Renewable, recyclable and responsibly-sourced at the Sustainable Retail Summit

21 February 2020 Event report

Society is becoming more environmentally conscious and many of us want to live healthier lives. This means we are increasingly demanding more sustainable products, especially from the consumer goods industry. At the same time, coordinated industry action is required to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Taking place in Berlin late last year, the Consumer Goods Forum’s Sustainable Retail Summit, a global network for the consumer goods industry, focused on those burning issues. We were present at the Summit to discuss the benefits that packaging from sustainable sources can have for a more sustainable industry.

Sustainable packaging and certification solutions within the circular economy

We teamed up with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and PEFC Germany for a special session, taking a deep dive into sustainable packaging and sustainable forest management.

Panelists from the public sector and the industry, including Coca-Cola, Heineken and Metsä Group, discussed the role of forests in biodiversity conservation, land erosion prevention and energy production, and how they can help support the SDGs.

“Sustainable forest management certification is the starting point baseline to expand the use of forest products to meet societal needs,” said one of the panelists, Fredrik Rosen from the Swedish Research Institute RISE.

The benefits of forests

Forests, when managed sustainably, are the ultimate renewable resource. The forest sector has a significant role to play in the circular economy, and through innovations and partnerships it is unlocking new opportunities for the industry and members of the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF). Working together is essential in making the most of forests in the most sustainable way.

“Expanding availability of PEFC-certified wood and paper-based materials supports CGF members shift towards sustainable packaging solutions, across global operations and international markets,” said Fabienne Sinclair, Head of Marketing at PEFC International.

In addition, procurement of certified forest products supports sustainable forest management and a wide range of global and corporate level SDG targets, including Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), Goal 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption), Goal 13 (Climate Action), Goal 15 (Life on Land), and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

The Consumer Goods Forum

The Consumer Goods Forum is a global network that encourages the adoption of sustainable practices and standards that serve the consumer goods industry worldwide.

As the only organization that brings consumer goods manufacturers and retailers together globally, the CGF strives for positive change across the industry through collaboration.

Photo credits: Sustainable Retail Summit