Greener Package Awards Frequently Asked Questions

Who can submit an entry, the retailer, packager, or the supplier?
Any company from anywhere in the packaging value chain can enter a given package for a Greener Package award:

• Retailer
• Brand owner
• Design firm
• Packaging supplier

The entry must center on a specific package that was commercialized with an end user/brand owner between January 1 – December 31, 2009. (Note: You may enter packages commercialized in 2010, so long as they are not re-entered in the 2011 competition.)

If your entry wins, it counts as one winner, though each of the companies listed on the entry form will be mentioned on the award plaque. The plaque will be sent to the company who pays the entry fee.

A similar “team effort” can be used on the Beyond the Package award: Can be a recycler with a large material supplier, or a packager who has set up a take-back program working through a particular retailer. For winning entries, all the companies involved will receive recognition since it's associated with the same effort. Packaging suppliers, brand owners or retailers may enter this category.

So there's no “supplier winner” or “packager winner”. All the companies involved in the effort are recognized.

What are the criteria for each category?
See individual entry forms.

Can I enter a package that my company was involved with if I'm on the advisory board?
Yes. You just have to recuse yourself from judging your own entry. But the other judges can judge your entry, and you are still free to judge all the other entries.

What are the dates of eligibility?
Any package or change introduced in 2009. Eligibility is global in scope. Packages commercialized in 2010 may be entered as long as they're not re-entered in the 2011 competition.

Must a package be commercialized in order to be entered?
Yes. A supplier entering a packaging material must only do so for materials that are in commercial use by a customer. Packages that do not have a commercial end user will not be judged.

How much does it cost to enter?
It costs $350 to enter one package in one category. Subsequent packages or categories are $250 each. If three companies are involved in one package, the price is $350 total, not $350 per company.

What if I want to submit many different packages but it's all part of the same product family?
You can submit it as one entry.

What if I have three different packages, but different product families?
Then that counts as three different entries with three different entry fees. Reason: you have three different stories to tell, each of which should be considered on its own merits by the judges.

How do you reward biodegradability?
The feeling among our advisory board was fairly unanimous that “biodegradability” shouldn't be rewarded because it means different things to different people. Instead, judges will look to see whether a package meets specific composting standards.

How do you assess innovation vs. incremental changes vs. volume of material reduced?
Many advisory board members argued for separate categories for true innovation versus incremental improvement. Others felt that innovation should at the minimum be given more weight versus incremental improvement. Still others argued that simple, incremental improvements that result in dramatic reductions in materials used shouldn't be excluded from consideration. And of course, there's the small company vs. big company argument—some argued that changes should be judged in percentage terms to level the playing field. Others felt very large companies should be rewarded for taking large volumes of material out of the supply chain. At the end of the day, we have structured the competition to take all of these factors into account. Since innovation will be listed as its own section, packages with a compelling innovation story will stand out, but without closing the door on success stories that center on brute force reductions in material.

Must all awards be given out?
No. The board has the right to not give out all awards in a given category if they feel there are not enough worthy entries.

Who are the judges?
The judges consist of the Greener Package Expert Network and consist of sustainability leaders from retailers, consumer packaged goods companies, designers, consultants, suppliers, and recyclers.