Heading into autumn 2023
Jude Allan MIMMM Chair of the IOM3 Packaging Group looks back at what has been happening over the past six months and also forward to upcoming events.
Taking the Pain out of Packaging Data
In July we continued the webinar series focussing on packaging data with a second webinar investigating how to take the pain out of it and looked forward to making the most of the opportunities that understanding our data can bring us.
The webinar looks at the new Open Data Standard (Open 3P), a free to access/use industry-led standard designed to help reduce the administrative burden of data reporting for compliance, facilitate and speed up routine supply chain data requests and unlock the wider benefits of better and standardised data.
Packaging Data is an important topic for the whole value chain. Everyone speaking the same language is an essential part of enabling Open 3P communication enabling a consistent, non-proprietary way to collate and share data has been developed that can be accessed and used by everyone.
We had great speakers who introduced what an Open Standard is and how the Open 3P standard has been developed for and with the sector. A great discussion was had with different stakeholders around their data challenges and the benefits of a consistent approach. Finally, we looked more broadly at the wider sectoral and sustainability benefits that can be realised with better and more sharable data.
If you weren’t able to join us live the webinar can be watched on demand
RWM Panel – Maximise the EPR Conversation in Order to Succeed
IOM3 Packaging Group hosted a panel at Resourse & Waste Management (RWM) at the NEC in September. The aim of the panel was to discuss how we could build on stakeholder communication along the value chain to maximise the success of EPR.
The event was chaired by Margaret Bates, Managing Director OPRL & IOM3 Packaging Group Leadership Team Member
The panel members included
- Emma Bourne OBE, Director of Resources & Waste, Defra
- Jacob Hayler, Executive Director, ESA
- James Bull, Head of Packaging and Food Waste, Tesco
- Jon Hastings, Vice-Chair of NAWDO & Head of Strategy and Development, East London Waste Authority
- Jude Allan, Chair, IOM3 Packaging Group
Margaret set up the panel with a no nonsense introduction summarising that although no-one would claim that it has been perfect, one of the positive things that has come out of pEPR is the increase in communication and understanding up and down the value chain, and that the session was to discuss how do we capitalise and build on it.
The panel highlighted that pEPR has brought the supply chain closer together than ever before and communication is moving beyond the traditional producer, consumer and consumer and waste management segments. These improved communication links have helped to contribute to more collaborative feedback to government, better designed solutions for everyone and an improved understanding of how to move things forward more effectively.
There was plenty of discussion around the fact that although there appears to be a general consensus that we need EPR as a driver to invigorate our recycling, we need to move from short-term thinking to the longer-term goal of sustainable packaging solutions.
There is no perfect solution that will be exactly what each player in the supply chain needs however, the best solutions come from fully understanding the problem and looking at it from different perspectives. So improved understanding will help everyone to design better solutions, we need to work together to understand the implications of the compromises that will be needed in order to move forward with an evolving solution.
The discussion reinforced that every voice has a role to play and collaboration makes the whole greater than the sum of its parts, and we need to continue to explore how this can be achieved including ways to bridge gaps, build trust and share learnings.
The overall tone of the panel was positive and looked at how we can build on the strengths of strong communication going forward to help us succeed, rather than looking back at past mistakes.
Emma Bourne OBE, Director of Resources & Waste DEFRA said 'It was fantastic to be part of such a positive and energised discussion about the importance of Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging. It reflected the breadth of support across the whole resources and waste value chain and the sense of commitment to this shared endeavour'.
The event was well attended and the feedback was hugely positive from the panellists and audience, so much so that the intention is to build on this and reprise the panel at the Packaging Innovation Show at the NEC, Birmingham in February 2024. Provisionally this is planned for day two of the show so please look out for us there.
IOM3 Investigates... Packaging specialist meets mining engineer
One of the many benefits of IOM3 is the opportunities to collaborate with different Technical Communities. I really enjoy the opportunity to learn from what others are doing, what their challenges and opportunities are. While there are some really obvious commonalties and opportunities to work together on projects, I find it really interesting to find surprising areas of common challenges are opportunities to share and learn.
I’ve had the pleasure to get to know Bruce Matheson through IOM3. Bruce is a mining engineer and we’ve talked a lot about the common challenges around public perception and visibility and the opportunities to overcome these issues in a positive way to engage the next generation.
Earlier this year we recorded a podcast to capture some of those conversations.
Packaging Innovation and Future Trailblazers
One of the things that I had the pleasure of doing at the show last year was launching the Future Trailblazer Awards, for talented individuals who are relatively new to the sector but who are already showing their potential to blaze a trail in the future. Packaging professionals who are going above and beyond to shape the future of packaging
There are five categories for the awards which are based around specific areas of activity and the relevant job functions, the descriptions below include a guide to the job functions, it is not a definitive list because we know that job titles vary and we want to be as inclusive as possible.
- Designing for the Future - Packaging Technologists and Designers / Print Technologists
- Production Delivery - Production Operative and Engineers / Shift Leaders
- Sustainable Thinking - Anyone with a Sustainability focus
- Delivery Management - Project Managers / Artwork Coordinators / Quality Assurance
- Making it happen - Marketing / Procurement / Supply Chain & Logistics / Quality Assurance
There will shortly be an online push from EasyFairs promoting the Awards ahead of the next show, so look out for that but the key thing is that they are not just about the person who has already done an amazing thing, it is for the person who is doing their thing in an amazing way.
So please do look out for those within your organisation who are starting to show their trailblazer potential and think about nominating them for a future trailblazer award.
Materials World content
Finally I hope you’ve been enjoying the packaging related content in Materials World, its been great to see more content relating to packaging in the institute magazine, I was particularly pleased with the breadth of great content in the July/August Circular Economy issue.
If there is anything that you think you’d like to contribute, if you’d like to get more involved or if there’s anything that you’d like to talk to me about then please do feel free to get in touch.
All the best
Jude Allan MIMMM, Chair, IOM3 Packaging Group