How a paper mill in a small village maintains its place in the community and on the market
Sustainability is partially about how businesses can maintain their position in the market. For a paper mill in a small village to be in business for over 130 years, it must build strong relationships with its neighbors and strengthen its connection to the community. In this thought-provoking presentation, we will look at how the Smurfit Westrock plant in Žimrovice continues to strengthen its position in the industry today. The history of paper production in this small village in the Opava region dates back to 1891, and for decades the topic of paper and paper packaging has been present in most local households. The residents of the village and the surrounding areas are an indispensable part of the plant, which also represents a stable job opportunity in the region. How does this strong bond face the challenge of Industry 4.0, the standards of a corporation with over 100,000 employees, and other trends of the 21st century? From grandfather to father, from father to son versus a multinational corporation of the world leader in sustainable packaging – this is proof that opposites attract.
The expert discussion after the presentation will be led by Mgr. Zuzana V. Harmáčková, Ph.D., head of the department of social-ecological analysis, Global Change Research Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences.