Page 31 - Packaging News Magazine Nov-Dec2020

November–December 2020 | www.packagingnews.com.au
AUSTRALASIAN PACKAGING CONFERENCE 2020 31
“It provides an opportunity for all stakeholders to identify when prog- ress is insufficient or not happening at the right pace,” she said.
“If it looks like we’re not tracking towards the targets, we’re not going to back away from them. We’re going to look at what industry and govern- ment can do.”
Lewis said managing these changes simultaneously to achieve the targets in a short period of time is no easy task. But she said targets have the power to drive change, and ambitious targets can drive big change.
“Seventy per cent plastics being recycled is an ambitious target. But it’s really interesting how the targets have driven so much activity through- out the industry already,” she said.
“What we’re doing is raising expec- tations and driving behaviour change; that’s the power of it.”
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What we’re doing is raising expectations and driving behaviour change; that’s the power of it.”
— Dr Helen Lewis
TRANSPARENCY BUILDS CONFIDENCE
During a panel discussion following the presentation of the programme, Planet Ark CEO Paul Klymenko said the prob- lem being addressed by the new pro- gram is a whole-of-systems problem.
“We need a whole-of-systems solu- tion – everyone knowing their role is essential, as is setting those mile- stone targets, and making it open and transparent is important,” he said.
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“Having the monitoring pro- gramme provide transparent, evi- dence-based reporting regularly will build confidence amongst all stake- holders, most importantly consum- ers. This will encourage them to play their vital role in the recycling pro- cess and drive positive environmen- tal outcomes for all.”
Klymenko said it was notable that there is now a great impetus in the corporate sector to move towards sus- tainable business practices.
“Whether it’s the board, sharehold- ers, or employees, they all want to work together to achieve the targets,” he said.
“We’ve only got five years. But, even with Covid, the whole thing, the work is still happening.”
EY partner, climate change and sustainability, Terence Jeyaretnam said awareness around the waste problem has skyrocketed not just in
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3,370
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6+ billion
beverage cartons produced each year
8 million
tons of recycled fiber recoveredannually
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