Sustainability Watch Issue 1

Welcome to Invok's first edition of Sustainability Watch! Here, we will share relevant news and insights on some pressing issues facing the CPG industry. We hope these articles will help spark conversations among your team and inspire you to consider how we as an industry can be part of the long-term solutions to our planet's environmental problems.

Plastic-Eating Enzyme Could Eliminate Billions of Tons of Landfill Waste

It's no secret that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is still found in most consumer packaging, and the fact that it accounts for 12% of all global waste highlights a need to explore alternative materials as well as what to do with the billions of tons of waste already on our planet. With that being said, there is some exciting news out of the University of Texas at Austin which gives us hope for the future of the planet and reminds us that collaboration between industries, governments, and consumers is how we are going to truly make a positive impact.

Learn more here: The University of Texas at Austin

Trying to Go Green Reveals a Broken System

Building on the idea of collaboration – a recent story from Toronto emphasized how even when packaging claims to be 100% recyclable, only a small percentage of that packaging is actually getting recycled. Often, this is due to a city or jurisdiction not having the proper facilities in place to handle the recycling of these products. Still, the CPG brand usually faces any backlash or questions about false claims. This local tea company's situation is not novel, though, reminding us that even the best intentions need to be backed up by research and transparency. It's okay not to have all the answers – but being upfront about your brand's sustainability efforts and the areas in which you are looking to improve will help establish some goodwill and trust between brand and consumer.

Learn more here: Toronto Star and Food Dive

Major Brands Continuing to Explore Sustainable Packaging

Speaking of transparency and sustainability commitments, Kraft Heinz recently announced that they will partner with a packaging technology company, Pulpex, to "develop a paper-based, renewable and recyclable bottle made from 100% sustainably sourced wood pulp." Suntory, on the other hand, has pledged to switch to 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) plastic by the end of the year. While these types of announcements have become common, it is interesting to note that at the bottom of the Kraft Heinz press release, they clarify any "Forward-Looking Statements" to ensure that they are covered if the results differ from what they hope and have stated. Navigating between marketing/PR claims and the legality of those claims is something that CPG brands both big and small need to be cognizant of, but we are also past the point of setting easy targets for small wins. It's time to think big and set goals that scare us a bit. It's the only way forward.

Learn more here: Kraft Heinz and edie

Find and read all of the Sustainability Watch issues on our website.