Where Does Your Packaging Rank?

Compass Group Launches Scorecard to Help

As our understanding of packaging’s impact on the environment increases, so does the confusion. The green claims of manufacturers can make it difficult to determine which cups, plates, bowls or beverage containers to buy. Making the right choice starts with getting the right information.

Is a beverage in an aluminum can more sustainable than one served in a plastic bottle? Would Mother Earth prefer that we serve our guests lunch in plastic-coated fiber from trees, plastic made from petroleum, or plastic made from plants? Should we buy compostable products even if there is no commercial composting at the point of use? Switching to reusable containers will reduce single-use plastic, but what about all that water and energy for dishwashing?

To answer these questions, Compass Group joined a coalition of food companies, NGOs, and experts to create the Understanding Packaging (UP) Scorecard. This scorecard is a free, public and simple-to-use tool that provides a single yardstick for measuring the sustainability performance of a wide array of different product options.

How It Works: By visiting www.upscorecard.org, the user simply selects a container type and then chooses from a list of generic cup options. The Scorecard displays sub-scores for carbon, water, sustainable sourcing, recoverability, plastic pollution, and potential chemicals of concern for each product option. Products are then ranked by their overall score average, so you can see at a glance which ones rise to the top or fall to the bottom.

Users can go deeper and customize their scorecard with product details, like if the location has access to recycling but not commercial composting. While products with more detail result in a more accurate score, generic knowledge of the product will provide U.S. averages in just one click.

As a leading user of these products, the choices made by Compass Group, and across our industry, matter. The UP Scorecard can help us and our clients accelerate meeting our shared sustainability goals.