achieved a 'Low Risk' rating from Sustainalytics, placing it in the top-40% for ESG controversy scores. The company has an Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy, effective since November 2011 and last revised in May 2013. It prohibits facilitation payments and requires regular training for all employees. Deloitte and Bureau Veritas have provided independent third-party limited assurance over selected information. EcoVadis is used to assess supplier performance, indicating approximately 45% of ethical claims are independently verified.

Kind to Animals

DS Smith has achieved its 2025 target to measure and improve biodiversity in its own forests and implement biodiversity programs at each paper mill

, with 14 paper mills currently having such programs. The company partnered with the University of Georgia to study wild bee communities and identify gopher tortoise burrows , aiming to increase biodiversity on its properties by 2025. Local wildlife support includes building 125 nesting and bat boxes at its Witzenhausen Mill and conducting a biodiversity audit and action plan at Kaysersberg Mill. The DS Smith Charitable Foundation donated $1 million to The Nature Conservancy and the company partnered with Chattahoochee Riverkeeper for clean water initiatives.

No War, No Weapons

DS Smith operates a non-military business model, focusing on sustainable packaging, paper products, and recycling services, and explicitly avoids any association with arms manufacturing or military contracts.

The company has no defense assets to divest and no exposure to any weapons. Its Sanctions Policy, approved in October 2024, prohibits all business relationships and transactions with high-risk countries, including Russia, Belarus, and sanctioned regions of Ukraine, and requires employees to consult UN and EU lists for compliance. DS Smith adheres to and actively participates in the UN Global Compact, with its Code of Conduct emphasizing human rights, and an annual Sustainability Report communicating progress on its strategy.

Planet-Friendly Business

DS Smith reported total Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions of 6,828,801 tonnes CO2e in its 2025 report, representing a 2% reduction compared to 2023/24 and a 21% reduction from the 2019/20 base year.

The company has a 1.5°C science-based target, validated by the SBTi, to reduce total GHG emissions by 46% by 2030 compared to 2019. In 2023/24, 29% of overall energy consumption was from renewable sources. Water withdrawals were 52,477,496 m3 in 2023/24. Water withdrawals were 52,477,496 m3 in 2023/24, equating to approximately 6,054 m3 per $1 million revenue, with 29% of withdrawals from areas at risk of water stress. The recycling rate for total waste was 65% in 2023/24. 82% of raw materials are from recycled content, and 100% of papers are recycled or chain of custody certified. Approximately 42% of purchased goods and services emissions were generated by strategic suppliers with science-based targets or in the process of setting them. The company sources 100% recycled or chain of custody certified papers, with all sites FSC® certified, and has a Global Responsible Fiber Procurement and Deforestation Policy. In 2023/24, there were 3 notifications of non-conformance with consents to discharge. TCFD disclosures are included in the 2024 Annual Report, which also features climate scenario analysis for 1.5°C and 2°C pathways.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

The company has 6 formal partnerships with local community groups and organizations, including The Nature Conservancy

, One Tree Planted , the Department of Residential Building Design of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics , Chattahoochee Riverkeeper , the Museum of Brands , and the University of Georgia . No cultural appropriation incidents have been reported. FPIC processes are not applicable to the company's operations. The company has proactive prevention and rapid response frameworks in place, including a zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination and an Equal Opportunity & Anti-Discrimination Policy with procedures for conflicts . The 'Speak Up!' procedure is available for reporting misconduct , with 67 reports received, investigated, and resolved in 2024/25 .

Safe & Smart Tech

DS Smith has no documented incidents of unauthorized data use.

The company's Privacy Policy, updated July 2024, outlines user rights regarding personal information, including access, rectification, objection to processing, restriction of processing, erasure, and data portability. The 'Speak Up!' policy, updated February 2024, aims to comply with EU Directive 2019/1937/EU and references national whistleblower acts.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

DS Smith demonstrates strong performance in product and packaging circularity. As of 2024/25, 99.6% of its manufactured packaging solutions are reusable or recyclable.

The company uses 77% FSC® Recycled content in its papers. It has replaced over 1.7 billion pieces of plastic with fibre-based alternatives since 2020/21. The waste diversion rate was 64% in 2024/25, and waste sent to landfill has been reduced by 51% since 2019/20, with specific mills achieving significant reductions. DS Smith aims to send zero waste to landfill by 2030. The company has trained 800 designers on Circular Design Principles, influencing over 58,000 design decisions, with 96.1% of designs optimized for individual supply chains. Furthermore, 92% of all suppliers and 100% of strategic suppliers have agreed to the Global Supplier Standard and are assessed on sustainability. The company reported zero notifications of non-conformance with consents to discharge in 2024/25. A circular economy lesson plan has been delivered to over 5,400 students.