Navigating Sustainability: Lessons from Recent Global Summits
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the privilege of attending some extraordinary events, where leaders from major corporations worldwide gathered to discuss the urgent actions needed from businesses, governments, and individuals to keep our planet habitable. The message was clear: humans need the Earth, not the other way around. Nature has withstood immense catastrophes in the past, but humans are far more vulnerable.
In discussions around climate change and sustainable packaging, it became evident that reputation and credibility have become the new currency. Consumers increasingly expect transparency about environmental credentials, strategies to reduce emissions, minimize waste, and embrace circular business models. Sustainability is no longer a buzzword—it's a non-negotiable business priority.
This urgency extends to global giants and small businesses alike. Take Nestlé, operating in 188 countries, not waiting for mandates but leading the way with proactive changes. Yet, despite this momentum, there are no unified global standards on packaging regulations.
A great example is LEGO, I was recently in Copenhagen and bought a gift at LEGO store (if you don’t know Denmark is the LEGO motherland) and under the shopping bag I found several recycling logos and certification logos related to the material of the bag. It included US recycling label (How2Recycle) and French and Italian logos for EU (on the far left side), in addition you can see the PAP 22 and FSC symbols indicating the certification of the paper used to make the bag.
For Australian businesses exporting to Europe, UK and US markets, if you are going to wait 2027 to start follow the multiples standards for packaging, you might not be allowed to keep your products on the market until you have a packaging following the directives and placing the recycling label on pack. Without compliant packaging and proper recycling labels, your products risk being pulled from the market.
The Case for Immediate Action
Financial Risk and Opportunity: Climate-related risks, such as natural disasters, have become integral to business risk management. Companies without clear sustainability strategies face obstacles in securing investments and loans. Addressing these challenges proactively is far more cost-effective than managing the fallout.
Innovation Takes Time: As Virginie Helias, Chief Sustainability Officer at P&G, emphasized at the Sustainable Packaging Summit, “The winners are those who innovate.” Major packaging innovations take years to develop and validate, so starting now is essential to stay ahead of regulations.
Regulatory Changes Are Imminent: Europe’s Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is expected to be enforced by 2025, and Australia is set to finalize new packaging standards by early 2025, with enforcement from FY27. Adapting to these regulations is now a necessity for business continuity and reputation.
Reporting Challenges and OpportunitieS
At the recent Sustainable Packaging Summit in Amsterdam, I moderated the “Reporting Headache” panel, one of the event’s most popular discussions. Industry professionals shared how overwhelming it is to manage reporting for regulations like PPWR, EU taxonomy, Science-Based Targets (SBTi), and more.
The panel highlighted significant hurdles, such as data collection, validation, and confidentiality. One of the panelists mentioned that it’s similar to give away a brand food recipe, this is product advantage, brand secret, what are the measurements to be taken to keep the data safe?
Effective data management requires cross-value chain alignment and IT infrastructure upgrades. Panel opinion pointed out the importance of creating systems for data collection able to connect to existing software used by the organisations.
Companies like Henkel are investing heavily in dedicated teams to meet these requirements, yet questions about data accuracy and ownership remain unresolved.
Attendees described reporting as complex, challenging, and overwhelming.
Another poll asked the attendees about the main challenge around meeting reporting requirements.
The poll results underscore a key challenge in meeting reporting requirements: insufficiently accurate data collection methods, which garnered 55% of votes from respondents. This highlights that data precision remains a critical obstacle for businesses trying to align with new regulations. Additionally, lack of value chain alignment accounted for 34%, pointing to the complexities of coordinating efforts across supply networks. Data confidentiality concerns were a lesser but still notable challenge at 7%, indicating ongoing worries about the secure handling of sensitive information. Lastly, cost implications, such as retrofitting data modules, received 4%, reflecting that financial investment, while a factor, is less pressing than data accuracy.
Next steps: beyond "just" compliance
The value chain must prioritize establishing standardized, accurate data collection processes and invest in integrated technology solutions to streamline reporting. Future-proofing data systems will require a proactive approach, focusing not just on meeting current compliance requirements but on anticipating and adapting to evolving regulations. While a single global standard may not be realistic, harmonization across existing frameworks is crucial. Aligning standards will simplify processes and foster collaboration, ensuring efficient and consistent data reporting across the industry.
While the challenges are real, so are the opportunities. Businesses that seize this moment for strategic, proactive change will be well-positioned to thrive in a rapidly evolving marketplace. The time for action is now — don’t get left behind.
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