Turning ideas into action
Robust action plans underpin the most effective signatories to the National Packaging Covenant . Packaging Magazine deputy editor Matthew Levinson discovers how to develop a plan for brand owners.
The Covenant could revolutionize the way you do business and most signatories report that complying with the regulations has boosted their efficiency.
3M Packaging Systems marketing manager Chris LeBlanc said he believes active and responsible packaging waste management plans can make a successful company even stronger.
But for new signatories, it can be difficult knowing where to start.
The challenge is turning sustainable development, environmental protection and social responsibility talk into action plans that stand up to corporate rigour.
That is the Covenant’s biggest challenge, but it may find unexpected support when stakeholders realise the extent of the agreement’s financial, environmental social and public relations benefits.
Help is available
The first thing to remember is the Covenant is available to guide companies through the action plan.
So, take advantage of their help.
“The best way to engineer an action plan is to use the NPC’s extensive resource base,” said Colorpak managing director Alex Commins.
“For brand owners, recourse to the NPC is important, and this is where packaging suppliers can be a critical link.
“Whether it is as a first port of call for recycling awareness, or as a longstanding partner in product stewardship, carton-makers have a pivotal role to play.
“Our customers have to trust that any material change we present is as commercially beneficial to them as it is environmentally sound.
“The point of sale marketing benefits of recycling logos are one example where these two imperatives smoothly combine.”
Work with your people
The biggest hurdle for the Covenant is getting the message through to stakeholders – clients and staff – that compliancy measures will be commercially beneficial.
Colorpak’s Commins said they found assembling a good team crucial.
“Enthusiastic people are needed to develop and drive the changes until good waste management practice becomes a commonplace procedure for all staff,” he said.
That experience is reflected across the board.
As part of the induction process for new employees, 3M incorporated programs on awareness of the covenant and sustainable development, and fitted the company’s obligations and commitments into the induction training for every member of staff.
Visy Industrial Packaging developed their action plan with input across the group said environmental services manager Carla Vasconi, including people from operations, sales, research and development, marketing, environment and finance.
“Companies writing action plans should seek to incorporate the views of as many of their people as possible,” she said.
Training sessions for more than 300 staff, not only made them aware of the Covenant, but also provided valuable feedback on Visy’s commitments and performance to date.
Visy also took customers and suppliers into consideration when drafting the plan, senior managers (right up to the executive board and CEO) were briefed, and subsequently endorsed the action plan.
Just do it
After working with staff and clients, the Covenant, and prior action plans, the next step is drafting the plan.
The priorities for most businesses, according to Globus Group CEO Kennedy Baker, are reducing waste, increasing efficiency and satisfying customer needs.
“When developing an action plan all stakeholders, both brand owners and suppliers, such as Globus, must balance questions of food safety and shelf life extension with the preservation of the environment,” said Baker.
“Working together to introduce innovative packaging ideas through continuous improvement programs will help the wider industry achieve both these goals.”
Because it is all about reducing environmental impacts through more efficient resource, energy and water use, and improving the life cycle impacts of packaging through recovery and recycling, most agree that if there are already have some environmental protocols in place it simplifies the process.
“It can be an advantage to integrate action plans with existing environmental management systems and product design protocols,” said Visy’s Vasconi.
“This ensures that key environmental issues are addressed early in the decision making process and that tracking and reporting is incorporated as efficiently as possible.”
28-Mar-2006