Packaging Europe and NürnbergMesse have announced their partnership to host the fifth annual Sustainability Awards at FachPack 2019 in Nürnberg, Germany on 25 September 2019. Today also marks the opening of submissions to this year’s competition. Integrated into FachPack’s supporting program, the Sustainability Awards ceremony will once again be presented in conjunction with the Sustainable Packaging Summit, curated by Packaging Europe to form the unmissable sustainability event of the year.
The Sustainability Awards is established as the most serious, rigorous and prestigious international competition for sustainability in packaging. Throughout this year, the initiative will serve as a focal point to discuss innovation strategies and cross-fertilise ideas. At its culmination at FachPack 2019, the Sustainability Awards will also recognise the most outstanding advances made by the packaging value chain across six core categories.
The benchmark for sustainable packaging innovation
Packaging waste, climate change and other environmental crises demand an urgent and joined up response from the Consumer Packaged Goods industry. Challenging us to take a rigorous and holistic view, the Sustainability Awards sets the agenda on best practice, turns the spotlight on the most important areas of R&D, and helps separate greenwash from the innovations that make a genuine difference.
The Sustainability Awards is independently judged by an expert jury representing a cross-section of the European value chain, including leading brand owners and retailers (including Amazon, Nestlé, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and P&G), sustainability organisations, waste management, academia and industry experts. Each year the competition sees ever growing engagement, assessing submissions from start-ups and global brands by the same, careful criteria.
The competition’s categories spotlight each of the key areas of innovation where the environmental footprint of packaging and packaged goods can be reduced, from resource efficiency to recycling, biomaterials to greener packaging machinery, and driving best practice at the brand owner and retailer level. Moreover, across all categories the judges are instructed to favour holistic solutions over those whose gains in one area may be offset by negative side-effects in others.
Cornelia Fehlner, director FachPack, commented:
“Everyone knows that sustainability is the number one challenge facing the packaging industry. Therefore “environmentally friendly packaging” is the key theme for FachPack 2019 and will be reflected at the stands of many exhibitors, in the lecture forums, special shows and of course award ceremonies. We’re delighted to host the Sustainability Awards. Together with the Sustainable Packaging Summit, our partnership with Packaging Europe directs a valuable spotlight on solutions to the critical environmental challenges facing packaging. Wednesday afternoon at the Forum PackBox is set to be one of the highlights of the fair for attendees.”
Tim Sykes, Packaging Europe’s head of content, said:
“We’re delighted to bring the industry’s leading sustainability event to the leading packaging fair in Europe in 2019. Following an upsurge in engagement in the Sustainability Awards in 2018, we expect to see even more submissions and inspiring innovation this year. In marking the most significant advances in sustainable packaging, the Sustainability Awards aims to focus attention on what is possible. Besides picking winners, the initiative stimulates debate, but also promotes adoption and cross-fertilisation of the enormous amount of innovation taking place in packaging technology, whether in the form of early-stage R&D, fully launched solutions or cross-industry collaboration projects.”
Additional information
The Sustainability Awards 2019 comprise six categories with one overall ‘Best Sustainable Packaging Innovation’ chosen from the winners of the sub-sections. Winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony on the afternoon of 25 September at FachPack in Nürnberg, Germany, in conjunction with the Sustainable Packaging Summit, also organised by Packaging Europe.
Submissions to the fifth annual Sustainability Awards open on 1st April and close on 20th May. There is no charge to enter the competition.
The Sustainability Awards are independently judged and are a recognised by the World Packaging Organization, meaning that winners are eligible to enter the WorldStar awards.
What other people say about the Sustainability Awards:
Thomas Reiner (former chair of dvi Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut – member of the judging panel):
“The Sustainability Awards is a wonderful project. I particularly like the fact that all levels of the market are covered. It is not just about the circular economy and design for recycling, but looking at sustainability holistically.”
Susana Pliego (Coca-Cola – a 2018 winner):
“The Sustainability Awards contributes hugely towards sustainability and motivates the industry.”
Anna Tenhunen (Finland’s VTT – a 2018 winner):
“Due to our win in the competition, we have already been contacted by three major brand owners to discuss our innovation and packaging R&D.”
For information about the Sustainability Awards and submissions from the end of March 2019 visit: thesustainabilityawards.com
