WestRock Company’s Post

SUSTAINABILITY...SUSTAINABILITY...SUSTAINABILITY...ESG...ESG...ESG... BUZZ..BUZZZ.BUZZZ. All good and green, until you realize in all the corporate frenzy, that: - We purchase plastic bottles of water casually, instead of carrying our own from home. - We are attending or proudly showcasing our sustainable business at an event that specifically asks attendees to PRINT badges.. Really??? In 2024? AND drowning in lanyards and plastic covers. - We don't care to carry a tote bag to the grocery store. Maybe we don't have one? Since there are those instantly gratifying 10-minute deliveries. 😅 - We haven't done our part yet. Massive, huge, gigantic, enormous change in mindset is imperative, because (refer to the last point).

Durability and sustainability come together. When it comes to packaging sustainability, the say-do gap – the difference between what people say they’ll do and what they actually do – is wide. Part of the problem is feasibility, but the other part is information – or more specifically – misinformation. Understanding the say-do gap is the first step to narrowing it. Here’s what Packaging Gateway & Inside Packaging has to say on the topic. https://lnkd.in/eCxh6KRa

The call for sustainable packaging is louder than ever, and initiatives like the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s golden design rules are reshaping industry practices. Sprite’s shift from green to clear bottles maintains the plastic’s recyclability at a high level is one example. Supermarkets are also adapting; black meat trays, once unrecognisable by waste management systems, are being replaced with clear ones—and consumers haven’t blinked an eye. It’s a change worth celebrating loudly for its environmental benefits. But it’s not just about industry changes; consumers play a pivotal role too, with many changing habits due to anxiety about sustainability. Companies are starting to embrace closed-loop systems in response to consumer demand for sustainable packaging, but the narrative shouldn't end there. We must tell the story of our packaging, connecting consumers with the journey towards sustainability 🌱 Joanna Griffiths, Global Consumer, Retail & Food Community Director explores in our latest whitepaper: https://gag.gl/WlpUZv #BSI #SustainablePackaging #FoodSector

The call for sustainable packaging is louder than ever, and initiatives like the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s golden design rules are reshaping industry practices. Sprite’s shift from green to clear bottles maintains the plastic’s recyclability at a high level is one example. Supermarkets are also adapting; black meat trays, once unrecognisable by waste management systems, are being replaced with clear ones—and consumers haven’t blinked an eye. It’s a change worth celebrating loudly for its environmental benefits. But it’s not just about industry changes; consumers play a pivotal role too, with many changing habits due to anxiety about sustainability. Companies are starting to embrace closed-loop systems in response to consumer demand for sustainable packaging, but the narrative shouldn't end there. We must tell the story of our packaging, connecting consumers with the journey towards sustainability 🌱 Joanna Griffiths, Global Consumer, Retail & Food Community Director explores in our latest whitepaper: https://gag.gl/WlpUZv #BSI #SustainablePackaging #FoodSector

The call for sustainable packaging is louder than ever, and initiatives like the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s golden design rules are reshaping industry practices. Sprite’s shift from green to clear bottles maintains the plastic’s recyclability at a high level is one example. Supermarkets are also adapting; black meat trays, once unrecognisable by waste management systems, are being replaced with clear ones—and consumers haven’t blinked an eye. It’s a change worth celebrating loudly for its environmental benefits. But it’s not just about industry changes; consumers play a pivotal role too, with many changing habits due to anxiety about sustainability. Companies are starting to embrace closed-loop systems in response to consumer demand for sustainable packaging, but the narrative shouldn't end there. We must tell the story of our packaging, connecting consumers with the journey towards sustainability 🌱 Joanna Griffiths, Global Consumer, Retail & Food Community Director explores in our latest whitepaper: https://gag.gl/WlpUZv #BSI #SustainablePackaging #FoodSector

The call for sustainable packaging is louder than ever, and initiatives like the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s golden design rules are reshaping industry practices. Sprite’s shift from green to clear bottles maintains the plastic’s recyclability at a high level is one example. Supermarkets are also adapting; black meat trays, once unrecognisable by waste management systems, are being replaced with clear ones—and consumers haven’t blinked an eye. It’s a change worth celebrating loudly for its environmental benefits. But it’s not just about industry changes; consumers play a pivotal role too, with many changing habits due to anxiety about sustainability. Companies are starting to embrace closed-loop systems in response to consumer demand for sustainable packaging, but the narrative shouldn't end there. We must tell the story of our packaging, connecting consumers with the journey towards sustainability 🌱 Joanna Griffiths, Global Consumer, Retail & Food Community Director explores in our latest whitepaper: https://lnkd.in/ed2VGh9S #BSI #SustainablePackaging #FoodSector

Exciting to see The Coca-Cola Company's commitment to sustainability and circular economy principles! Bea Perez, Coca-Cola's Executive VP for Sustainability, recently shared insights on their journey toward a greener future in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. Perez emphasized the importance of transparency and interconnectedness in sustainability goals, highlighting that these fundamentals are key to driving impactful change. She also discussed Coca-Cola's integration of sustainability targets into executive compensation, a move signaling the company's serious commitment to environmental responsibility. Let's continue to support businesses making strides towards a more sustainable world! #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #EarthResponsibilityScore

It’s a wrap for another year at the Smithers Sustainability in Packaging USA Event. It’s been a really enlightening few days. I was lucky enough to open day one talking about the “Power of Partnerships”, but I’ve learnt so much in the last 48 hours about the additional challenges facing partnerships across the packaging value chain. There is only 2 letters difference between ‘recyclable’ vs ‘recycled’, but a world of difference in the partnerships and actions required to responsibly manage the act of circularity as global citizens. It’s a very complex landscape for our clients and friends across the packaging industry in the USA. Maybe with the onset of EPR (extended producer responsibility) in the USA, the funds from this must be invested in improved systems and channels for collection and sortation infrastructure, to enable positive change at scale with existing systems. The means to improve packaging circularity seems available, but not incentivised sufficiently in the US free market economy. I’ve left the conference excited by the prospect of more serious scaled partnerships across the value chain, WITH the involvement of the waste management community, which needs to happen to make the theory of being recyclable into the practice of recycling, at scale and with conviction.

As it's #PlasticFreeJuly we wanted to delve into the meaning of environmental responsibility for businesses. 📢 And also share our efforts to keep the conversation within our team going- reusable coffee mugs from Keepcup for all Teamsters!♻️ So, check out our blog below, for the lowdown on what environmental responsibility actually means for business and tips on how you can engage with it! 👇 #EnvironmentalResponsibility #CorporateSocialResponsibility #SustainabilityForBusiness

As an environmentally conscious online retailer, Jennifer worried about the impact of her packaging choices. Traditional mailers filled landfills, and she knew there had to be a better way. Finding an eco-friendly solution that protected her products and fit her budget seemed like a challenge. After discovering compostable mailers, Sarah found the perfect answer. Now, her store uses sustainable packaging that reduces waste and appeals to eco-conscious customers. Looking for a sustainable packaging solution for your online store? Start your sustainable packaging journey today with Ellspo Eco's compostable mailers! Remember, small changes can make a big difference.