A Common Language
A cross-Pillar activity with our colleagues in Evnironmental Sustainability, the Global Packaging Project looked at addressing the need in our industry for a common language to enable intelligent and informed discussions between our businesses on sustainable packaging, and paved the way for meaningful cooperation across our industries. The project was created to provide the consumer goods and packaging industries with a common language with which to discuss and assess the relative sustainability of packaging. That common language consists of a framework and a measurement system, which, alongside the framework, offer a standardised way to address a range of business questions about packaging sustainability, either within a company or between business partners.
The Metrics in Use - A Real World Example
As noted, the GPPS metrics can be used to answer a wide range of business questions, either within a business or between business partners. The business decisions these metrics address can vary greatly. The number and type of metrics used will depend on the business question being asked. A simple question about the weight or recycled content of specific packaging options will require the use of just one metric. By contrast, an overall assessment and comparison of entire product and packaging systems will require a lifecycle approach and the use of a wide range of metrics.
For example, one of the pilots shared during the GPPS development aimed to compare the overall sustainability performance of shelfready packaging with a normal packaging delivery system. Since an overall comparison was required, it was necessary to look at full lifecycle metrics for both environmental and social areas, and also to include an economic assessment.