Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE) recently launched their vision for flexible packaging in a sustainable Europe. The vision reinforces the industry’s commitment to a common position on the circular economy.
The Sustainability Vision is targeted at both the industry itself, to offer guidance, as well as other stakeholders. This includes customers, retailers, legislators, and NGOs. It explains the intrinsic environmental and social benefits of flexible packaging and the efforts of the industry to mitigate the known issues related to recyclability and litter.
Speaking about the unanimously adopted vision on sustainability Guido Aufdemkamp, Executive Director of FPE said, “I am delighted with FPE’s bold initiative to adopt this Sustainability Vision. The industry has always been aware it must play a positive role in mitigating climate change. These actions clearly demonstrate the proactive role it is taking.”
With FPE, the industry has been actively working on sustainability topics and commits to accelerate their contributions. The vision establishes four main goals which are: 1) designing flexible packaging for full effectiveness and minimum environmental footprint; 2) circularity for flexible packaging; 3) zero tolerance of leakage and littering into the environment; 4) and speeding up progress with cooperation.
CEFLEX is highlighted as a collaborative initiative representing the entire value chain of flexible packaging. CEFLEX coordinator, Graham Houlder, welcomed the strong common vision from FPE: “A united industry, working to be more sustainable is a powerful force. Flexible Packaging Europe – and many of its members – have been enthusiastic CEFLEX partners from day one; pushing to achieve a circular economy with the entire value chain. FPE’s vision is aligned and complementary with our CEFLEX vision and will help to accelerate progress and cooperation in flexible packaging design and delivering the circular economy.”
“It is very important to give confidence in the future strategy of the sector on this issue” remarked Jean-Paul Duquet, FPE Director of Sustainability. “We see the Sustainability Vision from the flexible packaging industry as strengthening the work being done by initiatives such as CEFLEX. For example, the ‘Designing for a Circular Economy’ guidelines are key to our vision to optimise recyclability and driving innovation in packaging design and reprocessing technologies”.