Sustainable Packaging Innovations Insight

October is upon us, and along with colder climes and darker nights came the fourth instalment of the Sustainability Peer Network. Held at Greyhound Box and ran by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), the Network is uniting and inspiring local SME leaders around sustainability.

During this session, we explored the exciting world of green technology and innovation – and the role it plays for businesses looking to overcome sustainability challenges. Our host, Lisa Lister, was back to run the session, with support from Michael Edwards, Innovation Relationship Manager at WYCA.

Read on for the key takeaways from the session.

What is Green Innovation?

Seeing as the session was centred on innovation, there was one detail we needed to iron out before we got underway – its definition! Whilst the Cambridge English Dictionary defines it as ‘a new idea or method’, everyone has their own idea of what innovation is.

It’s become quite the buzzword over the last decade, used to describe some of the most game-changing inventions out there. But we were keen to remind the session’s attendees that innovation doesn’t have to mean a groundbreaking change. Innovation is just as much those small improvements that make big boosts to the efficiency of a system.

Sustainable Packaging Innovations

A prime example of one of the smaller but impactful ways we’ve made sustainable packaging innovations at Greyhound Box is to do with inner components. For a long time, the sector’s relied on fillers and fitments made from plastic and polystyrene to protect products from damage. Our Managing Director, Louise O’Brien, explained what we did to reduce our reliance on these plastics.

Sustainable packaging innovation comes from challenging the norm, looking at what we can replace or reduce to prevent boxes and components from ending up in landfill. Since we were established, we’ve engineered cardboard fitments to replace plastic counterparts.

 

They can be recycled, repurposed, or even reused somewhere else along the supply chain, empowering a more circular packaging materials economy. We’ve also transitioned from polystyrene to paper fillers – they’re just as effective at reducing the risk of product damage and more effective at providing sustainability!

Louise O’Brien

Navigating Sustainability Legislation

Louise went on to share the importance of highlighting these often ‘hidden’ changes to customers. And, how that contributes to their own sustainability agendas in turn. “Some customers ask us for certain reports, like our waste figures, for their own sustainability roadmap.”

Next, she gave her thoughts on the role packaging suppliers should play in providing wider support to customers navigating the changing world of sustainability legislation. “As a sector, we need to help customers understand it. We should also be providing support with the wider implications of packaging, from accreditations to exports.”

Plenty to consider, and the session had only just got started!

ISO 14001: The Sustainability Standard

Whether your business manufactures packages or transports products along the supply chain, sustainable innovations tend to have one element at their core. Adherence and accreditation to ISO 14001. Lisa gave an overview of the internationally recognised standard for environmental management systems (EMS). She explained how it provides a framework for organisations to continually improve their environmental performance, before handing over to Louise.

“ISO 14001 accreditation shows a business is taking proactive measures to:

• Minimise its environmental footprint
• Comply with relevant legal requirements
• Achieve their environmental objectives

“We’re proud to have been ISO 14001 accredited since 2012. Everything we do to push us towards more sustainable processes is a way of life at Greyhound Box. Everyone is involved – our sustainable packaging innovations come from our people!”

Every little helps to minimise a business’s environmental footprint, as explained by Claire Monk, our Business Development Manager.

One of the best ways we’ve embraced innovation has to be through our 3D printer. Instead of ordering and waiting on replacement parts for our packaging machines to arrive from overseas (which costs money, time, and the environment), we print them. Machines are back up and running in no time!

Claire Monk

New Product Sustainable Packaging Innovations

Aside from the technology that is our 3D printer, the area we tend to associate innovation with is new product development.

“At Greyhound Box, we’re seeing more customers wanting to get more involved and closer to idea generation discussions. We’re in the middle of redesigning our CAD area so customers can visit us and have more of a hands-on approach with the design of their packaging solutions.

“Presenting packaging concepts to customers in-person is giving us results much quicker. We’re also able to get all relevant departments involved, meaning there are less/if any complications later in the process.”

Louise O’Brien

Digital Efficiency and Emissions

Moving the focus to green technology, Lisa asked attendees to share what they’ve implemented to make processes, like internal communications, more sustainable. Answers included:

1. Replacing email chains with meetings

Did you know a single email has a carbon footprint of 0.3g of CO₂? Meetings are often more productive and saves the back-and-forth of emails. Plus, explaining an idea over email is far more challenging that in-person (which can also lead to miscommunications)!

2. Considering how many people are copied into an email thread

Do you really need to add all those contacts into every email you send? It’s a simple change, but getting up and speaking to your colleagues instead of pinging off email after email is better for the environment – and your relationships, too.

3. Whether an email warrants a reply

Whilst it’s nice to be polite and send a quick ‘thanks!’ on email, that’s another 0.3g of CO2 into the atmosphere.

We’ve agreed that we don’t need to be sending emails that say nothing more than ‘thank you’ at Greyhound Box.

 

Our team are on board with the motion and understand it’s not to be seen as rude, but efficient. We had a digital audit in 2021 which found 4,000 emails were being sent unnecessarily in just a few weeks!”

Louise O’Brien

Achievements of Our Sustainability Peer Network

Many of those who attended this session had also been to the previous three. Lisa encouraged them to share the progress they’ve made in the weeks between – and it was inspiring to hear how they’ve all embraced and gotten on with the recommendations!

• Most attendees have used WYCA’s carbon footprint calculator to work out and include emissions in their sustainability reports
• Sam Taylor has started the carbon reduction plan for his business, madeby.studio
• Make It Wild’s John Burgess has been looking at ways to create more structure in stored data

That’s three sustainability wins worth celebrating!

Green Innovation Support from WYCA

As the session neared its close, Michael Edwards one of WYCA’s Innovation Relationship Managers, took to the floor to explain how he supports SMEs in the region which are ready to embrace green technology.

“We know the support that’s available isn’t always obvious. But that’s where we come in. A WYCA Innovation Relationship Manager who will take the time to understand your business and its goals. We can help you navigate the innovation landscape and get the support you need. That could be signposting you towards the most appropriate services, like:

• Partner programmes,
• Public and private research organisations,
• Fellow SME owners,
• Innovation hubs,
• Collaboration partners,
• IP and professional services,
• Specialist resources.”

Green Innovation Grants

There’s certainly plenty of support out there, but what about the element that makes innovation go around – funding? Michael introduced two grant programmes on offer from WYCA: the Ignite and Amplify schemes.

The Ignite scheme is for West Yorkshire SMEs needing innovation support from us for the first time. Vouchers are worth a maximum value of £5k and can fund up to 50% of innovation projects.

“On the other hand, the Amplify scheme is there for collaborations between SMEs and innovation specialists. Projects need to be in key areas, like net zero. Grants are worth up to £10k and provide up to 40% of a project’s funding.”

If you’re an SME in the region, make sure you reach out to Michael or one of his colleagues to get the sustainable funding ball rolling.

Thank You

And there you have it! An afternoon full of insight, knowledge-sharing, and discussion. A huge thanks goes to WYCA for putting on these Sustainability Peer Network sessions and to our host, Lisa Lister, for her continued support and smiles whilst running the sessions.