Sponsors and Linkages

Sustainable Packaging Coalition (USA) (www.sustainablepackaging.org)

A working group of packaging professionals, ranging along the value chain from paper and resin manufacturers to consumer product companies and retailers whose mission is (1) to advocate and communicate a positive, robust environmental vision for packaging; and (2) to leverage innovative, functional packaging materials and systems that support economic and environmental health.

The Sustainable Packaging Coalition envisions packaging designs and systems rooted in cradle-to-cradle principles. Packaging that does not need to be minimized because of negative environmental impact but can be celebrated because it provides positive benefits to society and the environment throughout its life cycle. Packaging that complements products’ and companies’ pursuit of sustainability.

SPA's Associate Professor Kees Sonneveld presented a key-note address outlining SPA's views and thinking on defining and implementing packaging sustainability at the Coalition's first formal meeting held last June in Seattle.  

BRASS - Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society (www.brass.cf.ac.uk)

BRASS was established by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) in October 2001 and is located at Cardiff University, Wales. It is an interdisciplinary centre combining expertise from the Business School, the Law School and the Department of City and Regional Planning. The ESRC Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society exists to understand and promote the key issues of sustainability, accountability and social responsiveness, through research into key business relationships.

In March 2004, SPA researcher Dr Karli James visited BRASS to share her experiences in life cycle assessment and packaging research. During her visit Karli presented at the BRASS Waste Seminar Series "Waste Management - Towards a Holistic Approach" Seminar 7 on Consumers and Supply Chains http://www.brass.cf.ac.uk/wasteseminar7.html. On 23rd March Karli along with BRASS Director Ken Peattie were members of the expert panel for promoting sustainable consumption and production at the Conference of the Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development (NRG4SD), held in Cardiff during 22nd- 26th March http://www.nrg4sd-wales2004.net/english/programme.php. While Karli contributed her expertise in life cycle assessment and sustainable product design, Ken focussed on the role of marketing, social marketing and education for sustainable development to build more sustainable markets.

SPA and BRASS are currently in discussions to explore continual collaborative research.