With the participation of leading global brands, such as Amazon, Coop, Coca-Cola, Fater (a joint venture by P&G and Angelini), and Massimo Zanetti Beverages. Visitors can enjoy an exclusive contribution from WWF’s Climate and Energy Deputy Director, Tim Letts, on the new worldwide project to develop sustainable business models. The FAO will also be contributing with a speech on sustainability in relation to waste. The future of sustainable packaging starts now: the forum will be offering a showcase of best practices and a presentation of brand new data on trends in purchasing and sustainable consumption, based on research conducted by Nomisma, Nielsen, McKinsey, and WPO (World Packaging Organisation).
The sustainability of manufacturing, from packaging onwards, will be a much-discussed topic at Bologna’s international Packaging Speaks Green forum, scheduled for 20 – 21 February (at the FICO Eataly World Congress Hall) in Bologna. Organised by Ucima and the FICO Foundation, the forum aims to promote meetings and discussion among institutions, industries and academia on B2B and sustainable development. A priority now for consumers, businesses, and institutions, given the awareness of the need to reduce the environmental impact of the production chain. Packaging, in particular, has received the lion’s share of this attention, but it cannot be the only problem tackled in order to reduce environmental impact. Which is why the forum will be offering a comprehensive overview of the many aspects of a manufacturing which – it is hoped – is becoming increasingly green, complemented by a showcase of international best practices.
Packaging Speaks Green will be focussing on examples to follow set by leading global companies, such as Coca-Cola, Fater (a joint venture between P&G and Angelini), Massimo Zanetti Beverages, Amazon, and Coop, to name but a few, which will be examining the question of sustainable industrial activities to create value and share it with all the stakeholders. More specifically, speakers will include Clay Dockery (vice president of the corporate brands division at Massimo Zanetti Beverages USA), Roman Manthey (global supply chain engineering & infrastructure director at Coca-Cola Bottling Investment Group), Joseph Rake (senior packaging manager at Amazon), Chiara Faenza (head of sustainability and value innovation at Coop); Enrico Dolce (product development & sales manager at Fater, a joint venture between P&G, Angelini) , and Bill Smith (director of brands, at Top Friendly Markets). WWF‘s deputy director for climate and energy Tim Letts, meanwhile, will be presenting the work done by the World Wildlife Fund, alongside businesses, to set and achieve sustainability goals, in particular those linked to the development of low-emission business models that are compatible with brands’ economic growth. Packaging Speaks Green also aims to focus on the need to implement wide-reaching green solutions, highlighting global consumption trends and the level of standardisation achieved through the work of stakeholders in scientific and institutional fields worldwide. Also exploring the green economy, the contribution from Rosa Rollee, team leader for FAO of the “Food Losses and waste technical team, nutrition and food systems division”, is expected to be significant.
The forum will also offer opportunities for the presentation of extensive unpublished data, with consumer trends to be examined by Silvia Zucconi (market intelligence manager at Nomisma) based on research conducted on sustainability in buying decisions with the company’s research unit which monitors the packaging adopted for fast-moving consumer goods (Osservatorio Packaging del Largo Consumo); after Ms Zucconi, visitors will have the opportunity to hear from Nicola De Carne, client business partner for retailer services at Nielsen and Paolo Spranzi (associate partner at McKinsey).
On the matter of legislation and society, European, Indian, American, and Australian institutional representatives will provide insights into the regulatory and consumption context in their respective locations. Speakers will include Roberto Ferrigno (founder and director, Lunina Consult); Nerida Kelton, executive director at AIP (Australian Institute of Packaging), and Sanjay Kr Chattopadhyay (director at IIP, Indian Institute of Packaging), While one of the leading sustainability experts for the Asian area, Sudhir Mishra (founder & managing partner of Trust Legal Advocates & Consultants), will also be enriching the debate. The events dedicated to the organisations will be brought to a close by Johannes Bergmair, Secretary General of the WPO (World Packaging Organization).
The future of sustainable packaging starts now, and this concept will be laying the foundations for the forum’s last in-depth discussion, on green materials and technologies. Paola Fabbri, associate professor at the University of Bologna’s department of civil, chemical, environmental, and materials engineering, followed by Alessandro Manzardo, co-founder of University of Padua venture SPINLIFE, who will be kicking off by debunking a few common myths. before handing over to a panel discussion involving Marco Versari, head of institutional relations at Novamont, Carlos Trubacz, strategic marketing manager at Amcor, Håkan Pettersson, business segment director at BillerudKorsnäs, and Mariagiovanna Vetere, global public affairs director at NatureWorks and Braskem Netherlands BV. End-of-line activities will be discussed, meanwhile, by Laure Cucuron, general manager of the European office at TerraCycle, Carlo Andriolo, CEO of Aliplast and Gianluca Valentini, general manager at Herambiente.
“Sustainability is a goal that can be reached with via a ‘field-to-fork’ chain, so one that starts with agrifood production and ends inside our homes – explained chair of the FICO Foundation and agro-economist Andrea Segrè – According to data provided by Nomisma, 98% of citizens know that their everyday actions, however small they may seem, can affect the health of our planet and 1 in 2 Italians declares they are sensitive to the environmental impact of packaging. To achieve a real circular economy, though, every step must be monitored consistently: from policies and actions for sustainable agrifood production to raising awareness among people, so that their food choices can help reduce the environmental impact of the supply chain and prevent waste. On the other hand, the 2020 Waste Watcher Report confirms that food and health are two aspects on which Italians focus considerably, with 66% of Italians stating their awareness of a precise connection between food waste, environmental health and human health, and when purchasing food, the impact thereof on health is decisive for 36%, i.e. 1 in 3 Italians”.
“Italy needs a “Green Industry” plan, along the lines of that devised for the “Industry 4.0″ approach, and with its all-Italian production chain in the packaging industry, Italy ranks as leader and forerunner in the development of sustainable solutions and has got everything it takes to both drive and guide a green revolution in packaging materials and technologies on an international scale” says Enrico Aureli, chair of UCIMA.
“Here at the FICO Foundation we are pleased to be contributing to the organisation of this important event in association with UCIMA – declared general secretary Alessandro Bonfiglioli – All our activity is geared towards the dissemination of good practices relating to sustainability and nutrition. In terms of environmental impact, we believe that packaging is one of the most important frontiers today and therefore it deserves the utmost attention, above all, from all those involved in the supply chain, at which the international forum we are announcing today is aimed.”