Helping Customers Lower Their Impact Through Targeted Sustainability Services & Initiatives

At Graham, we strive to be responsible, purposeful and sustainable across every facet of our business and that commitment extends to our customers, the communities we operate in, and our planet. By offering a range of targeted services, we can collaborate in a way that benefits our environment while creating value for our customers and ourselves.

Decarbonization Roadmapping 

A decarbonization roadmap is a strategic sustainability plan that outlines specific actions, milestones and timelines for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This plan identifies and quantifies the levers to achieve decarbonization targets, which can include strategies such as:

• Incorporating post-consumer resin (PCR) into products in place of virgin material.
• Implementing energy efficiency projects to reduce overall energy demand that, in turn, lowers carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion.
• Collaborating with our supply chain to reduce the carbon footprint of the raw materials we purchase.
• Utilizing lightweighting technologies (like Graham’s AccuStrength® or Active Base innovations) that optimize a package’s design using the least amount of material to lower the overall carbon footprint across the supply chain.
• Leveraging sustainable material innovations, like plastics made with renewable inputs.

The process allows us to identify and address any gaps as we work towards our collective greenhouse gas reduction goals.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) 

A Life Cycle Assessment is a method for evaluating the impact a product has on the environment over its entire life cycle, giving our customers insights into the impact of their packaging from manufacturing through shipping and end-of-life disposal.

This assessment allows us to help customers quantitatively identify where they can make changes to their packaging that will have the biggest impact on its environmental performance. The LCA looks at metrics such as fossil fuel use, water consumption, freshwater eutrophication and global warming potential.

The benefits of conducting an LCA on your products include:

• Reduction of carbon footprint and environmental impact
• Alignment with sustainability goals and regulatory requirements
• Stronger brand perception among environmentally-conscious consumers
• EPR fee reductions through eco-modulation incentives

Following the LCA, our dedicated sustainability experts will work with you to interpret the findings and implement practical, high-impact changes to enhance the sustainability of your package and drive meaningful change for your business and the environment.

Expertise in PCR 

Graham has been at the forefront of PCR sourcing beginning 35 years ago with the opening of our mechanical recycling facility, Graham Recycling Company (GRC). Located in York, PA, GRC recycles #2 HDPE bottles into PCR and has grown to become a leading supplier of bottle-grade recycled plastics containers in North America.

Beyond our in-house capabilities, our expert procurement team is dedicated to finding new ways to increase our supply of recycled material and meet the growing demand for PCR. Additionally, our ISCC Plus certified sites help ensure supply chain transparency and reliability.

Design for Recyclability 

At Graham, designing for recyclability is a cornerstone of our sustainability strategy—one that’s backed by over 50 years of innovation. We integrate recyclability into every stage of the packaging lifecycle, from material selection and structural design to performance testing and end-of-life considerations. Our team prioritizes widely recycled plastics like PET and HDPE and develops lightweight, space-efficient designs that reduce material use and enhance freight efficiency.

By leveraging advanced technologies such as finite element analysis (FEA) and CT scanning, we validate performance while optimizing for recycling processes. Collaboration across engineering and manufacturing ensures our solutions meet both functional and sustainability goals, creating packaging that is durable, recyclable and responsible.

Ready to take the next step in your sustainability journey? Our sustainability team is here to help you identify opportunities, navigate evolving regulations and implement impactful packaging solutions tailored to your business goals.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to deepen your commitment to sustainable practices, we invite you to connect with us and explore how Graham can support your success.