Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1244583
18 May 2020 Tablets & Capsules What are some sustainability trends you've observed from your customers and in the industry? Eckardt: It's been truly heartening to see more and more of our customers asking us for proof of our sus- tainability, either by sending their own questionnaires or asking for a sustainability certificate. Many of our customers have corporate guidelines in place, which we follow alongside our own (and we ask our suppliers to do the same). Sustainability is set to become an absolute requirement in our indus- try. It will be as important as cost- or quality-competitiveness and will refer not only to the protection of the environment but also to human rights and working conditions. Over the coming years, we antic- ipate that a company's ability to prove a strong dedication to sus- tainability will influence customers' buying decisions. Garverick: Customers do fre- quently ask questions about replac- ing plastic with more sustainable packaging choices and less use of materials overall. There is no ques- tion that how to make wise choices in this area is on folks' minds. Many of our customers want to align their products with sustainability plans, so we work with them to create and design sustainable and recyclable packaging. For example, if a product is packaged in glass or plastic—including dry, semi-solid, and liquid medical products—we can repackage it in "milk stock" gable top cartons, which are recyclable in most US markets. Ferrante: Our research shows that the next generation of consumers will demand less packaging material [1]. They will check packaging labels for recycling informa- tion, read packaging labels for sustainability initiatives, actively seek out products in sustainable packaging, share the importance of sustainable packaging, and even pay more for products in sustainable packaging. As a result, many companies that manufacture consumer packaged goods are reducing packaging materials; switching to recyclable and sustainable materials; implementing "reuse, return, and refill" options; considering new packaging formats; and exploring renewable packaging, such as plant-based and bio-based options. Pieper: Both the digital service offerings and our new sustainable products, such as the Push Packs, have been well received worldwide. Besides saving material and reducing energy consumption, interest in sustain- able forms of packaging in particular has grown. Some countries, like India, have shown great interest in these sustainable solutions. protect the environment from any possible risk. Even before we established our CSR department, there were processes in place to protect both the environment and our workers. We've built on and optimized these pro- cesses and continue to work toward additional practices and initiatives to further grow our positive impact both locally and globally. Pieper: Where we can, we a v o i d p o l l u t a n t s , w a s t e , a n d energy consumption. For example, our new digital services include a virtual show room with experts presenting technologies in a live stream and answering ques- tions about our projects, and we recently had a virtual factory acceptance test of a Noack blis- ter machine. Thanks to this dig- itization, our international cus- tomers no longer need to be on site as frequently, which reduces CO 2 -intensive travel. Where we currently cannot avoid, we reduce. In this sense, our new Push Packs for pharmaceutical solids are an ecologically-friendly alternative to cold-formed aluminum blister packs. They demonstrate the same barrier properties but require far less foil material to manufacture because the packaging foil used is thinner and weighs less. The lower material consumption leads to a significant reduction in packaging costs. Where avoidance and reduction are not possible, we take compensation measures. We have sponsored a climate protection project that compensates for the CO 2 emissions generated during the production of our Unity 600 blister line to make it climate neutral. To achieve this, we have invested in a certified calculation that enables us to determine the total CO 2 footprint for the line production, including all components. Ferrante: The 2020 Pack Expo International and Healthcare Packaging Expo, our co-located shows, have launched a green initiative to identify and promote exhibiting companies who provide sustainable solutions through new materials or technologies. In partnership with the Reusable Packaging Association, the show will feature a Reusable Packaging Pavilion to showcase the best of reusable packaging products and services. The adjoining Reusable Packaging Learning Center will host educational presentations and panel discussions on a variety of topics related to sustainability and reuse. There will also be on-floor education featuring a sus- tainability track providing innovations and solutions to increase sustainability. Sustainability is set to become an absolute requirement in our industry. It will be as important as cost- or quality- competitiveness and will refer not only to the protection of the environment but also to human rights and working conditions.