Is there a business case for zero waste? Tetra Pak, one of the world’s largest suppliers of recyclable food packaging thinks so. Elisabeth Comere, Director for Environment & Government Affairs, Tetra Pak US & Canada, is coming to #ZWCX2015 and bringing valuable insights from a company with sustainability as a guiding principle and ambitious goals for their supply chain.
Just as the circular economy has a cradle-to-cradle approach to the materials used in manufacturing, Elizabeth Comere sees a parallel in the business world; where coordinated waste reduction efforts are the key to turning zero waste ambitions into reality. In a blog post for CSRWire Comere writes:
“Individual goal setting around a greener supply chain is important. But when vendors and suppliers work together to transform behaviours and approaches, we’ve found that systemic change happens faster and goes further.â€
Tetra Pak models that holistic approach in their own business, sourcing packaging from renewable sources, working with their customers to help them lower the environmental impact of their operations, and educating consumers about the environmental benefits of choosing renewable packaging.
As Comere notes in a guest column for Environmental Leader magazine:
“But what’s the solution and who is responsible for bringing it about? Is it the packaging industry, the brand-owners, the recycling industry, government, consumers? It’s my belief that the answer is yes — across the board. We are all responsible and in fact, the involvement of all stakeholders is the only way to bring about the game-changing steps needed to truly evolve the material supply and recovery chain.â€
Most importantly, Tetra Pak is making a case for positive social initiatives based upon the dollars and cents realities of doing business. In reading the company’s 2014 sustainability report it’s clear they see their efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of their products as a strategic decision - influencing consumer buying patterns and brand loyalty, while saving them money in the long term.
Comere notes in her CSRWire post:
“Sustainable sourcing and management of natural capital via a greener supply chain is increasingly not just a nice to have, but a must do. “
Elisabeth Comere and Tetra Pak have recognized that a shift is underway. The circular economy and zero waste thinking is gaining momentum. Business faces a new revolution, where sustainability impacts the bottom line. Â Don’t miss this opportunity to find out how it can be a profitable change for your organization.
At #ZWC2015, Elisabeth will be part of our  responding panel to Bill McDonough’s keynote speech Industrial Revolution: The Business Case for Zero Waste discussing how businesses can shift the market towards a regenerative ‘take-make-reuse-make-reuse’ cycle and turn a profit – particularly when customer-convenience remains the most powerful determinant of how we conceive of goods and services? And, how are they transforming operations and supply chains to do so? It promises to be an illuminating session.
Register for Metro Vancouver’s Zero Waste Conference
Thursday, October 29, 2015, Vancouver Convention Centre East
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