SPC Members-only Meeting

Sustainable Packaging Forum Registration & Hospitality

Sustainable Packaging Forum/Sustainable Packaging Coalition
Joint Welcome & Networking Reception

Featuring Mintel’s ‘Sustainable Packaging Innovations’ Demonstration

Continental Breakfast & Registration

Opening Comments On The State
of Sustainability & Sustainable Packaging
David Luttenberger, CPP, Director, Packaging Strategies
Anne Johnson, Executive Director, Sustainable Packaging Coalition

Forces of Change Shaping The Future
Of Sustainability & Sustainable Packaging Initiatives
This rapid-fire opening salvo will offer in less than two hours a big-picture perspective of the current state and most critical issues shaping strategic sustainability initiatives and cutting-edge sustainable packaging programs.

Top vision- and thought-leaders representing every link in the supply chain will, in less than five minutes each, outline, validate, and summarize their opinions of one factor they believe will challenge, drive, or create the greatest opportunities in sustainability and sustainable packaging programs and technologies.

Networking & Refreshment Break

Keynote Presentations

Responsible Leadership In Sustainability
& Sustainable Packaging Strategies
Wal-Mart is taking a true leadership role in sustainability.  It’s goal is to develop a sensing organization that is aware of the external business environment and is able to incorporate this perspective into business decisions that create long-term value where business benefits are derived from improved environmental and social outcomes.

Wal-Mart has created 13 sustainable value networks, one focused directly on packaging.  At the Sustainable Packaging Forum, Wal-Mart’s Senior Director, Corporate Strategy & Business Sustainability, Tyler Elm, will outline these networks and explain how each will help move the world’s largest retailer toward an all-encompassing goal of making its stores 25% more energy efficient, reducing solid waste by 25%, and having 20% of its supply base aligned with sustainable products, all within the next three years.

Tyler Elm, Senior Director, Corporate Strategy & Business Sustainability
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Policy To Profit: How the U.S. Department of Commerce
Is Promoting Sustainable Production Goals and Objectives
Socio-environmental considerations are an increasingly important component of the globalization of supply chains.  As transnational corporations increasingly integrate sustainable production/manufacturing processes into the creation of their products, they are hampered by the inability to independently assess the viability of new sustainable technologies and process. 

Networking Luncheon

Materials Assessment (and Metrics)
Package materials assessment metrics provide a basis of understanding and benchmark of success in moving toward more sustainable packaging and how attributes of packaging are communicated to customers and brand owners.

Anne Johnson, Executive Director,
Sustainable Packaging Coalition

Key Learning Points:

• Hear how metrics contribute to sustainable package development, package specifications, marketing, and corporate reporting
• Discover the potentials metrics have to streamline information flow on the sustainability characteristics of packaging within the supply chain
• Learn what level of data is needed to create general vs. specific metrics applications
• Uncover where the competitive advantage of sustainability and sustainable packaging is for your company

How To Define, Certify, & Accurately Market
Sustainable Products, Packaging, & Processes
A misunderstanding of the definitions of sustainable, degradable, biodegradable, compostable, and even recyclable are leading to false marketing and misleading certification claims by retailers, CPGs, and package and raw materials suppliers. This session will clarify those terms and enable organizations to make accurate claims.

Kirsten Ritchie, Director, Environmental Claims
Scientific Certification Systems

Key Learning Points:

• Hear concise definitions of sustainable, degradable, biodegradable, compostable, recyclable, and other terms marketers must know
• Learn how to achieve certification for the proper use of these terms
• Hear best- and worst-case scenarios of sustainable package marketing claims

Consumer Interest In Sustainability
More than 36 million U.S. adult consumers are identified as having values and behavior that are conscientious of the environment, society, and corporate social responsibility.  For companies who make, use, and communicate sustainable practices and eco-friendly packaging, this demographic represents an emerging group wielding tremendous purchasing power.

