Event Recap: Sustainability Summit
A recap of a webinar held on April 12, 2023
Naturally Network's annual Sustainability Summit brought together members, advocates, experts, brands, solution seekers, and consumer product industry professionals interested in building a more sustainable and equitable consumer products industry.
On Wednesday, April 12th, we covered important topics and updates on the state of sustainability, packaging innovation, waste, circular economy, and upcycling, and foster ideas that create better outcomes for ALL people and the planet. Read on to learn about our 4 exciting sessions and watch a recording of the event.
Session 1
Keynote: State of Sustainability
Key Takeaways
The values-oriented shopper is an extremely important, growing segment of shoppers
Once you’ve established sustainability commitments, it’s imperative to report on both progress and challenges—and not just successes.
Clearly communicating to the end customer the impact they are participating in by supporting a business that’s focused on the environment is crucial - showing full transparency and verification of the impact that is happening.
Collaboration can help businesses navigate the complexity of this work. There is a whole ecosystem of organizations and other businesses seeking to do this work and support each other.
Session 2:
Packaging and Innovation
Key Takeaways
Consumers demands are shifting, sustainability is becoming a must-have rather than just a nice-to-have. Additionally, consumers are getting smarter and have a better understanding of what’s not working and what’s going on in the end-of-life management system.
Sustainability is a journey, not a destination. The landscape is ever-changing and what might be sustainable today might be considered less so in the future. With so much uncertainty, decision paralysis, and a fear of doing or saying the wrong thing, can and does easily set in.
Session 3:
Waste, Circular Economy, and Upcycle
Key Takeaways
Infrastructure investments are required for the economical collection of byproducts from the small and medium plants (where most “waste” is happening).
To make upcycled mainstream, everyone has to do their part. So if you’re a consumer, seek out more upcycled products. If you’re an R&D developer, see where upcycled ingredients can fit in your products. If you’re a manufacturer, look at your own processing line and see where waste is happening and how it could be eliminated. And if you’re a retailer, help amplify upcycled brands in store.
Reminder to brands that its important to be a brand first and foremost - but certifications, attributes, can give people a chance to be MORE interested in that differentiator!
Session 4:
Social Justice: An equitable transition to a new economy
Key Takeaways
Older consumers view sustainability as environmental while younger consumers have a more holistic view, sourcing, protecting and preserving resources, sustainable packaging, zero-waste, social responsibility, local, treatment of workers along the entire supply chain
Creating better outcomes for everyone is a systems problem. From brands to govt, to municipalities and resources, etc. The infrastructure needs to be built out and every stakeholder group needs to participate.
If you couldn’t join us live, click below to watch the webinar now or keep reading for key takeaways.
Want to continue your sustainability work? Join Naturally Network’s Carton Champions and join brands and individuals who seek to collaborate to improve the recycling footprint of cartons in the US. Learn more here.
Thank you to all our speakers, CarbonBetter for calculating member brands' carbon footprints, and EcoDrive for planning to plant 324 trees - one for each attendee!