Ranpak

How ethical is Ranpak?

Ranpak is a packaging company which has achieved The GOOD Shopping Guide’s ethical benchmark on our Ethical Packaging Ratings Table. With a score of 77 out of 100, Ranpak demonstrates a degree of commitment to environmental responsibility and ethical business practices, though it sits close to the benchmark threshold.

However, Ranpak has not yet obtained The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Accreditation. Achieving accreditation would provide independent verification of the brand’s ethical practices and help consumers easily identify Ranpak as a certified ethical choice within the packaging sector.

What does Ranpak do?

Ranpak Holdings Corp. was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Concord Township, Ohio. The company is publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker PACK. Ranpak supplies paper-based protective packaging solutions to over 36,000 end-users across more than 50 countries, operating an installed base of more than 140,000 machines. The company operates five manufacturing facilities in Nevada, North Carolina, Missouri, the Netherlands, and Czech Republic, and employs between 500 and 1,000 people globally. For the full year 2024, Ranpak reported net revenue of $368.9 million. Product lines include void-fill systems, cushioning, wrapping, in-the-box packaging, and end-of-line automation solutions.

Why does Ranpak perform well ethically?

Ranpak achieves good ratings across several environmental and corporate responsibility criteria. The brand receives good ratings for environmental reporting and pollution prevention, demonstrating transparent communication about sustainability practices. Ranpak achieves a good rating for fossil fuels and maintains good standards for animal welfare and responsible marketing. The brand has no documented public record criticisms and maintains neutral political donation practices. Ranpak also receives a good rating for armaments, confirming the company does not supply to defence or weapons-related sectors.

What could improve Ranpak’s ethical positioning?

While Ranpak demonstrates solid ethical performance across several criteria, three areas present opportunities for improvement. Most significantly, Ranpak receives a poor rating for eco certifications. For a company that has positioned itself as a leader in sustainable packaging since 1972 and serves over 36,000 end-users globally, the absence of recognised independent environmental certifications is a notable gap. Pursuing certifications such as those provided by the Forest Stewardship Council would provide customers and consumers with credible third-party verification of Ranpak’s environmental claims and strengthen its positioning as a genuine sustainability leader.

Additionally, Ranpak’s ratings for toxic chemicals policy and vegan options are both acceptable rather than good, indicating room for further improvement in chemical management practices and the breadth of its sustainable product offering. Expanding vegan-certified or plant-based packaging options would help address the latter gap.

Most importantly, obtaining The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Accreditation would strengthen consumer confidence in Ranpak’s ethical practices. Accreditation would provide independent third-party verification of the brand’s commitments, making it easier for consumers to identify Ranpak as a certified ethical choice. It is also notable that Ranpak has not achieved recognition as an Ethical Innovator, a distinction held by several higher-ranking brands in this sector.

For consumers seeking sustainable packaging solutions, Ranpak represents a reasonable choice, though its proximity to the benchmark threshold means consumers should compare it against higher-ranking alternatives. Consulting The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Packaging Ratings Table will help identify brands with stronger ethical credentials and independent accreditation, and our how we rate page explains the criteria in full.