Liz Gyekye / PackagingNews

Global trade group issues new packaging guidelines

A global trade group, which includes representatives from Tesco and Unilever, has launched new global guidelines on packaging sustainability to help companies reduce their carbon footprint.

The Consumer Goods Forum  (CFG) unveiled its Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability and said that the guide was designed by a broad group of retailers and brand owners, in conjunction with packaging suppliers and manufacturers.

The steering group included representatives from industry leaders such as Nestle, Unilever, Walmart, Tesco, Kraft and Proctor & Gamble.

‘A common language’

Commenting on the new guidelines, Tesco chief executive Philip Clarke said: “Tesco is a responsible retailer and understands that packaging is important to its customers. We’re working hard with our suppliers to minimise the impact of our packaging on the environment.

“Having a common language will allow us to have the right conversations with our diverse supply chain. We can then work with suppliers to reduce the environmental impact of packaging whilst making sure it still does the essential job it needs to do to protect the products we sell.”

Unilever chief executive Paul Polman added: “One of the strengths of this project is how it has brought together so many companies and organizations from across our industry to work collectively on developing this common language. Now we, as individual companies, need to put the language to work. We are already doing so in Unilever and we are seeing the benefit.”

The CGF is a global industry alliance made up of over 650 leading companies from the packaging, retail and consumer good sectors.

‘Packaging sustainability’

The body added that the agreed definitions and metrics set out in the protocol would make it easier for businesses to tackle a range of commercial questions about packaging sustainability – either in-house or between their partners in the value chain.

The 74-page guide sets out a framework to outline and assess the relative sustainability of packaging, said the CGF.  The framework was first published in June 2010, as revealed by Packaging News.

It outlines a choice of indicators to take into account for making business decisions. These include life-cycle phases, the level at which an indicator could be used and at what part in the business. The report also examines the use of life-cycle assessments in product development, availability of data, types of packaging, as well as economic, social and environmental metrics.

Steering team co-chair Roger Zellner of Kraft Foods said: “Our global collaboration has been a unique achievement, and now many diverse players have a common language and measurement tools for decision making.”