1.
Research Developments and
Needs in Sustainable
Packaging Metrics
Claire Koelsch Sand, Ph.D.
MSU Adjunct/PTIS/Ameripak
IFT Annual Meeting 2008

2.
Agenda
Current state of sustainable packaging
metrics
What is needed in sustainable packaging
metrics
Research in sustainable packaging metrics
needed to meet these needs

3.
Agenda
Current state of sustainable
packaging metrics
What is needed in sustainable packaging
metrics
Research in sustainable packaging metrics
needed to meet these needs

4.
ent state of sustainable packaging metrics
Retailers
CPG specific
Packaging suppliers
Governments

5.
Overall Metrics
How and what are measured varies
Recycled content
Increased waste reduction
Decreased energy use
Carbon footprint
Beverage and paper companies measure
water

6.
Retailer Metrics
Wal-Mart Scorecard:
GHG emissions, material value,
product to packaging ratio,
cube utilization, emissions during transport
recycled content usage,
amount of renewable energy used,
recovery value of the raw materials,
Focus is on cost reduction for Wal-Mart
Final metric vs tool for improvement

7.
Retailer Metrics continued
Global retailers continued
UK emmissions
Sourcing
Carbon footprint

8.
“that we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart
Packaging Scorecard becoming a de facto
industry standard. Not only could such an
eventuality disrupt the market but even worse, it
risks evolving in such a way as to become an
inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulator”
EUROPEN

9.
CPG Metrics-for consumers
CPG metrics are translated into positive
consumer language-something improved
vs. use of resources
Cars taken off road
Number of trees planted
Biodiversity
Metrics used as a sales tool with
increasingly low consumer confidence
Consistency is lacking
Facilities vary
Energy used varies
Material sources varies

10.
CPG Metrics internal use
Primarily design guides
SCJ Greenlist –
Well respected
8 performance parameters
Continuous improvement
Amount of packaging materials (weight or
volume)
Product/package ratio
Percent of suppliers that are sustainable
Reduction of emission, energy, water...
Carbon footprint

11.
CPG Metrics in wide use
PIQET- Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool
SPA driven, LCA based
From Australia & well respected worldwide
Nestle is most common user

12.
CPG Metrics in wide use
continued
Rapid Assessment Tool (RAT)
MERGE – Managing Environ, Resources
Guidance and Evaluation
COMPASS-Comparative Packaging
Assessment for SPC members Fall
2008

13.
Packaging Supplier Metrics
Metrics used as sales tools to CPGs
Much confusion
BASF eco-efficiency tool
Basis in economy, environment, society
Excellent comparative assessment
Metrics used as part of CRS

14.
BASF Eco-Efficiency tool is user
friendly
1000 L water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling
plant.

15.
Packaging Design Guidelines
INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of
Practice
85% of UK industry represented
SPC Design Guidelines
WRAP (Waste and Resources Action
program - UK)
Johnson and Johnson DfE Tool

16.
Sustainability Indices
Dow Jones Sustainability Index
FTSE4Good
Working on sustainability
Supply chain integrity
LOHAS Index (NMI)
Global Reporting Initiative (“GRI”)
Anticipated collaborative alignment of:
FASB (Financial Accounting Standards Board)
SEC
EPA
ESI (Environmental Sustainability Index)

17.
Governmental
Global Reporting Initiative (“GRI”)
EPM (Environmental Performance
Measurement)

18.
Summary of packaging metrics
PIQET
Wal-Mart Scorecard
MERGE
COMPASS
•
Eco-efficiency (BASF)

19.
Agenda
Current state of sustainable packaging
metrics
What is needed in sustainable
packaging metrics
Research in sustainable packaging metrics
needed to meet these needs

20.
What is needed in sustainable
packaging metrics
Guide making the right decisions

21.
Requirements of Metrics
whole value chain applicable
accurate & detailed
transparent
quick
foster communication

22.
Agenda
Current state of sustainable packaging
metrics
What is needed in sustainable
packaging metrics
Research in sustainable packaging
metrics needed to meet these needs

23.
Research required to be applicable to
the whole value chain
1) Research on translations needed at various stages of
converting
2) Research on how to facilitate information transfer
3) Research on how packaging metrics can open up
communication between suppliers

24.
Research required to meet
accuracy and detailed needs
Research on how to attain most accurate data
Material specific
Facility specific
Source specific
Season specific
Technology specific
•
Research to enable automatic updating of information
•
Research to explore the applicability of SPC Indicators
and Metrics Project
•
Research on how to establish a verification process
that the correct information is used

25.
Research required to meet
transparency needs
•
Research to assess what is needed for
data must be believable by entire value
chain and stakeholders
•
Consumers
•
CPGs
•
Retailers
Research to establish verification that the
correct data is always used
Research to enable confident data collection
beyond MENA, BRIC, USA, EU, North
America

26.
Research required to meet
quick needs
Research that enables rapid assessment of
area of most impact
Research to determine baseline LCA data
Research to enable rapid LCA data
adjustment based on:
high impact production
sourcing
distribution changes
etc.
•
Research on what is needed to motivate
Supplier consortium to facilitating sharing of
metrics

27.
Research required to foster
communication needs
Develop process for communicating with users
within value chain
SFC designation
Harmonization of metrics
Research to assess an optimal means of
communicating with consumers
Critique current communication methods
Develop protocol for communicating metrics
with Consumers
•
Harmonize consumer communication metric
and methods

28.
Thank you & Questions
Current state of sustainable packaging
metrics
What is needed in sustainable
packaging metrics
Research in sustainable packaging
metrics needed to meet these needs