1. Introduction

The year 2004 was the year of Hungary’s accession to the European Union. Only our children and grandchildren will be able to assess the true significance of this event, however, it is already clear that it is a historic milestone for our country. Accordingly, in recent years, the preparations for accession were an important part of the life of practically all Hungarians and businesses in the country.

Dear Reader,

What you are holding in your hands now is the Year 2003 Environmental Report of Dunapack Ltd., in which we present the company’s efforts and results in the field of environmental protection, looking back on several years. We provide an overview of the decade-long process leading from the legacy inherited from stateowned predecessors to the contemporary state of matters conforming to the requirements of the European Union. An account is given of the efforts taken in preparation for EU accession..
At the time of its establishment, Dunapack Ltd. took upon itself a burdensome legacy from the state-owned predecessor. This meant outdated, poorly maintained and polluting technologies, low environmental consciousness, and pollution that accumulated during previous decades. The new owner and management, however, committed itself to an ambitious objective: Dunapack intended to become a company that fulfilled the standards of the most developed European countries and realizing exemplary environmental performance in Hungary. This determination has been the defining force behind the developments and investment projects of the preceding decade, and still is today. A considerable proportion of the several billions of forints devoted to improvements since the establishment of the company served the improvement of environmental performance either directly or indirectly.
By now, when Dunapack enters the EU, we managed to achieve compliance with EU standards for most of the environmental indices, moreover, in certain areas we pride ourselves in having realized exceptional results even internationally. Several domestic accolades and international certifications exemplify the results of our efforts so far.
IApart from the pride stemming from this, we should obviously remember not to overlook the fact that there remains much to be done in some areas for achieving full compliance. We are also aware of the fact that holding onto the achievements and continuously meeting the requirements demand a commitment to ongoing development, unfazed diligence and determination.
This year’s Environmental Report includes our targets for the future, as well as our planned developments and those in progress. We hope our readers will be able to form a realistic picture of the last decade’s progress, achievements and plans. Please do not hesitate to contact us with your queries and opinions on the Report, so that we can assert our commitment to ongoing development even in preparing the Report.