Spotlight on Aegg Partner: GCA's sustainability report

Aegg is proud to partner with carefully selected, environmentally-friendly suppliers, in line with our collective drive towards enhanced sustainability.  

One of those key suppliers is GCA.  Aegg is the only supplier in the UK and Ireland with access to GCA’s world-renowned high-quality packaging products, including glass jars and bottles.  So naturally, we’re always happy to share updates on their environmental milestones, since their achievements directly impact Aegg's and our customers’ sustainability reporting, as part of the overall supply chain.

We talked to GCA's Sustainability Manager, Başak Dik, about the launch of their major sustainability report, highlighting key facts and initiatives...

Can you tell us about GCA?

GCA is part of the Gurok Group, founded in 1948 in Turkey, and applies over 30 years of knowledge and expertise in table glassware to the field of glass packaging.  GCA produces over 1 billion glass products a year and exports to over 40 countries. GCA employs over 600 people.  

What is GCA's sustainability approach?

Our sustainability approach is to leverage ‘the infinite recyclability potential of glass’ , and we are committed to continuous improvement and responsible production.

We established our Sustainability Committee in 2023 with the responsibility for integrating sustainability into the core business strategy.

We published our GCA Sustainability Report based on (GRI) Global Reporting Initiative Standards and the UN Sustainability Development Goals framework.  The Report reflects GCA’s sustainability efforts, objectives and progress in Environmental, Social and Governance performance in 2024.

Sustainability lies at the heart of our company values, which are guided by three principles: ‘Think unlimited for the world’, ‘Act bravely for society’ and ‘Do good for people’.

Can you Summarise Your  Sustainability Targets?

We divide our sustainability targets, initiatives and achievements into three core sustainability themes

1. Being a friend to Nature – Our Environmental Initiatives:
   Supporting Local Recycling Systems in the Cities Where We Operate

1. Our Vision is to be a Carbon Neutral company by 2050, minimising our carbon emissions and offsetting where appropriate
   
   
2. We measure Carbon Emissions annually in accordance with the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064. We reduced scope 1&2 CO2 emissions by 5.4% in 2024 (8544 tCO2e), with carbon intensity reduced from 0.623 in 2023 to 0.589 tCO2e per gross tonne in 2024, and we have a target to reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2030
   
   
3. Our Regenerative Furnace technology uses waste heat recovery systems to heat the combustion air using waste gases, maximising energy efficiency. We achieved energy savings of 755,285 kWh in 2024 through energy- saving measures (see page 40 for details), and we comply with ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems standards
   
   
4. We started a 5MW solar energy investment in 2024, investing in clean energy with a 2030 goal of 30% energy from renewable sources, and to reduce energy use by 7%
   
   
5. We are targeting a 35% cullet rate by 2030; for every 10% of cullet, there is a 2.5% energy saving and 5% CO2 emissions reduction
   
   
6. Our closed-loop water systems reduce water consumption and waste. We reused 1.7million m3 of water in 2024 and reduced wastewater discharge by 1.8%
   
   
7. We aim to recycle 80% of waste by 2030. For example, we reuse pallets and separators using a deposit-based system
   
   
8. We source local natural soda, a key raw material in glass production, rather than using synthetic soda, which contributes to reduced emissions
   
   
9. We support local recycling systems in the cities where we operate
   
   
10. We have committed to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) near-term targets for 2025, and we are now in the submission phase

1. We contribute to the circular economy through award-winning recycling initiatives such as The Green Dot Incentive award-winning EKOMAT Recycling Project
   
   
2. We are a leading member of FEVE with a focus on the ‘Close the glass loop’ initiative 
   
   
3. Our Research and Development focus on ‘lightweighting’ glass packaging, which reduces carbon emissions and unnecessary consumption of valuable raw materials. We saved 763 tonnes of glass and 863 tCO2e through ‘lightweighting’ in 2024.  We intensified our lightweighting efforts and prevented 1,253 tonnes of glass, and thus 1,416 tCO2e in 2025. 
   
