MM Group names new Head of Sustainability

Consumer packaging firm MM Group has named Bernard Heneis as its new Head of Group Sustainability.

Based in Vienna, Heneis joins from Austrian bank Kommunalkredit, where he held the role of Sustainability Officer, investor and rating relations, since 2023.

He previously led sustainability initiatives and investor relations at Austrian utility company OMV for 13 years.

“I am thrilled to announce that I will be leading the sustainability agenda at MM Group as the Head of Group Sustainability. Sustainable packaging plays a crucial role in environmental protection and the promotion of a circular economy. Excited to collaborate with my colleagues at MM Group, MM Board & Paper, and MM Packaging,” Heneis announced on Linkedin this week.

Sustainability at MM Group (also known as Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG Group), was previously led by Thomas Greigeritsch since 2021, though it is unclear whether he remains with the company in a different capacity.

MM Group sustainability targets

MM Group, which employs nearly 15,000 people worldwide and posted consolidated sales of €2 billion in the first half of 2024, produces cardboard-based packing for consumer brands in 33 countries.

The company has set an SBTi-approved near-term target of reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 50.4%, as well as Scope 3 emissions by 58.1% per euro of value added (which is equivalent to a 50.4% absolute reduction) by 2031, both from a 2019 base year.

Between 2021 and 2023, the group’s Scope 1 emissions went down 34% from 1.29 million tonnes to 850,000 tonnes and Scope 2 (market-based) emissions remained stable around 620,000 tonnes. However, Scope 3 emissions increased about 14% in this timeframe, from 2.2 to 2.5 million tonnes. 

Overall, MM Group’s carbon footprint decreased by around 3.4% between 2021 and 2023, it was reduced by a further 23% year on year between the first half of 2023 and the first half of 2024.

In 2023, the company defined an internal carbon pricing instrument to be implemented from this year, and also committed to setting a long-term net zero target through the Science-Based Targets Initiative.