Gwynne Rogers, LOHAS Business Director, Natural Marketing Institute
This presentation is based on the findings of the LOHAS
(Lifestyles of Heath & Sustainability) Consumer Trends Database

Key Learning Points:

• Hear the only available research focused
  on consumer understanding of sustainability
• Gauge consumer interest in sustainable, recyclable,
  and eco-friendly packaging
• Understand the purchasing power of the LOHAS consumer
• Discover how eco-packaging considerations rate
  relative to other product benefits and package attributes

Networking & Refreshment Break

Best Practice Sustainability & Sustainable Packaging Initiatives
There are lessons to be learned from world-class producers – including those outside the packaging segment -- who’ve executed highly successful corporate sustainability and sustainable packaging initiatives.
                               
Randy Boeller, Package Engineering Program Manager
Global Packaging Team, Hewlett-Packard

Mike Adams, Vice President, Packaging Sales, Marketing and Logistics

Key Learning Points:

• Learn how Global 100 Most Sustainable Companies approach
  and execute sustainability and sustainable packaging initiatives
• Hear best practice sustainability case histories of world-class
  brand owners, consumer goods producers, and other manufacturers.

Sustainable Packaging Expo & Networking Reception

Using Transparent Life Cycle Inventory Tools To Make Package Recycling Assessments
Life cycle inventory is a progressive tool that allows retailers, CPGs, and package manufacturers to approach recyclability by comparing the forward and reverse components of product and package production in terms of mass and energy consumption. 

Dr. Matthew Realff
National Science Foundation
                       
Key Learning Points:

• Learn to how and when to use a Life Cycle Inventory Tool
• Understand the benefit life cycle inventory tools play in the assessment of recycling as sustainable packaging strategy
• Learn the difference between recycling and sustainability
• Hear case histories about the contributions recycling can make toward a sustainability strategy

Defining & Delivering Sustainable Packaging Solutions
Within The Principles of the Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club
Packaging Sustainability Initiative
Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club’s sustainability initiatives are arguably the emerging benchmark and driver of sustainable business practices.  This session is based on a workshop already proven to benefit dozens of packaging suppliers to the world’s largest retailer.

Howard Mallen, Executive Vice President, Winterborne

Key Learning Points:

• Introduction of sustainable packaging principles across multiple materials
• Explanation of the Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club Packaging Sustainability Initiative
• Instruction on how to develop and introduce packaging that meets the
  Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club “7Rs” initiatives
• Learn the Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club position on PVC packaging
• Hear case examples of package design and materials considerations that work within the Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club Packaging Sustainability Initiative

*This workshop is not endorsed by Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club
           

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING INNOVATIONS --
MATERIALS, PROCESSES, & SERVICES
Attendees will be introduced to and hear a series of 15-minute technical presentations outlining a comprehensive array of sustainable innovations.  Each technology featured in this session was approved for presentation by the Sustainable Packaging Forum Advisory Board.
Each overview will include:

• Technical specifications
• Converting parameters
• Comparative performance data vs. traditional technologies
• Structural or graphic design considerations
• Current applications and marketplace reaction
• Best future potential or targeted end-use applications
• Overall economic considerations
• Overviews of other non-selected sustainable innovations
  will be included in the Conference Proceedings

Advances in Biopolymers For Shrink Sleeves
Rich Eichfeld, Vice President, Business Development
Plastics Suppliers, Inc.

Natural Fiber-based Package Manufacturing Process
Martin Aleksis, Vice President, Marketing/Sales, PAKIT Inc.

Molded Pulp Packaging Made From Palm Fiber/Empty Fruit Bunch
Shannon Boase, Founder/President, EarthCycle Packaging, Ltd.

EnviroShell Recycled Corrugated/PVC Blister Alternative
Howard Mallen, Executive Vice President, Winterborne

Environmental & Economic Advantages of Lightweighting
Bruce Catoen, Vice President/Packaging, Husky Injection Molding Systems

AgroResin Composite Biomass Materials For Packaging
Dr. Xu Yan, Founder/Managing Director, Grenidea Technologies Pte Ltd.

Reusable Transport Packaging As A Sustainable Supply Chain Solution
David Rodgers, President, Returnable Pallet and Packaging Coalition

Combining Traditional & Renewable Materials in Hybrid Packaging Solutions
Ronald Cotterman, Executive Director, Sustainable Packaging,
Sealed Air Corporation