July 7, 2023
A growing number of boxmakers are making sustainability synonymous with their products as well as their business
From woodlands management to milling and converting, the boxmaking industry has proved itself to be potentially sustainable at nearly every point in the manufacturing process. But sustainability is not just about the box or the display. Many AICC members are taking sustainability to the next level, making it an integral part of what distinguishes their brand. In some cases, sustainability is an all-encompassing philosophy behind how they manage every aspect of their business.Strengthening Connections
“Sustainability means so much to me and our company,” says Cory Connors, director of sustainable packaging at Orora Packaging Solutions (OPS) and one of the industry’s leading sustainability spokespeople. “We’ve been at the forefront of innovative, sustainable packaging for decades, and we remain committed to leading the industry in this space because it’s the right thing to do. We are dedicated to making packaging that is reusable, recyclable, compostable, with the lowest impact possible on the environment, because we’re passionate about making a difference and helping our customers drive toward net zero.”
A Core Message
The Paper and Packaging Board is an industry-funded organization whose goal is to help build widespread preference for paper and paper packaging, representing the corrugated and paperboard sectors, as well as printing and writing papers. “Sustainability is our core messaging focus,” says Sarah Meiburg, the board’s senior director of industry outreach. “We believe—and promote—that paper and paper-based packaging is good for the environment and the planet, and we want consumers and customers to understand our sustainability story.” The organization’s latest initiative is called “Box to Nature,” a program that delivers on-box messaging directed at improving the consumer-residential recycling rate, which for corrugated is estimated around 40%. “By contrast, on the commercial side, it’s closer to 90%,” Meiburg states.
From Sales Tools to TikTok
Michigan City Paper Box’s sales are made up of a combination of about 50% stocked product that people purchase from the company’s printed catalog and 50% custom orders. That makes the catalog a significant sales tool for the brand as well as an opportunity to connect that brand to sustainability. To ensure the company’s catalog reflects its values, says Thomas, “we produce our printed catalog on a similar substrate to our boxes, using paper made from 100% recycled material produced from hydroelectric power.” This approach puts an actual example of the company’s commitment in customers’ hands. OPS has taken a similarly innovative approach to further link its brand with sustainability. This spring, the company launched a new magazine called Sustainably Packaged. “It’s an educational and inspirational resource that explores sustainability trends and challenges and offers inspiration and insight on how customers can make improvements in their packaging and operations to execute their sustainability goals,” Connors explains. In today’s media climate, print and digital catalogs and publications may reach only a limited segment of the market. Younger buyers are used to acquiring information in other ways. That realization led Connors to take a decidedly unexpected step: “About three years ago, I started making TikTok videos about sustainable packaging,” he says. “A lot of people said, ‘What are you doing? Why are you wasting your time with this?’ Well, you might be surprised,” he adds. “TikTok videos are usually only around 20 seconds long. In that time, I could talk about sustainable packaging materials and help people understand what can be recycled, what can’t, and what they can try in their own businesses. Because this was around the time the pandemic hit, suddenly hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of people were starting their own businesses in their homes. They needed packaging materials to ship their products. My TikTok page became very popular with these small business owners because they didn’t know what to do about packaging, and they couldn’t afford to hire consultants. I was able to provide a lot of the information they were looking for so they could package their products securely and sustainably.” The popularity of his TikTok videos encouraged Connors to develop the Sustainable Packaging podcast, which he hosts. In the two years he has been podcasting, he has released over 200 episodes, which have been downloaded more than 40,000 times. Each episode includes a prominent mention of Orora’s support. “It shows that there are people out there who are very interested in being sustainable and learning about how to be a better steward of the environment—even with the small things in their daily life, like recycling or not buying something that isn’t packaged correctly,” he says.Sustainable Business
Finally, a growing number of manufacturers are looking beyond the box when it comes to embracing sustainability—evaluating everything from equipment purchases to hiring practices and succession planning in terms of its potential environmental impact as well as its overall impact on the long-term future of the company. “Sustainable packaging is really just a start for us,” Thomas acknowledges. “The next challenge is for our plants to become carbon neutral. We’re going to go through the process of measuring our carbon footprint and seeing what it would take to offset that and achieve carbon neutrality. We think that’s the next logical step in being a sustainable manufacturer.” “Sustainability plays a role in everything we do,” says Hollenbach, “from how we recruit employees to our capital investments and in our discussions with customers. It includes a focus on the environment, but we also look beyond that. Sustainability is also about making the right decisions to sustain our company for the years ahead. For example, three years ago we made the largest investment in our history: building the new Green Bay Mill, a net-zero water mill. It is the only net-zero water mill in the United States, and I believe one of only two in the world. We did that, frankly, because it was the right thing for the company today, and it’s the right thing for the environment for the future.” That message resonates with current employees and helps to attract future employees, Hollenbach points out. “They respect the fact that corrugated packaging itself is a very sustainable product. But they also respect the fact that we put our money where our mouth is, setting specific, companywide goals for environmental improvements across box plants, paper mills, woodlands, and so on. For example, one of our goals is to attain zero landfill for all of our box plants. We apply accountability and resources toward those goals. As a result, it’s something that employees get pretty excited about.” Connors says he believes it’s critical for companies to consider the future and how your business can thrive in a sustainable way. “We can all look at the way we’re working and living to find ways to make beneficial improvements,” he says. “For example, think about the way that you set up equipment to run materials in advance, and see if it’s possible to eliminate that 10% waste produced before you start to work on the order. With circular design thinking and maintaining a focus on sustainability in every action, I believe we can also impact the bottom line.”An Ongoing Education
While sustainability is no longer a topic of interest for a limited few, many customers still will not be aware of the innovations and advantages coming from boxmakers unless they’re told. Hollenbach, for example, says the life cycle of paper boxes needs to be talked about much more. “A corrugated box can be reused seven-plus times, and it can be recycled into the very same product and used again,” he says. “The fact that it can be reused and then recycled is, I think, a much better story than you’ll find with some other packaging substrates that our customers are using.” Meiburg adds, “Anything we can do as an industry to help consumers understand the great story that is paper packaging will be beneficial. The better job we do at educating them, the more they’re going to prefer paper packaging.”