   
4. We manufacture in accordance with the ISO 9001 Quality Management System and the BRC product safety management system, and have SEDEX Certification, prioritising quality, product safety, reliability and sustainable value
   
   
5. We implement the 5S methodology, one of the fundamental tools of LEAN production and train all staff in 5S, thereby preventing waste, promoting efficient use of resources and error reduction
   
   
6. We have leading university collaborations with Sheffield Hallam (UK) and Penn State (US) in pioneering studies in glass composition and surface treatment technologies, focussing on energy-efficient production, extending product life cycles and reducing transport-related impacts
   
   
7. We are implementing digitalisation, such as high-resolution image processing and transforming production processes to reduce environmental impacts and improve resource management
   
   
8. The Spark Suggestion Reward system encourages employees to suggest continuous improvement ideas, where 19 were implemented in 2024, generating almost 30 million TL financial benefit. For example, this included preventing the waste of 79,000 plastic pallet separators, 38 tonnes of nylon shrink wrap and 22,000 wooden pallets
   
   
9. We aim to assess the sustainability performance of 60% of our suppliers by 2030.  We have started auditing our suppliers using a Supplier Social Responsibility Survey. This encourages long-term responsible partnerships in our value chain based on quality, ethics, transparency and environmental responsibility. In 2024, our Supplier Commitment Score was 89%, and 86% of our procurement spend was with local suppliers
   
   
10. We increased expenditure on environmental initiatives by 24% in 2024
    
    
11. We have been awarded the Committed Badge by EcoVadis, achieving an overall score of 59/100, ranking in the 62th percentile.  This means our sustainability performance surpasses that of 62% of the companies assessed by EcoVadis globally.

1. 1. 1. Gurok Academy emphasises education, environmental awareness and women’s employment opportunities, where we are already achieving 30% female representation in leadership positions, and we aim to double the number of female white collar workers by 2030
         
         
      2. We prioritise employee satisfaction and professional growth because we believe our most valuable capital is our people. We are improving competency by providing 39.2 hours of training per employee per year in 2024, with the aim of increasing this to 50 hours by 2030. Training expenditure has risen by 132% in 2024.  Our local employment rate is 91%, contributing to the economic development of the region
         
         
      3. We distributed 10,000 seed balls to support women in Mugla (south west Turkey)  with nature-based employment and afforestation solutions
         
         
      4. We adopt policies that promote diversity and inclusion, gender equality, and prohibit discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, religion or disability. We support health and well-being, including ‘Occupational Health Employee of the Month’ to reward continuous safety efforts and target zero workplace accidents. We have an on-site 24/7 infirmary ensuring immediate response to emergencies
         
         
      5. The GCA Career Forward programme promotes GCA as a strong employer company that supports flexible working, fosters career growth, and work-life balance. Our Reverse Mentoring Programme connects young colleagues with senior management, and lays the foundation for a company-wide learning culture that embraces change
         
         
      6. We actively work with NGOs such as FEVE and CEVKO to implement pioneering practices 
         
         
      7. We foster strong relationships with stakeholders,  from customers to employees, to our supply chain. We focus on communication based on mutual trust, transparency and feedback; examples include using the AA1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standard to talk to 156 stakeholders, the Annual Net Promoter Score to measure customer satisfaction and a biennial Employee Satisfaction Survey
         
         
      8. We actively support numerous social responsibility projects, including career mentorship of local Kutahya University students, and work experience through the Interstellar Internship Programme
         
         
      9. Our investment in the digital transformation of processes improves operational efficiency with a project called "GCA for the Future".  This is supported by employee training programmes, holistic business transformation models, and artificial intelligence integration with the help of voluntary employee focus groups, including ‘Change Ambassadors’, ‘Digital Gurus’ and ‘Vision Pioneers’

For more information about Aegg’s sustainability initiatives and partner updates, please visit our sustainability web page. 

Together, we can make a measurable difference - one level at a time. 

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