2023 IOM3 Fellows Day
An exclusive event to celebrate the New and existing Fellows of IOM3 and take part in a thought provoking conversation on sustainability in packaging and mining.
Timetable
| 17:00 | Tea & coffee |
| 17:25 | Welcome |
| 17:30 | The journey to 100% packaging recyclability - Mr Iain Ferguson CEnv FIMMM |
| How the Co-op reached 100% of its packaging being recyclable and how it wasn't all about changing the packaging. Defining recyclability, about disposal and the importance of appropriate metrics for progress. | |
| 17:50 | Storytelling to save the planet - Dr Anna Ploszajski FIMMM |
| We live in a world in which trust in science is at an all-time low, and time is running out for experts to get the public on-side in order to avoid climate catastrophe. Scientists find themselves drowned out by conspiracy theorists whose strong narratives capture hearts and minds more persuasively than any reputable source. In this talk, materials scientist and professional storyteller Dr Anna Ploszajski FIMMM will make the case for experts to become master storytellers of their own, to get public discourse back on track and save the planet. | |
| 18:10 | Q&A and closing remarks |
| 18:30 | Drinks reception |
| 19:15 | IOM3 Fellows' Dinner (incorporating the Sustainable Future Awards) Meet the 2023 finalists |
| 21:30 | End |
Speakers
Mr Iain Ferguson CEnv FIMMM
Iain worked for the Co-op in the UK for 32 years - 14 years as a Technical Manager looking after food and non-food products, and 18 years as Environment Manager looking after packaging policy, packaging advice, carrier bags and food waste issues, as well as many other issues that came up. His successes include moving all Co-op paper products to FSC, introducing compostable carrier bags to the UK market, moving all cotton buds to paper stems, getting all Co-op brand packaging to be recyclable, and introducing plastic film recycling for customers at Co-op shops. These are all market firsts.
As well as that, he was one of the retail representatives involved in developing the OPRL scheme, he chaired the WRAP Packaging Rationalisation Working Group that developed the 5 tests for recyclability, and was a member of the working group that developed the requirements for cardboard recyclability. He has a Master's degree in Environmental Management & Technology, with a dissertation on packaging policy. He is a Chartered Environmentalist and an Accredited Packaging Professional.
In 2022, he was awarded the Institute's Frank Paine Packaging Award for outstanding contribution to the packaging community on a global basis.
Dr Anna Ploszajski FIMMM
Dr Anna Ploszajski is an award-winning materials scientist, author, presenter, comedian and storyteller based in London. She’s a materials generalist, equally fascinated by metals, plastics, ceramics, glasses and substances from the natural world. Her work centres around engaging traditionally underserved audiences with materials science and engineering through storytelling. Having developed her own unique blend of autobiographical scientific storytelling in her first book, Handmade: A Scientist’s Search for Meaning Through Making, she now trains professional researchers and teachers to communicate what they do better, through the study of story. In her spare time, Anna plays the trumpet in a funk and soul covers band and is an ultra-endurance open water swimmer. Oh, and it’s pronounced 'Por-shy-ski'.