EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL |

And so... we begin again. Already well into a new year and we’ve long said our not-so-fond farewells to 2020. But we moved into 2021 with some tentative shoots of hope. COVID-19 vaccines have been developed astonishingly quickly and maybe – just maybe – the world has had time to reflect a little more on the harsh realities of our climate situation. It is precarious, no doubt about it, but we have also learned what is possible with cross-collaboration on a global scale.

The latter, of course, is something that many voices in the packaging industry have long been crying out for. It is sad, but perhaps inevitable, that it may have taken the global loss of hundreds of thousands of lives to awaken that same sense of urgency; that in some situations there really is no time to lose.

But enough of my ruminations, and on to the point at hand: First and foremost, our annual Sustainability Awards has once again opened for submissions. This year’s ceremony will take place on 29th September at FachPack in Nuremberg as part of our Sustainable Packaging Summit. The latest edition sees the launch of a new e-commerce category and we also welcome eight new experts to our global jury. We’re eagerly awaiting all the entries; previous awards have shown us the sheer breadth of talent, imagination and determination in the industry. We expect this year to be no different.

In this issue, Tim Sykes previews the key challenges, dilemmas and advances we anticipate in the critical circular economy space. Fin Slater highlights the vital role played by packaging in consumer protection, while Elisabeth Skoda takes an exciting dive into the futuristic world of robotics (she arrived back safely, don’t worry). Elsewhere, we talk to some industry experts to get the lowdown on polymer innovation and we also look at the growing potential of seaweed-based packaging.

Our big interviews feature Sappi’s René Köhler and PepsiCo’s Archana Jagannathan. In the former, René and I spoke on the topic of barrier papers and Sappi’s determination to ensure their wider use – while acknowledging that it can never be a simple question of ‘plastic vs. paper’. In the latter, Elisabeth Skoda found out how PepsiCo’s collaborative approach has enabled it to develop its current stable of sustainable brands. Our regular ‘On Second Thoughts...’ column comes courtesy of Tracy Sutton, founder of Root, who tells us that simply ‘talking circularity’ is not enough to solve our industry’s dilemmas.

Finally, as you read this, we will be building on last year’s activities in virtual content, both with the first panel of our year-round Sustainable Packaging Summit series and the launch of the brand new Global Packaging Innovation Forum. Acknowledging the new models of communication and knowledge-sharing we have embraced over the past year, the forum will provide a space for the packaging community worldwide to learn about and discuss the innovations driving technology forward. Visit PackagingEurope.com/GPIF to find out more.

We look forward to another year of fruitful partnerships, and as ever, thank you to our readers, collaborators, sponsors and industry experts for your vital support. See you at the Global Packaging Innovation Forum; and please, don’t forget to get your entries in for the Sustainability Awards! n

To enter, visit: theSustainabilityAwards.com Victoria Hattersley

Victoria Hattersley

vh@packagingeurope.com @PackEuropeVicky