The Global Packaging Project approves set of common definitions for sustainability in packaging, creates pilots to test agreed upon metrics and indicators.

In an ongoing effort to drive global change in packaging, leaders from many of the world’s largest consumer goods companies as well as major retailers have approved a suggested set of common definitions and principles for packaging in the framework of sustainability. This common language will support a global discourse on packaging in the context of the environmental, economic, and social impacts.

An assembly of The Consumer Goods Forum’s (The Forum) [7]Gobal Packaging Project (GPP) met in Toronto, Canada, on Janury 19-20 to establish a common industry language for packaging and sustainability and to outline final terms for the launch of pilot projects.

“Sustainability is a shared responsibility,” says Roger Zellner, [8] GPP co-chair and director of Sustainability, Research, Development & Quality of Kraft Foods. “By creating a common language and identifying shared global industry metrics, this initiative will enable manufacturers and retailers to work together to develop packaging solutions to help achieve agreed sustainability goals.”

Says Sonia Raja, GPP co-chair and Head of Packaging for Tesco, [9] “The Global Packaging Project started because retailers and manufacturers wanted a consistent approach to packaging consumer goods. We need to find a common way of measuring environmental and sustainability improvements on packaging that can be used across the world.”

Collectively, there was a recognition at the meeting that inconsistent measures between different actors in the packaged goods supply chain intended to improve packaging’s contribution to sustainable development risked leading to unnecessary complexity, added cost, and sub-optimal environmental, economic, and social results.

The next phase of the project is to validate the output of the project, the principles for packaging and sustainability, and a set of agreed indicators and metrics, within real business situations. Pilots will take place over a six-month testing stage. The forum is targeting approval of the final report and deliverables in November 2010.

The definition and principles adopted by the GPP reflect the guidelines on packaging and sustainability produced by ECR Europe [10] and EUROPEN, the European Organization for Packaging and the Environment. [11] The metrics to be tested are adapted from those developed and recently released [12]by the U.S. Sustainable Packaging Coalition. [13]